CHAPTER 1: What is OGSM?
OGSM is a strategic planning method that helps you concretize your plans, dreams and ideas and make them achievable. What’s unique about OGSM is that it’s fast and effective, leading to a plan on one page. OGSM can be used for organizations or individual life goals. More than simply creating a plan, OGSM also guides you through the steps to make your goals actionable: because realizing your dreams is even more fun than dreaming them.
We empower teams to ideate, plan, manage, and celebrate their work together in a collaborative, productive, and organized way.
Whether you and your team are starting something new or trying to get more organized with your existing work, OGSM is there to adapt to any project. It helps you simplify and standardize your team’s work process in an intuitive way.
Keep reading to achieve more goals….
The result of using AgileOGSM framework combined with OGSM software is:
- Inspiring and readable business plan
- Teams clearly show how they will contribute to your goals
- Greatly enhance communications within teams and across your organization.
What does OGSM stand for?
Objective
The ‘O’ in OGSM stands for ‘Objective’. The objective is the qualitative aim and ambition of the plan. The Objective describes the conditions that you want to achieve during the agreed-upon time period. The Objective sets the direction for the whole plan. A good qualitative objective meets the following requirements:
- It needs to be ambitious, but achievable
- It needs to be intellectually sound and emotionally resonant
- It needs to be intuitively understandable and easy to explain in your own words
- Achieving the objective needs to lead to complete satisfaction
- All important elements need to be present
- The Objective should not include any superfluous elements without which satisfaction could also exist
- It needs to give direction
Goals
If the Objective is a qualitative ambition, Goals are a translation of that ambition into quantitative targets. This ensures that all stakeholders of the OGSM have the same definition of the words from the objective. When you achieve all your Goals, the Objective should also be realized. Ideally, you want to use the lowest possible number of goals that are necessary to make it indisputable that you achieved the Objective of the OGSM. Make sharp and critical choices for Goals that are truly important and make sure the Goals are ‘SMART’: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound.
Strategies
Measures
The component of OGSM called ‘Measures’ really consists of two separate elements: a ‘Dashboard’ and an ‘Action Plan’. This split within Measures is not native to OGSM, but was introduced to improve the clarity of the model by Marc van Eck (one of our co-founders) & Ellen van Zanten.
- The Dashboard includes key performance indicators that tell you whether or not a strategy is on track;
- The Action Plan includes the projects or actions that enable the practical realization of your strategies, as well as data on who and when will execute them.
CHAPTER 2: Logging in to OGSM Software and create your own OGSM
Getting started with OGSM is easy, in this chapter you will learn all methods of logging in and
Choose:
- I already have a workspace and want to login
- I have forgotten my password
- I have been invited to someone else’s workspace and need to make my own OGSM
Step 1: Login into OGSM software (if not already logged in)
You have 3 ways to login into your OGSM Software account:
- Using the SSO method – you can choose the options between Gmail, Okta or Microsoft and use the Single Sign-on method but your account must be registered to the same email address. Simply click on one of the options and sign into the service of your choice. You will not have to log in separately to your workspace.
- Using your email and password – just fill your email, password and click on ‘Sign in’ button
- Using the ‘Receive link to Login’ button – a password-less way to login, also known as a ‘magic link’. You only need to fill in your email address and then click on the ‘Receive link to login’ button. You will then receive an email with a link that lets you log-in right away without a password.
Note: If you login with email and password, you will be able to see the list of all the workspaces that have the same email and password.
Below you will find a specific example of different behavior of the tool.
If you want to make the login with email and password you need to change the passwords inside the workspace so you can have access to the whole list of workspaces.
Step 2: I have forgotten my password
If you have forgotten your password, don’t worry. In OGSM software it is easy to reset your password.
- Open the login page and below the email address and password you will find the option ‘Forgot your password?’
- Click over it and write your email address and click ‘Reset Password’
- The email you will receive will allow you to reset the password of all workspaces you have created with this email.
- Click in ‘Reset’ and write your new password and confirmation password, and save the changes.
Note: For security reasons, your new password must have at least one number, lowercase, uppercase, special character and at least 8 characters long.
How to activate the Two Step Authenticator in our tool (4th way of logging in)
Steps:
- To Admins – Activate in Workspace Settings- Features- the Google authenticator box. In this way all the users will have access in their personal settings the section ‘Two step authentication’ and make the specific configurations. Please see slides 2-4 and follow the steps for the right configuration.
