Evaluation By Email Attachment Program
Standard Operating Procedures
As of: 24 May 07

1.  Overview:  This program is designed to provide deployed units an alternate method of submitting evaluations to HQDA when they are unable to use the My Forms on AKO or do not have access to digital signatures.  This is not designed as a means of sending OER or NCOER between locations to obtain pen & ink signatures before submitting HQDA (see paragraphs below for explanations). 

Reasons behind all rules that follow are:

      (a) We (POC) are responsible for making sure a legible copy of a legitimate evaluation gets placed in a Soldier’s OMPF.   Scanning and emailing documents is high-risk when it comes down to good quality and accountability.

      (b) We have had 4 years of experience with this program and these rules are the bare minimum necessary to keep the program running and still meet paragraph 1(a) intent (above) without causing undue burden on the senders. 

This SOP is divided into segments:  eligibility and general rules, specific rules for (regardless of component), and specific rules for NCOER (based on component of rated NCO).  It ends with information on My Forms on AKO and common problems (and their solutions) experienced with this program. 

2.  Eligibility:

      a. Eligible.  Units deployed to contingency theater of operations.  NOTE:  We allow deployed units to scan and send completed evaluations this way because sometimes they cannot get to My Forms on AKO to submit completed reports or because the report cannot be digitally signed by a CAC.  However, My Forms submission is available and is the best (fastest and most reliable) method and should be used whenever possible. 

      b. Not Eligible.  Units not deployed into a contingency theater of operation unless authorized by an exception which must be pre-coordinated with POC.  We used to allow units based in USFK, USAJ, Pacific, Alaska, and units transformed by Personnel Services Delivery Redesign (PSDR).  As the My Forms “send to HQDA” feature is working for all OER and will soon be for NCOER we are deleting all previously held authorizations for this program when they are not from a deployed location.  Reason:  My Forms with PureEdge forms, digital signatures, and electronic submission is the best means of getting reports to HQDA and into a Soldier’s OMPF. 

3.  General Rules for this Program. 
     
      a. Evaluations must be emailed by authorized senders. 

      b. Once emailed, an evaluation hard copy original does not come to HQDA.  That original hard copy evaluation will remain in the unit as a copy.  If that original does come to HQDA after email attachment receipt, it gets rejected as a duplicate. 

      c. Users can seek authorization by sending the information required below in an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .  (When it is broken down into parts, that email address is: tapc mse sr @  Don’t confuse it with others that are closely related.)  While the submission email addresses are different for OER and USAR NCOER; the initial request for authorization still starts at the single location. 

      d. Authorized users can submit OER (on an officer in any component) and NCOER on NCO in USAR (destined for processing at St Louis).  Active Component NCOER have different methods of submission which we expect to roll up into My Forms on AKO and this SOP by end of Summer 2007.  ARNG NCOER are currently sent to State & Territory POCs.   We will update this SOP at the appropriate time. 

4.  Future Actions.  We do not intend to expand this program.  We are assuming risk with maintaining quality products in an officer’s file; but, is not effective Army wide.   My Forms on AKO is the longer term solution leading to DIMHRS. 

5.  Sender Actions.

      a. Obtain authorization to use this program for OER of any component and USAR NCOER.    

            (1) Send email to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it requesting authorization to send in email with evaluation attachments.  (When it is broken down into parts, that email address is: tapc mse sr @  Do not confuse this email with others that are closely related.)  Provide information in the order listed below and repeat all information for each sender.  We recommend that there be at least 2 individuals per unit, i.e., one per shift, or one per location if the unit is dispersed.  We will received and return an email once we have added the names to our database of authorized users. 

(a) Sender Name:
(b) Sender Rank or Pay Grade:
(c) Sender Email Address:
(d) Sender Complete Deployed Unit Address or Unit Address for those authorized but not deployed:
(e) Sender Office Symbol: 
(f) Sender DSN Telephone (w/access code as prefix):
(g) Sender Supervisor Name:
(h) Sender Supervisor’s Rank/Grade:
(i) Sender Supervisor’s e-mail Address:
(j) Deployed Country:
            (k) Confirm deployed status into theater of contingency operations: Yes / No

*If you are sending a request to replace authorized senders (switch out names) provide the information in the same format and tell us in the email who the person is replacing. We will delete their information from the database. 

      b.  Receive confirmation before initiating email with eval attachments (test or otherwise). 

      c.  Run test of the upload device intended for use (i.e. scanner / digital sender) with appropriate email address before initiating full throttle operations and emails.  We will give comment on the quality of OER/NCOER and give recommendations to improve it before any evaluation has to be officially processed into a rated officer’s OMPF.    

      d.  Keep POC information up to date as personnel change on status.  Send notification of POC change messages to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .  We will use POC information to pass information on reports which are rejected for poor quality, unable to open, unable to print, any number of other email problems - it is important.

