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This tutorial explains how to set up automatic status updates for goals in Peoplebox. Previously, goal statuses required manual updates, which made it challenging for admins and managers to quickly get an accurate, at-a-glance view of overall team progress. Since updates depended on individuals manually changing the goal status, it often led to delays, inconsistencies, or outdated progress visibility With the introduction of this new feature, goal statuses are now automatically updated based on progress. This ensures that the status accurately reflects real-time performance without requiring manual intervention. As a result, managers and admins can make quicker, more informed decisions with reliable progress tracking across teams.
1. How to Enable the Feature
To enable automated goal status updates, navigate to your Profile section from the bottom-left corner of the screen
2. Accessing the Settings Menu
After opening your profile section, click on the Settings option
3. Navigating to Goals Under Products
Once you are on the Settings page, scroll down to the Products section and click on Goals. This section allows you to manage all goal-related configurations and features within the platform
4. Open Goal Settings
After selecting Goals, click on Settings under the Goals section. This will direct you to the specific settings page where you can control different goal functionalities and automation options
5. Enabling Auto Calculate Goal Status
Scroll down within the Goal Settings page until you find the feature titled Auto-Calculate Goal Status. To enable automated goal status updates for your account, simply turn on the toggle button next to this option. Once enabled, the system will automatically calculate, and update goal statuses based on progress
6. Allow Employees to Manually Change Status
Under the Auto-Calculate Goal Status feature, you will see an option that allows employees to manually change the goal status even when automatic status updates are enabled. If this option is turned on, employees can override the system-generated status and update it according to their preference
7. Automatically Update Goal Status as Time Progresses
The second option allows the system to automatically update goal status as time progresses. When this setting is enabled, the system will continuously re-evaluate goals based on the defined timelines and configuration. Even if no manual progress updates are made, the goal status will automatically adjust according to the passage of time and the rules set within the platform
8. Save Your Configuration
Once you have reviewed and finalized the configuration for the auto-calculate goal status feature, click on the Save button to apply the changes to your account. This ensures that your selected settings are successfully enabled and reflected across your goals moving forward
9. Initiating a Goal Check-In
To see the auto-calculate goal status feature in action, open any goal and click on the Check-In option to initiate the check-in process
10. Automatic Status Update During Check-In
When you update the progress percentage during a check-in, the goal status will automatically change based on the updated progress and the time elapsed. You will also see a prompt informing you that the goal’s status has been updated automatically according to these factors. Below the message, a help document link will be available if you would like to learn more about how this feature works
11. Understanding Presets and Key Terminologies
Now let’s understand the feature and the related terminologies to help you use it more effectively. Once you enable the auto-calculate goal status feature, you will see an option to select a Preset. A preset defines the threshold percentages for when a goal will be marked as Behind or Achieved
When you click on the dropdown, you will see four options to choose from, and you can select any one based on your preference. In the first three preset options, the Behind and Achieved thresholds are predefined by the system
However, if you select the Custom Preset, you can manually define and customize your own Behind threshold percentage as well as the Achieved threshold percentage according to your requirements
12. What is Behind Threshold?
The Behind Threshold is the percentage buffer that determines how much a goal’s actual progress can fall below the expected progress before it is marked as Behind or At Risk. In simple terms, it defines how much delay is acceptable before the system flags the goal
For example, suppose a goal is planned to reach 60% progress by the middle of the review cycle, and the Behind Threshold is set at 10%. This means the system allows the progress to fall up to 10% below the expected value without marking it as behind. In this case, if the actual progress is between 50% and 60%, the goal may still be considered on track. However, if the progress drops below 50%, the system will mark the goal as Behind or At Risk, because it has crossed the acceptable buffer
13. What is Achieved Threshold?
The Achieved Threshold is the progress percentage at which a goal is automatically marked as Achieved. This means once the defined completion percentage is reached or exceeded, the system updates the goal status accordingly
For example, if the achieved threshold is set at 90%, any goal that reaches more than 90% progress will automatically be marked as Achieved by the system without requiring a manual status update
14. What is Time Elapsed?
Time Elapsed indicates how much of the goal’s timeline has progressed as of today. It is calculated as the percentage of the total goal duration that has already passed, based on the start date and due date
The formula used to calculate this is: Time Elapsed = ((Today − Start Date) ÷ (Due Date − Start Date)) × 100
15. Using the Time Elapsed Slider
You can use the slider under Time Elapsed to understand how goal progress maps to different statuses at a specific point in time. While this slider does not help you configure the auto-calculate goal status feature, it helps you visualize how the status will change as time progresses based on the selected preset. As you move the slider to a certain time elapsed percentage, the system dynamically shows the required progress percentage range for each goal status at that selected time
16. Goal Status – Not Started
A goal is marked as "Not Started" when no progress has been made. If the progress percentage is 0%, the system automatically assigns the status as Not Started
This applies when progress-percent = 0
17. Goal Status – At Risk
A goal is marked as "At Risk" when it is significantly behind the expected timeline. This happens when the progress percentage falls below the time elapsed percentage minus the configured Behind Threshold
In formula terms, progress-percent < time-elapsed-percent − BEHIND_THRESHOLD
18. Goal Status – Behind
A goal is marked as "Behind" when it is slightly below the expected timeline but still within the acceptable Behind Threshold. This means progress is less than the time elapsed percentage but not low enough to be considered At Risk
The condition is progress-percent < time-elapsed-percent and progress-percent ≥ time-elapsed-percent − BEHIND_THRESHOLD
19. Goal Status – On Track
A goal is marked as "On Track" when the progress meets or exceeds the expected time elapsed percentage and remains below the Achieved Threshold. This indicates the goal is progressing as planned
The condition is progress-percent ≥ time-elapsed-percent and progress-percent < ACHIEVED_THRESHOLD
20. Goal Status – Achieved
A goal is marked as "Achieved" when the progress reaches or exceeds the defined Achieved Threshold percentage. Once this level is met, the system considers the goal successfully completed
The condition is progress-percent ≥ ACHIEVED_THRESHOLD
21. Goal Status – Not Achieved
A goal is marked as "Not Achieved" if it does not meet the Achieved Threshold before the due date passes. This status is applied when the timeline has ended and the required progress has not been reached
The condition is progress-percent < ACHIEVED_THRESHOLD and today > due-date-of-goal
22. Status Calculation Example with Defined Thresholds
Assume the Behind Threshold = 10%, the Achieved Threshold = 90%, and the Time Elapsed = 70%.
First, calculate the At Risk boundary using the formula:
At Risk Condition:
progress-percent < (time-elapsed-percent − BEHIND_THRESHOLD)
progress-percent < (70% − 10%)
progress-percent < 60%
Next, define the Behind range:
Behind Condition:
progress-percent ≥ 60% and progress-percent < 70%
Then, define the On Track range:
On Track Condition:
progress-percent ≥ 70% and progress-percent < 90%
Finally, define the Achieved condition:
Achieved Condition:
progress-percent ≥ 90%
At 70% time elapsed, the system expects the goal to have at least 70% progress to remain On Track. Therefore, if the goal’s progress is exactly aligned with the timeline expectation at 70%, the status will be On Track, because progress-percent ≥ time-elapsed-percent and it is still below the Achieved Threshold of 90%.