- To all users – Go to personal settings and on the bottom of the page you will find the ‘Two step authentication’ section. Please see slides 5-8 for a better understanding on how to activate the two step auth
- To Admins– Make sure all the users have already done the configurations in their personal settings. After confirming, go to Workspace Settings- Security – and choose the ‘Two step auth’ option. By activating this option all the users of the workspace must login only with two step Authenticator
If an admin user activates the two step authentication in the Workspace setting, all users are obliged to login only with a two step authentication method. Given that for some users this configuration is not done yet, our tool will give you the option to login via the code you can send in your email.
You have been invited to an existing workspace and asked to create your own OGSM?
Create your first OGSM
OGSM is flexible and fast enough to manage any project from start to finish in only one page. Learn how to build your first board and start moving work forward.
There are two ways of creating a new OGSM:
1- From the left menu, hover the mouse in OGSM menu and click in the ‘+’ button
2- The second way is by opening the list of OGSM and adding a new one.
OGSM name
Choose the best name for your OGSM by adding also the period. Who is this for ie when is this for (year)
- OGSM is created confidential by default, but you can change it by unchecking the field. The confidentiality can also be changed during the time. You can make it confidential or visible for everyone.
- It is mandatory to choose the start date and end date of the OGSM in order to be able to correctly measure other actions.
- The owner of the OGSM is by default the one who creates it. But this is modifiable data. You can assign it to another person, but after that you will not have full access to the OGSM unless the ‘new owner’ decides so.
After clicking the ‘Create’ button, the new OGSM will be opened automatically and will be added to the OGSM list.
Update OGSM Information
You can update OGSM data by clicking on the setting icon in the top right, near the activity log.
New fields added in Edit OGSM are:
- Parent OGSM -You can add a parent OGSM or change it from one to another. By doing this the current OGSM will become Sub OGSM.
- Activate ‘Show in menu’ button- By doing this you will be able to add this OGSM in the menu on the left. You can have as many OGSM as you want on the left by just activating the ‘Show in menu’ button
- Notify OGSM owner of status updates– by activating this, the owner will receive emails updates
- OGSM Mode– You can choose whether it is Draft, Active or Closed
- Draft- If you are just building your thoughts and you are not running this OGSM yet then the perfect status is draft mode. No email will be sent.
- Active – If you turn the OGSM active, it means that you are working with this OGSM and you will be able to receive notification emails about the progress.
- Closed- Once the OGSM is finished, you can change the status to ‘Closed’ so you will not receive emails with notifications anymore
- Hide statuses– by activating this icon it will automatically remove the statuses of items created in OGSM, the steps will be hidden/ the actions list will be closed. In this way you can see/ print the OGSM without statuses
Objective
Objectives have a crucial role in organizing the OGSM. Define the objective in the right way and the OGSM will be clearly structured.
We suggest adding a short objective including ‘What by how’ format. This will help in creating correct goal headers and goals, strategy and actions.
WHAT (What will my customer achieve?) and HOW (How will you help them to achieve it?)
The objective should include the below checklist:
- Does my objective capture my “purpose” for being
- Does my objective recognize my customer
- Describe a result
- Make a clear choice in “how” I/we will get there
- Readable?
- Repeatable?
- Inspiring and a stretch goal
- Achievable
OGSM list
On the left page there is the list of all OGSMs by default opened. When you hover the mouse on the list, you will find two arrows, going in opposite directions.
You can close the list by clicking in the left arrow and that will stay also after refreshing or logging out.
If you want to open the OGSM list wider than you click on the right Arrow.
If you are an admin user, you will be able to see all OGSMs created. Confidential and not confidential, whether you have access or not.
If the OGSM is confidential and you don’t have access to, you will be able to see the OGSM name in grey color. If you hover the mouse over the OGSM name, you will see a tooltip describing who is the owner, and if you want to access this OGSM you need to ask the Owner.
Another way of accessing a private OGSM you can click on the “…” and then “Take control of this OGSM”.
Please be aware that by taking control of the OGSM you will have access to all items inside the OGSM and the creator of the item will lose access. An instance where a user assumes control of the OGSM is when an employer departs from the company. To prevent loss of their data, administrators can access it through this option while the departing user loses all access.
How to create Goal Headers
The goal headers are divided in two sections, more useful and helpful for the user.
Goal WHAT (Lagging indicators) and Goal How (Leading Indicators)
What are we going to achieve and how are we doing this?