6.  Sender Rules (once authorized) for Transmitting an OER or USAR NCOER as an Email Attachment. 

      a.  Mailbox specifics: 

            (1) OER (all components) are sent by email to: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
            - This is an email inbox established SOLELY for accepting OERs by email attachment and for receiveing requests for authorization.  Ask routine questions to the ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ) email inbox.    

            (2) USAR NCOERs are sent by email to:  USAR NCOER by Email ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it )

            (3) ARNG NCOERs are sent to State POC using state instructions.

            (4) Active NCOERs are sent to Indianapolis by either upload or already established procedures.  Active NCOER will be included under this SOP by end of summer, 2007.

      b.  Sending specifics: 

            (1) Evaluations must be in a double sided file -- no single pages accepted. 

            (2) Only 1 evaluation attachment per email.  Email “subject” line should reflect at least the last name of rated Soldier on evaluation.  Do not use any unit designed cover sheets – attach only the evaluation and any authorized enclosures.  DO NOT place Soldier’s SSN in subject line.  (NOTE:  This is a change for USAR NCOER.  We will be lenient in the transition period to this new SOP but we have to get senders switched over to this new process.  Accountability of multiple documents in one email is very difficult to maintain and we do not want to lose track of any one NCOER if we have to reject one of the group.  The extra work at the submission time on the part of the sender is greatly appreciated as it dramatically increases the likelihood that a report will get in the system quickly.  Plus, the sender no longer has to create or scan cover sheets.) 

            (3) Evaluation attachment must be named by, as a minimum, last name of Rated Soldier and rank.  Add THRU dates if you will be sending in multiple evaluations for the same Soldier on the same day.  

            (4)  Don’t let other individuals who aren’t authorized submit or forward reports.  We run a cross-check of email addresses with lists of authorized senders to make sure that the person sending is authorized.  This helps us maintain quality and know who is sending in reports.    

      c.  An evaluation attachment must be in these formats (in “preferred first” order):

            (1) Pure Edge .XFDL format with 3 digital signatures applied by CAC.  For PureEdge users:  if you have obtained all three digital signatures you do not have to print and re-scan the document.  Send the .xfdl as an email attachment.  If you have that type of document you can also send OER by My Forms on AKO (and soon NCOER).  With AKO access you upload the form and submit to HQDA using portal functions.  My Forms NCOER submissions will be working soon.

            (2) Scanned .TIF image, 300 x 300dpi . Scanner should have these settings, COLOR: Black and White, COMPRESSION: CCITT Group 4(2d) Fax, RESOLUTION:  300 X 300 dpi and SIZE: Letter  (81/2 x 11).

            (3) If you cannot get either of the two options above, contact POC for instructions on creating an acceptable PDF file. 

      d. Final printed quality must be good enough to allow the report to be scanned and viewed through the HQDA computer application.  It must be or be without: 
                  - without extraneous black lines or marks
                  - full sized (no shrinking), as near as possible to 8 1/2” by 11”
                  - aligned on the page (straight)
                  - all line edges and markings visible on the page
                  - light enough background to scan properly into our system (many transmit with dark gray background)

      e.  As with routine mail operations, the evaluation attachment will be entered into a daily batch based on receipt time and date by Reports Processing Branch.  (Monday’s batch will catch those arriving over the weekend.)  Do not put “batching” instructions in the email body as we cannot implement them.  Consider this email in-box as the mailroom.  Do not wait until the last day before an evaluation is due to send it in if you want to ensure that it WILL NOT be late and/or make a board cut off date. 

      f.  If the systems work as designed you may receive an automatic response from us however, the sender must put this information in the Subject line: EVAL VIA EMAIL FOR: NAME, RANK OF RATED SOLDIER.

• Turn your option to get notices on “undeliverable” email messages on in Microsoft Outlook so if the message does not get to HQDA you’ll be the first to know.  Why?  If the email inbox fills up over the weekend or late at night with lots of users sending in reports – some reports cannot get through.  You won’t know unless you see you’re “undeliverable.”
• Some units have spam filters that keep this automatic message from being received at home station.  Test what happens at your location before it becomes important.

      g. Ways to Get Evaluations into an Email Attachment.

