> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.topicflow.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Tracking Progress

> Monitor goal progress and keep goals current

# Tracking Progress

Goals only work if they're actively tracked. Here's how to monitor progress, update status, and keep goals visible.

## Why tracking matters

Untracked goals become stale aspirations. Tracked goals create accountability and momentum.

When you update a goal regularly:

* You notice when progress stalls
* You can course-correct before it's too late
* You have evidence of execution for performance reviews
* Your manager or team has visibility into what's happening

## How to track progress

**Update percentage or status**
Most goals have a progress indicator:

* **Percentage (0-100%)**: For goals with clear milestones
* **Status (on track, at risk, off track)**: For less quantifiable goals
* **Key result completion**: If your goal has key results, track each one

**Add progress notes**
When you update progress, add a note explaining:

* What's been completed
* What's in progress
* What's blocked
* What's next

Notes create a history of how the goal evolved.

**Create action items**
When specific tasks are needed to move the goal forward, create action items and link them to the goal.

## When to update goals

**Regular cadence (recommended)**

* Weekly for actively-worked goals
* Bi-weekly for longer-term goals
* Monthly for annual goals with slower progress

**Triggered updates**
Update a goal when:

* A major milestone is reached
* Something becomes blocked
* Priorities shift and the goal needs adjustment
* The goal is completed

**In one-on-ones**
Goals are often discussed and updated during manager check-ins. This creates shared visibility and alignment.

## Where progress is visible

**Goal dashboards**
Your goal view shows:

* All your active goals
* Progress for each goal
* Goals that are stale (not updated recently)
* Goals that are off-track

**One-on-one meetings**
Goals surface in meeting agendas when:

* They haven't been updated recently
* They're marked as off-track
* They're approaching a deadline

**Performance reviews**
Goal progress is pulled into reviews to evaluate execution.

**Topicflow AI**
Topicflow AI can summarize goal progress:

* "What's the status of my Q1 goals?"
* "Which goals are behind schedule?"
* "What has \[person] accomplished on their goals this quarter?"

## Identifying stale goals

A goal is "stale" if it hasn't been updated in a while (typically 2+ weeks for quarterly goals).

**Why goals go stale**

* The goal was deprioritized but not archived
* Work is happening but not being documented
* The goal is blocked and no one addressed it
* The owner forgot about it

**How Topicflow surfaces stale goals**

* Stale goals appear in your goal dashboard
* They surface in one-on-one agendas
* Topicflow AI can identify them in preparation for meetings

**What to do about stale goals**

1. If work is happening: update progress
2. If it's blocked: document the blocker and create action items to unblock
3. If it's no longer relevant: archive it
4. If it's been forgotten: decide whether to recommit or deprioritize

## Monitoring team goals

Managers can track goals for their entire team:

**Team goal dashboard**
See all goals for your direct reports:

* Who's on track
* Who's off-track
* Which goals are stale
* Team-level goal progress

**Discussing in one-on-ones**
Use goal progress as a coaching opportunity:

* "I see your goal is marked off-track — what's going on?"
* "You haven't updated this goal in a few weeks — is it still a priority?"
* "You hit 80% progress — what's left to finish it?"

**Aggregate views**
For larger teams, see goal completion rates and identify patterns:

* Are goals consistently too ambitious?
* Are certain types of goals getting deprioritized?
* Is the team aligned on what matters?

## Using integrations for context

Topicflow integrations can provide automatic context for goals:

* Commits and PRs related to a technical goal
* Deals closed toward a sales goal
* Tickets resolved toward a support goal
* Tasks completed toward a project goal

This context doesn't replace manual updates, but it helps validate progress and jog memory.

## Best practices

**Update goals even when there's no progress**
"No progress this week due to other priorities" is better than silence.

**Be honest about off-track goals**
Marking a goal as "off-track" isn't failure — it's transparency. It enables help and course-correction.

**Link action items to goals**
When you create tasks that support a goal, link them explicitly.

**Use one-on-ones to review goals**
Don't wait for someone to ask. Bring up goal progress proactively.

**Celebrate completed goals**
When a goal is achieved, acknowledge it. Don't just move on to the next thing.

## What's next

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Stale and off-track goals" icon="triangle-exclamation" href="/goals/stale-and-off-track-goals">
    Address goals that need attention
  </Card>

  <Card title="Creating and updating goals" icon="pen" href="/goals/creating-and-updating-goals">
    Learn how to set goals effectively
  </Card>

  <Card title="Meetings" icon="users" href="/meetings">
    Discuss goals in one-on-ones
  </Card>
</CardGroup>