Strategy Goals and Metrics

OKRs from your annual goals, scored each quarter

How do you set objectives and key results (OKRs) so each team knows which company goal its work supports?

Works rewrites each annual goal as an objective in words, not numbers. Each objective gets two to four key results, written as measurable outcomes. You decide which teams get their own OKRs. Each objective gets one owner. Then you set the date of the first quarterly check-in. You end with three to five objectives, ready to score each quarter.

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Updated

What you get
OKRs for 2027 · Fenwright Systems
Ready to score
3
company objectives
6
key results written as outcomes
Become the first choice of mid-size manufacturers 2 key results
Close deals faster and at a higher value 2 key results
Keep and grow every customer account 2 key results
Team OKRs Sales and Customer Success
Objective owners 3 of 3 named
First quarterly check-in March 31, 2027

You score each key result from 0.0 to 1.0 at each quarterly check-in.

See it run

OKRs in progress

Planning period
January to December 2027 · 3 annual goals
Objectives with an owner 2 / 3
Schedule
Every quarter
Scored from 0.0 to 1.0
Run log
  1. You
    “Set up OKRs for 2027 from the annual goals. The team is new to OKRs.”
    Your instruction
    ✓
  2. G
    3 objectives drafted Goals and OKR Architect
    Each of the 3 annual goals is now an objective, written in words, not numbers. The OKRs stay simple, because the team is new to them.
    ✓
  3. G
    6 key results drafted Goals and OKR Architect
    Each objective has 2 key results, written as outcomes. One key result is to raise the win rate from 24% to 28%. Another is to raise net revenue retention from 108% to 112%. Net revenue retention is this year's revenue from last year's customers, as a share of their revenue last year.
    ✓
  4. You
    Objective owner needed You
    Sales and Customer Success get their own team OKRs. 2 of 3 objectives have an owner. Name the owner of the third objective.
  5. G
    Drafting the briefing pack Goals and OKR Architect
    The pack explains objectives, key results and how the 0.0 to 1.0 scores work.
    •
  6. ↓
    Annual goals used Upstream
    The 3 annual goals come from Set Annual Business Goals.
    ✓
  7. ↓
    Key metrics used Upstream
    The win rate and net revenue retention come from Choose Key Metrics.
    ✓
How it works

Objectives in words, key results you can measure

The work starts from your annual goals and your key metrics. Each goal becomes one objective, written in words that say what the business wants to achieve. Each objective gets two to four key results. A key result is a measurable outcome, not an activity or an output. You then decide which functions get their own team OKRs. Each objective gets one owner.

What it needs
Your annual goals
Your team structure and who owns each function
The timeline of your planning period
Your team's experience with OKRs, if any
What you get

Three to five company objectives, each with two to four measurable key results written as outcomes. The cascade decisions and owners, a confirmed quarterly scoring schedule, and the date of the first check-in.

Run sequence

Start to finish

The work starts from your annual goals and key metrics. You work through four stages to write the OKRs.

  1. 1
    Objectives

    Write each goal as an objective

    Each objective says what the business wants
    You record your team's experience with OKRs
    You note any wrong behavior OKRs could encourage
    Goals and OKR Architect + You
  2. 2
    Key Results

    Set measurable key results

    Two to four outcomes for each objective
    Activities and outputs rejected as key results
    You set how ambitious each target is
    Goals and OKR Architect + You
  3. 3
    OKR Cascade and Owners

    Decide team OKRs and owners

    Team OKRs for work that company OKRs leave out
    You name one owner for each objective
    You choose how often OKRs are scored
    Goals and OKR Architect + You
  4. 4
    Team Briefing and First Check-In

    Brief the team on OKRs

    A briefing pack explains objectives and scoring
    You decide if OKRs connect to pay
    You set the date of the first check-in
    Goals and OKR Architect + You
Before it starts

What Works asks you

A few questions in plain words. The answers set up the run for your business.

How many company objectives do you want, within the limit of three to five?
YouThree to five company objectives, the same limit as the annual goals
Has your team worked with OKRs before, or will this be the first time?
YouAssume a first-time team, keep the OKRs simple and well explained
For each objective, which two to four measurable outcomes would prove that it was achieved, as results and not activities?
YouGrow net revenue retention to 110%
If 0.7 is a strong score and a sure 1.0 means the target was too easy, how ambitious should your targets be?
YouSet targets so 0.7 is a strong result, with real stretch above it
Who is the one person who owns each objective and each team OKR set?
YouThe person who runs sales owns the sales team OKRs
Will your OKRs connect to performance reviews or pay, or stay a separate planning tool?
YouKeep OKRs separate from pay, as a tool for planning and learning
Who runs it

The agents behind this workflow

The Goals and OKR Architect drafts the objectives, the key results and the briefing pack. You make the decisions in each stage.