            (1) Using PureEdge document as an attachment.  Must have all digital signatures.  (you can also upload these into the AKO My Forms and send to HQDA.)
            (2) By scanner to computer, copied into email as an attachment
            (3) By digital sender directly to our email address for evaluations ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ) 
            (4) By digital sender to managing computer, copied into email as an attachment. 

      h. How NOT to use Scanned Evaluations.  If you use the email attachment to send, print, sign, and rescan evaluations between rating officials to obtain signatures you will have a 99% failure rate for the resulting evaluation.  Either it will be of a quality that we will reject outright or we will try to accept and it will produce a copy of an OER in the rated officer’s file that is nearly unreadable.  Each time you scan a document it shrinks and becomes denser.  If 3 rating officials print, sign, and scan, end result is a document with large margins, fuzzy print, illegible front sides.  We cannot accept that document. 
 
4.  POC: Mrs. Lynn Shockley, Evaluation Systems Office, AHRC-MSE, 703-325-9659/9660 (DSN: 312-221-9659/9660), This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Additional Pages
1 - Information on AKO My Forms
2 - Common Problems or Errors With sending Evals by Email Attachment

Additional Page 1:  Information on AKO My Forms
AKO My Forms.  Formflow is going away.  Army Publishing Directorate has a new forms program (PureEdge) and an approved digital signature application (ApproveIt.)  This software is available for free downloading to computers that do Army business – at office and home.  You should start using the military evaluation forms which are available in PureEdge and which can be digitally signed with a CAC.  These forms are available through AKO My Forms or at the Army Publishing Directorate website (see below for locations).  You can always email us and ask for the latest versions of the form if it takes too long to download at your location. 

1.  Common Problem for Sender:  Rated officer asks, “My report was electronically sent and I don’t see my report in my file.  Can you tell me if my report was received?” 

Fix:  Authorized senders should confirm acceptance of the evaluation after 2 to 3 days of receipt of the report.  This way the unit can be assured that the report was accepted for processing.  They can confirm receipt in several ways with different degrees of confidence:

      a. If you put EVAL VIA EMAIL FOR: NAME, RANK OF RATED OFFICER in the subject line of the email, the system will generate an automatic response and the sender will know the email got to the Evaluation by Email inbox.  Risk:  It might still be a bad image however and get rejected once reviewed.

      b. 2 or 3 days after sending an email the sender should check IWRS to see if the report “hit.”  You wait 2-3 days because there is always a 2-3 days lag between date of receipt and date it will show in the system.  That’s the time we are manually sorting and scanning reports.  After 15 Jun 07 IWRS will show information on all OER, regardless of component.  IWRS will show information on NCOER by the end of Summer 2007.

      c. If after 2-3 days the report is still not showing, contact the program either by phone or email and ask for assistance.  We can track down individual problems and get you answers. 

2.  Common Problem for Sender:  My unit electronically sent my evaluation and I also mailed my copy to make sure you received it. 

Fix:  Sending in a second copy of the same report may delay processing of all reports.  Receiving a second copy of the same report creates an error in the evaluation system which has to be verified (a) if it is a true duplicate copy (b) if it is a new report with overlapping dates or (c) if it is a corrected copy to the initial report and not a technically new report.

      a. Once emailed to HQDA, an original does not come to HQDA HRC-Alexandria.  The signed original will remain in the unit as a copy.  If that original does come to HQDA after the email attachment version it will be rejected as a duplicate.
      b. Once emailed, (after 2-3 days) check IWRS.  See problem / fix above for specifics. 

3.  Common Problem for Sender:  I sent a report on this officer and it did not show up on IWRS and so I sent it again. Then I inquired about the report, and found out that it was rejected both times.

Fix:  Evaluations submitted for processing are reviewed in several stages as part of the “receipt” process before entering into the automated application used by HQDA.  An evaluation will not show in IWRS until it gets into this system.  If the form does not meet basic standards it gets rejected.  Common errors causing rejection are: 
      a. a grayish image,
      b. printed in color
      c. top or bottom margin too large (over 1#) – too small / cut off
      d. missing edges (cut off lines), not a full sized page scan
      e. unauthorized sender for the email program (see this SOP to get authorized)
      f. incorrect file format (see this SOP for specifics)
      g. incomplete reports (one side only) (one sided documents)
      h. multiple evaluations in one email. 

4. Common Problem.  There is a dark blue tint to the image.
Fix:  Make sure the scanning equipment is set on the correct DPI or type of scan. 

5.  Common Problem.  The image has random square blocks of very light or faded text when printed.
Fix: Make sure the scanning equipment is set for black and white and not color. 

6.  Common Problem.  There is a very large bottom margin (over 1”).
Fix:  rescan.  Check settings on scanner and scanning software to make sure they are set on full page scan.   

7.  Common Problem.  There is faded or fuzzy text along the edge (normally the right side) on front and back. 
Fix.  The optical eye may be dirty.  The scanners bulbs might be burned out.  It needs to be fixed because our processing application’s optical reader can’t pick up the text.  It creates lousy copy in the rated Soldier’s OMPF.