# How the three award types work

> Standard awards are nominated by employees, panel awards are voted on by a panel, and CSV awards are given from a file. All three give reward points.

- Product: Recognition › Awards and quotas

- Plan: Recognition
- Where: Admin dashboard
- Last checked: 15 Oct 2026
- Web page: https://www.vantagecircle.com/en/help/recognition/awards-and-quotas/how-award-types-work/

Awards are how people are recognised with reward points. Badges are the other kind of recognition, and they carry no points. When you create an award, you first choose one of three types. The type decides how the winner is chosen, and it can't be changed later.

| | Standard award | Panel award | CSV award |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who chooses the recipient | An employee nominates them | A panel votes, then one person picks the winners | You, in a file |
| Approval | None, one or two levels, as you choose | The panel and winner selector instead | Rewards Hub approves the upload |
| Timing | Any time while the award is active | Set dates for nominating, voting and choosing | Whenever you upload |
| Extra step in the form | None | **Panel setup** | None, but some fields are left out |

All three are created in **Recognition → Awards** with **Create award**, and share the **Details**, **Eligibility and approvals**, **Reward points**, **Design** and **Certificate** steps.

## Where the points come from and go

On the **Reward points** step you choose the point amounts an award can be given at. When an award is given, the points are added to the recipient's balance. For standard and panel awards, if your company uses budgets, the points come out of a budget at the last approval or when the winner is chosen. Budgets, balances and redeeming points are covered in [Rewards Hub](/en/help/rewards-hub/budgets/).

## Which one to use

- Use a standard award for everyday "great work" moments, such as a spot award. See [Create a standard award](/en/help/recognition/awards-and-quotas/create-a-standard-award/).
- Use a panel award for a few prestigious winners each quarter or year, such as Employee of the Quarter. See [Set up a panel award](/en/help/recognition/awards-and-quotas/set-up-a-panel-award/).
- Use a CSV award when you already know who gets it, such as a bonus for everyone who hit a target. See [Give awards from a CSV file](/en/help/recognition/awards-and-quotas/give-awards-from-a-csv-file/).