You edit a goal with Edit goal, which opens the same two-step wizard used to create goals with the current values filled in. You can change the name, description, Assign to, Goal period, Target frequency, Type of metric, values and period targets. Some changes are locked when the goal is used by an active incentive plan, has a weight, or is part of a hierarchy measured Based on sub-goals. To record new progress, use Update progress instead of editing.

Before you start

• Cascading goals (parent goals, sub-goals and the Based on sub-goals type of metric) are available on the Enterprise plan.
• You can edit a goal if you created it, or if your Goals > Manage key results scope covers every person the goal is assigned to.
• If you are one of the people the goal is assigned to, being covered by your own scope is not enough: you need to be the goal's creator or have Manage key results with the scope For the whole company.
• To change Assign to, the same rules as creating apply: teams, legal entities, roles and the whole company require Goals > Create key results with the scope For the whole company.

Step by step

1. Go to Performance > Goals.
2. Open the row menu (...) of the goal and click Edit goal. Or open the goal and click Edit goal in the header.
3. In the Edit goal wizard, change what you need in General information and click Continue.
4. Change the measurement or targets in Configuration if needed.
5. Click Edit. Factorial shows "Goal updated".

Rules and behavior

• If you are not the goal's creator and your Manage key results scope doesn't cover every person the goal is assigned to, then Edit goal is not shown.
• If the goal is assigned to you and you didn't create it, then you can only edit it with Manage key results for the whole company. Employees can't edit goals their manager set for them.
• If the goal is in an active incentive plan, then Goal period and Target frequency are locked with the note "Period and frequency can't be changed. Remove this goal from the incentive plan to change the period and frequency". Goals in archived incentive plans are not locked.
• If the goal has a weight, then Goal period and Target frequency are locked with the note "Remove this goal's weight in Edit weights to change the period and frequency". To unlock them, set the goal's weight to 0% in Edit weights (employee side panel > Assign weights).
• If the goal is a sub-goal of a goal measured Based on sub-goals, or is measured Based on sub-goals and has sub-goals, then Goal period and Target frequency are locked.
• If the goal is measured Based on sub-goals and has sub-goals, then Type of metric can't be changed.
• If you change the Goal period or Target frequency, then the goal's periods are recreated and the progress recorded in the old periods is removed.
• If you change the Type of metric, then the period targets are reset and must be entered again.
• If the goal's description is longer than 1,000 characters from before the limit existed, then you can keep it as is; the limit only applies if you change the description.
• Create an individual goal for each person is not available when editing.
• Editing a goal doesn't change its progress. To record progress, use Update progress.

Troubleshooting

• Symptom: "I don't see Edit goal." → Cause: You didn't create the goal and your Manage key results scope doesn't cover all of its members (for example, a team goal where some members are not your reportees). → Fix: Ask the goal's creator or an admin with company-wide scope to edit it.
• Symptom: "The period and frequency fields are greyed out." → Cause: The goal is in an active incentive plan, has a weight, or is part of a sub-goal hierarchy. → Fix: Follow the note under the fields: remove it from the incentive plan, remove its weight in Edit weights, or unlink it from its parent.
• Symptom: "My period progress disappeared after editing." → Cause: Changing the period or frequency recreates the periods. → Fix: Enter the progress of each period again with Update progress.
• Symptom: "Saving fails with 'The period and frequency are locked while the goal has a weight'." → Cause: The goal has a weight, which locks its period and frequency. → Fix: Open the employee's goals side panel, click Assign weights for the goal's group, set the goal's weight to 0% and click Save, then change the period.

FAQ

1. How do I change only the target of a goal?
Click Edit goal, click Continue, change the Target value (and the period targets if the goal is split into periods) and click Edit.

2. Can I rename a goal?
Yes. Change Name in Edit goal.

3. Why can't my employee edit their own goal?
Goals that a manager or admin created for an employee can only be edited by the creator or by someone with Manage key results for the whole company. The employee can still update its progress if they have Update key results' progress.

4. Can I move a goal to another quarter?
Yes, by changing Goal period, unless the goal is locked by an active incentive plan, a weight or a sub-goal hierarchy. Recorded period progress is removed.

5. Does editing a goal notify the assignees?
No.