Linking goals to data

A goal can point at the dashboard widget that measures it, so the target and the number it tracks sit together. This page explains how to set up the link and what it does today.

Link a widget to a goal

1. Open the dashboard and find the widget, for example a monthly revenue metric.
2. Click the widget's Link to Goal button. The Link Widget to Goal window opens.
3. On Link Existing Goal, search for the goal; or switch to Create New Goal to create one from the widget.
4. Choose the value in the widget the goal should follow (the metric path) and click Link Goal (or Create & Link).

The link is stored with the goal and records which dashboard, widget and value it tracks. Linking the same widget again updates the existing link instead of creating a second one.

On many widgets the actions menu also has Track as Goal, which opens a new goal form with the widget's current value filled in.

What the link does today

At the moment the goal's current value does not change by itself when the widget refreshes. Record progress with Update Progress on the Goals page (see Goals), using the widget as your reference. Every update is kept in the goal's history, with milestones if you mark them.

The REST API exposes goal progress read-only (Professional and Enterprise), so other systems can read what you record.

Suggested goals on template dashboards

A dashboard created from a template can show a Suggested Goals panel with goal templates that fit it, for example an MRR target on a subscription revenue dashboard. Click Track Goal to open a goal form filled in from the suggestion, then set your own target and date.

Lower is better

For metrics where lower is better (error rate, churn, cost per acquisition), use the Decrease goal type. Progress is calculated as current value divided by target for every type, so record Decrease goals as the share of the planned reduction achieved.

Choosing what to link

• Link the widget people already look at every week, so the goal and the number are reviewed together.
• Link goals to sources that sync regularly; a stale widget makes a stale reference.
• Prefer one clear metric per goal over a composite you have to explain.

Related

• Goals
• Goal templates
• Data sources