Adding a new goal header is simple, click the mouse over the What/How section, fill the field and then hit enter. The new goal header will be saved successfully and you will be able to add new goals. For a specific goal header you can:
- Add/change the owner
- Make it confidential
- Change status
- Change the type what/how
How to create Goals (KPI)
In order to create a KPI you need a goal Header. The process of creating/adding and deleting it is the same as the goal header.
For a specific goal you can:
- add/change the owner
- make it confidential
- choose a parent KPI.
- change the status
- change the type what/how
- change start/end date
KPI Tooltip
We’ve made it even easier to access important KPI information. Simply hover over the eye icon to view detailed progress updates for your goal KPI or dashboard KPI without needing to open the edit modal. This helps you stay on top of your goals more efficiently.
Information showed in the KPI tooltip:
- Status: This indicates the current state of the KPI.
- Deviation from Forecast: This percentage reflects the variance between your target value and the current value at the present moment. For instance, if the target is EUR 100 and the current value is also EUR 100, the deviation from the forecast is 0%, signifying that performance is on track.
- Current: This displays the current value, as listed in the progress tab. The value in the brackets represents the forecasted value for the specific date for that measure moment.
- Projected Forecast Value as of Today: This represents the anticipated value that the KPI should reach as of today’s date, considering both the current value and the expected growth in the forecast.
- Projected Actual Value as of Today: This indicates the expected actual value of the KPI for today’s date, factoring in the current value and the ongoing rate of actual growth.
- Target Growth: We present the change you are striving for in percentage terms based on the current values.
- Target: Specific target value associated with the KPI, which is detailed in the information tab.
- Projected End Value: Based on the ongoing progress of the KPI, we project the eventual value it will reach.
- Owner: The individual responsible for managing the KPI is indicated here.
- Comment: If there are any comments associated with the KPI, we display the comment number for reference.
- Links: If there are external resources or links pertinent to the KPI, they are listed here with the option to directly access them.
- Actions Impacting KPI: This section outlines the actions that have a direct influence on the KPIs performance, along with the extent of their impact. For example, if the KPI needs to progress from 60% to 80%, and a particular action contributes 15% towards achieving this goal, it is highlighted here. For instance, “Action Nr. 1 has a significant impact of 15% on this KPI.” This helps you identify and prioritize actions that can drive KPI improvement.
How To edit a Goal/Goal header/Strategy/Action/Step
Option 1
Option 2
Option 3
Graph Feature
How to generate a graph?
If you want to generate a graph you need to fill the following fields:
- Start date
- End date
- Value at start date
- Delivery target
- Units
- Measure Period
Once you fill this information and save the changes, the ‘Regenerate Measure Moments’ will be added on the top right and you will be able to click over it and create measure moments with the forecast. You will also be able to add the actual result.
We’ve made using the tool even more seamless! Now, you’ll receive prompts to generate a measure moment when all required data is filled or to regenerate it if any progress-affecting field is changed. You just need to click on the “Generate measure moment” once the snackbar message is showing.
How to work with the progress tab?
Initially the progress tab is empty, it will be filled after you generate the measure moments. It has a start and a target, in between it shows the data calculated based on the forecast.
Below you will find a gif explaining how we can fill the ‘Actual’ data and how it can be reflected in the Graph.
- Open progress tab after you have ‘Regenerated the measure moments’
- For every measure generated there is a forecast and you are able to add the actual result
- After doing this, refresh the page and open the ‘Graph’ tab, and you will see the new line ’Actual result’
Note: The color of the ball in the left will change based on the results:
- Red – It is off track
- Green- It is on track
By adding the actual results it will also change the status of the KPI On track/Off track automatically. In this way you will know immediately when you open the OGSM page which goal is on track and which one needs more focus.
Inside the Detail KPI modal you can change the ‘Good’ value above the graph line. By default it is activated, but if the data is bigger and in the specific case it is not a good indicator, then you can uncheck this box.
After filling all the needed fields, in the modal in the top right will be present a button that allows you to generate measure moments.
– Once you have generated the graph, you are able to regenerate it every time you need.
How to link child goals to a KPI?
Note: The implementation of this feature is in progress in OGSM 2 but available in OGSM 1.
Open the edit modal and below you will find the ‘Child Goals’ section. Click over it and you will be able to create new sub goals and allocate to the OGSM or select a goal already created.
How to view the graph of a KPI?