Playbook specialist
G

Goals and OKR Architect

Owns this area

Turns your direction into annual goals, revenue targets, key metrics, objectives and key results (OKRs), quarterly priorities, and a north star metric.

Turn strategy into goals that you can measureDefine key metrics preciselySet up objectives and key results
On this workflow
G

Goals and OKR Architect

Turns annual goals into three to five objectives with measurable key results, cascade decisions, and a scoring schedule

Turn goals into objectives written in words that people want to work towardWrite measurable key results as outcomesReject key results that are activities or outputsDecide where cascading reduces real misalignmentSet the quarterly 0.0 to 1.0 scoring method and schedule
Jeanie, your Chief of Staff Works Crew

Jeanie leads a core crew of seven that runs your company day to day. They direct the specialist and workflow agents in each playbook, including the ones on this workflow.

Connections · apps · integrations

Bring what you already run

The apps and accounts this workflow reads from and writes to. Connect them once and Works keeps them in sync.

Google SheetsNotion
  • Google Sheets. The Goals and OKR Architect connects to Google Sheets.
  • Notion. The Goals and OKR Architect connects to Notion.

These are starting points, not a limit. Connect the tools you already use.

Related workflows

5 Strategy workflows use these OKRs.

Builds on
Set Annual Business Goals
Builds on
Choose Key Metrics
This one
Set Up OKRs
Feeds into 5 workflows
Set Quarterly Priorities
Plan Goal Reviews
Set a Strategy Review Cadence
Run a Mid-Year Strategy Review
Set the Operating Rhythm
Works · AI business OS

One workflow inside your whole business

In Strategy, Set Up OKRs is part of the Goals and Metrics work.

Prebuilt playbooks, plus your own
StrategyMarketingSalesCustomer SuccessPartnershipsProducts & ServicesOperationsFinancePeopleLegal & Compliance + Build your own
The Strategy playbook
73
Workflows
19
Specialist agents
42
Workflow agents
238
Templates
You're here
Set Up OKRs
One of 73 Strategy workflows · run by 1 workflow agent
Templates

What comes with it

Built for this workflow
XLSX
OKR Tracker
Tracks your objectives and key results. It opens in Works after you sign up.
DOCX
OKR Drafting Worksheet
A worksheet for drafting your objectives and key results. It opens in Works after you sign up.
XLSX
Quarterly Check-In Cadence Planner
A planner where you set the date of each quarterly check-in. It opens in Works after you sign up.
Also included here
DOCX
Annual Goals Worksheet
A worksheet for writing your annual goals. It opens in Works after you sign up.
DOCX
Metric Definitions Library
A list of definitions for your key metrics. It opens in Works after you sign up.
XLSX
Goal Review Calendar
A calendar where you set the dates to review your goals. It opens in Works after you sign up.
DOCX
North Star Metric Canvas
A sheet for choosing the one number that best shows your business is growing. It opens in Works after you sign up.

Each template opens inside Works after you sign up.

Questions

What people ask

What is the difference between an objective and a key result?

An objective says in words what the business wants to achieve. It has no numbers. A key result is a measurable outcome that shows the objective was achieved. Each objective has two to four key results. A key result is never an activity or an output, such as a launch.

How are OKRs scored?

Each key result gets a score from 0.0 to 1.0 every quarter. A score of 0.7 is a strong result. A score of 1.0 that was certain from the start means the target was too easy. You choose how ambitious your targets are. You also set the date of the first quarterly check-in.

Does every team get its own OKRs?

Not always. A function gets its own team OKRs when two things are true. Its work does not show in the company OKRs. It is also big enough for its own OKRs. You decide which functions qualify. You also decide how many levels below the company get OKRs.

Do OKRs connect to pay?

You make the choice in the last stage, when you brief the team. OKRs can connect to performance reviews or pay. They can also stay a separate planning tool. In the first stage, you record any wrong behavior that OKRs could encourage. One example is a team that sets low targets so it scores 1.0.

Set your OKRs from your annual goals

Sign up to write your first objective.

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