QUICK START GUIDE - Goal Creation

• Checklists are aids that help you review configuration settings and follow best practices prior to testing. Be sure to test the functionality fully in your Pilot portal before releasing to end users.
• The purpose of this guide is to provide you with instructions and tips for properly configuring your goals area.

PERMISSIONS REQUIRED AND PAGE ACCESS

ASSIGN PERMISSION	Company Goals – Create Create Employee Goals – Align Employee Goals – Create • Goal Configuration Goal Locking Goal Perspectives – Manage Goal Preferences – Manage Goals Library Manage Shared and Dynamic Goals OU Goals – Create
GO TO	Admin > Tools > Performance Management > Goals

 

BEST PRACTICES FOR goal settings

Goal preferences - by division
General	Shared Goals: Only select if you have a business need for multiple employees to update the progress of shared goals. The majority of organizations allow both employees and managers the flexibility to edit goals after creation. Goal creation, modification and cancellation approvals can be set to manager, indirect manager, or any custom employee relationship that makes sense for your organization. If you want to encourage overachievement of goals, check the Allow goal progress to exceed 100% box. Certain goals, such as sales quotas, are easily quantifiable and may boost a performance review rating. The Goal Library allows for employees to select from a bank of pre-populated goals. Do not select this option if you have not populated the library with relevant goals. The SMART wizard provides employees with step-by-step guidance on creating goal based on the SMART methodology.
Tasks and Targets	Targets allow for the creation of specific numeric measures of goal achievement such as increase sales by $100,000. The Target check box will only be editable if Targets are enabled in Goal Configuration. Use a Threshold setting if you want to show that a Target is on track, but not yet completed. This can be a useful metric for discussions with your manager throughout the goal period. Use Stretch targets if you want to quantify over achievement. Tasks and Targets can be weighted individually within a goal and inherited when a goal is aligned. You control the degree of decimal precision when displaying Target numbers and percent through a pop-up window.
Visibility and Alignment	You can choose to allow users to not only view other employee’s goals, but also align to them. Selecting Alignment allows users to choose IF they want to make their goals visible to other employees for alignment during the goal creation process. Should you select Force users to align their goals, be aware that users will be unable to create an independent goal.
Time Periods	You control the default goal period that appears on the Goals, Hierarchy and Goals Report pages. Note the default setting is an annual with a December 31st end date. If your fiscal year is on a different schedule, please modify. Select the default start and end (target) dates for newly created goals. Once created, the dates can be modified by the user.

 

goals configuration - by division
Fields Administration	Review list of fields to decide which fields you want to include and which fields are required. Keep the configuration as simple as possible; do not include fields your employee population does not need to track their goals. For example, if you do not track tasks and/or targets, do not include those fields. You have the option to make Uploaded Goals, Goal Library Goals, and Assigned Goals fields read-only. Update field names to match your internal vernacular. For example, you may use the word objective instead of goal.
Status Administration	Build your Conditions according to your organizational needs. A common configuration is “In Progress” or “On Track” for the default status; “Beginning Stages” or “Getting Started” when overall progress is less than 10% complete; “Behind Schedule” or “Needs Attention” when overall progress is less than 75% complete after 75% of time has elapsed; and Completed when overall progress is at least 100%. Ensure your Conditions do not have gaps or overlap with each other. Use colors to bring attention to areas of concern for managers and employees as goals are being managed throughout the year.
Success Descriptors	Provides employees guidance on how goal progress will be rated within a performance review. Success Descriptors should match your performance review rating scale.
Goal Creation Administration	Goal Creation Administration is an underused configuration tool that gives you the ability to create detailed instructions for your employees on how to create, edit, align or assign goals. These inline instructions make the goal creation process simple and easy for your employees. All boxes are HTML friendly and have a 1,000 character limit.

 

GOals library

Add Goal Template

When creating a goal template, enter a title and description that is easily understandable by employees. Enter a weight for the goal template. Select an optional goal type (Perspective) and category to make it easier for employees to find in the goal in the library. Set availability to control who will have access to this goal in the library. Availability can be set by any OU. You can edit, copy, or delete a goal from the Goal Library. Edits will not affect goals that have been created and approved using the goal library and deleting a goal from the library will not affect goals that have been created and approved using the goal library

 

goals perspective/categories
Perspectives	There can be one Perspective per goal. Perspectives allow you to employ the Balanced Scorecard Methodology by using financial, customer, internal processes, and learning & growth. Perspectives can be used to filter performance reviews and standard reports
Categories	Each goal can have multiple Categories. Categories are used within Custom Reports to filter and further refine your data.

 

Testing goal configurations
Creating a Goal	Goals can be created either through Perform/Goals or from Universal Profile. Examine the options available to you and remember these are controlled through Goal Preferences and Configuration. Many fields can be renamed or hidden; understand your options.
Aligning a Goal	If enabled in Goal Preferences, you can choose to Align Goals. You will see a pop-up window and choose the goal, which will include the Description and any Tasks & Targets associated. The Owner of the goal will also be visible.
Assigning a Goal	Goals can be assigned to Yourself, Your Team (if you are a Manager) or Indirect Reports, if your Managers have staff. You can choose if All users will share this goal and its progress and who will manage the goal.