First option
After you have linked the child KPI to the KPI you can choose how to view the graph. This can be done in the Details tab.
The possibilities are as below:
- All – You will be able to see the current KPI and all the child’s Actual and forecast
- Average- By choosing this option you can see the current KPI “Actual” and ‘Forecast” and also all childs average “Actual” and “Forecast”
- Sum- By choosing this option you can see the current KPI “Actual” and ‘Forecast” and also all childs Sum “Actual” and “Forecast”
- All and Sum- By choosing this option you can see the parent and all child KPI “Actual” and ‘Forecast” and also all childs Sum “Actual” and “Forecast”
- All and Average- By choosing this option you can see the parent and all child KPI “Actual” and ‘Forecast” and also all childs Average “Actual” and “Forecast”
How to add Actions impacting KPI?
The Action Impacting KPI feature in OGSM allows users to link specific actions to KPIs, helping track their impact on business outcomes.
Steps to Add an Action Impacting KPI
- Open the Edit modal of KPI in which you need to add Actions impacting the KPI
- Go to ACTION IMPACTING KPI
- Initially you will see a blank page
- To add action, Click on Add button
- It will open a popup where you need to select Project/Action, Impact value and Impact
- After that click on save, your impacting action to this KPI will be attached.
How to create a strategy
The compilation of the strategy is crucial for the OGSM because based on the strategy created we are able to create dashboard measures, actions and steps.
If you want to create a strategy for the first time you hover the mouse in the strategy item space and click on the field. Complete the strategy and hit enter. Below you can check the example with the gif.
As soon as you do this, you will be able to add dashboard measures and actions related to this strategy
The owner responsible for this strategy, indicates the status and receives the updates regarding this strategy.
From a strategy you can also cascade an OGSM.
Strategy informative Tooltip
Information showed in the KPI tooltip:
- Owner: The individual responsible for managing the KPI is indicated here.
- Start Date: This is the date when the strategy or plan was initiated.
End Date: This marks the date on which the strategy or plan is scheduled to conclude or has concluded. - Status: This indicates the current state of the KPI.
- Description: If you provide a helpful description within the strategy edit modal, it will be displayed in the informative tooltip. This allows you to add context or details about the strategy, making it easier for users to understand
- Comment: If there are any comments associated with the KPI, we display the comment number for reference.
- Links: If there are external resources or links pertinent to the KPI, they are listed here with the option to directly access them.
Dashboard measures
The process of creating a dashboard measure is the same as goals. They are both Key performance indicators. You can create many KPI for the same strategy because our software allows you to create a list of dashboard measures.
- State whether it is a what or a how measurement.
- Enter the start and end date and corresponding values. The graph is generated based on these values.
- Enter the measurement period and update frequency. Based on this, the owner receives an automatic request to update the status.
- It is possible to set a default delay for when the system should show the overdue status and also send out the Overdue notification by email.
- You can also set a value to delay the KPI status update email notification with the entered amount of days.
- When you set these delay values as default on the Workspace settings, you also can change it specifically per object (in the object popup itself)
How to create an Action (project)
- Click on the action table and start typing to add an action. Fill the data and hit enter. The action will be created automatically and you will be able to add more.
- Click on the 3 dots and select edit in order to further enrich the action. The owner is responsible for this promotion, indicates the status and receives the updates.
- You can add more team members by clicking on the arrow next to ‘Team’.
- It is possible to change the % complete value in the Actions popup by clicking on the percentage bar
- Furthermore you can breakdown an action into steps where you can split the action in multiple steps with each step having an owner and start & end date
Action tooltip
We’ve enhanced the information available for actions in the OGSM. Hovering over the eye icon now provides details about the current status, percentage completed, and last update. This feature helps you track your progress and identify areas for improvement.
- Time Used: It represents the percentage of time used for a given action within a specified timeframe. It calculates how much of the time between the start date and end date of the action has already passed as of today. For example, if an action started a week ago and is set to end in a month, and today is the 10th day, it might show 10% time used.
- Current Progress: This percentage reflects the progress made by the user
- Status: This field indicates the current status of the action. Possible status values may include:
- “On Track” – The action is progressing as planned.
- “Off Track” – The action is falling behind schedule.
- “On Hold” – The action has been temporarily suspended or delayed.
- “At Risk” – There are potential issues or challenges that may impact the action’s success.
- “To Do” – The action has not yet started and is on the to-do list.
- Phase: This displays the current phase that the action is in.
- Last Update: This section provides information about the most recent status update related to the action. It includes the date when the update was made and a description of the update, which may include important notes or changes in the action’s status or progress.
- Team: It shows the owner of the action, which is the individual responsible for overseeing and executing the action. Additionally, it may list any team members who are involved in the action’s execution.
- Description: This field contains the description or details that were entered inside the edit modal of the action in the description field.
- Impacts Goal/Dashboard KPI: This section highlights the specific KPIs that are affected by the action. It also provides information about the impact value, indicating the extent to which the action is expected to influence these KPIs. For instance, if the action is related to the KPI “80% of past staff feel connected with Great Food and their local community”, and impact value is 20% it means that this action has a high impact on achieving the KPI goal.
Invite a user in the Workspace and assign to the action in 4 steps
Change status from action list in 2 steps
Add/Edit the period of the Action in 2 steps
How do we show the end date of an Action in the list:
- If the end date is in the current month – we show only the day and month (30 Jun)
- If the end date is in the last 3 years or in the next 3 years we show the month and the year (Sep’23)
- If the end date is more than the last 3 years or more then the next 3 years we show only the year. (2025)
Note: If the end date is smaller than today and the project is not finished, we show the date in RED
For one action it is possible to create steps or allocate sub-actions existent in the software.
Action Modal - Features inside edit modals
Details
The “Edit Modal” is a key feature that allows users to modify various aspects of an action. Within the “Edit Modal,” there are four different tabs, each serving a specific purpose to help users perform different actions.
One of these tabs is the “Detail” tab, where users can make important changes to the action. Here’s a breakdown of the features available in the “Detail” tab:
- Name: Users can modify the name of the action, providing a clear and descriptive title that reflects the purpose of the action.
- Owner: Users can assign the action to a specific owner or team member responsible for its execution. You can also choose the project sponsor.
- Status: Users have the option to change the status of the action, indicating its progress or current state (e.g., Not Started, On track, Off track, Done, etc.).
- Start Date and End Date: Users can set the start and end dates for the action. This helps in scheduling and tracking the action’s timeline.
- Frequency: If the action is a recurring task, users can set its frequency (e.g., daily, weekly, monthly) to automate its recurrence.
- Status Update Request: This feature allows users to request a status update for the action. They can use this option to prompt the owner or team member to provide a progress update, ensuring everyone stays informed.
Steps
The “Steps” tab within the “Edit Modal” is a valuable section that provides users with an overview of all the current tasks associated with the action. Here’s an explanation of the features available in the “Steps” tab:
- Current Tasks: Users can view a list of all the tasks or steps that are currently associated with the action. This list gives a clear representation of the work that needs to be done to complete the action.
- Deleted Steps: The “Steps” tab also includes an option to view previously deleted steps and if needed they can use the “Restore” function.
Sub actions
The third tab in the “Edit Modal” is dedicated to managing sub-actions. Sub-actions are smaller actions that are linked to the main action, helping to break down complex goals into more manageable components. Here’s an explanation of the features available in the “Sub-actions” tab:
- Create New Sub-action: Users have the option to create new sub-actions directly from this tab.
- Link Existing Sub-actions: Users can also link existing sub-actions to the current main action. This is particularly useful when the sub-actions are already defined and are part of the same OGSM within the workspace.
Impacts Goal/Dashboard KPI
The “Impacts Goals/Dashboard KPIs” tab in the Action Edit Modal is a powerful feature that allows users to specify the effects of the action on various goals or Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) within the organization or project. Here’s an explanation of the features available in the “Impacts Goals/KPIs” tab:
- Select Goals/KPIs: Users can choose the specific goals or KPIs that are affected by the action.
- Impact Values: For each selected goal/KPI, users can assign impact values that indicate the extent to which the action influences the achievement of that particular goal/KPI.
- Impact Levels: Some systems use impact levels to categorize the significance of the action’s effect on goals/KPIs. Users may be able to choose impact levels such as “medium,” “high,” or “low,” providing a quick overview of the action’s importance in relation to each goal/KPI.
Project Status Update
Project status update displays the current situation of a project at a specific time. You need to make some simple configuration so it is more clear when you need to request the status update.
Configurations:
- Choose an Owner of an action
- Set a Status update Start date
- Set an End Date
- Choose a status update frequency
If you want to make a request for a project status update (even if you have not done the above configurations), it can be done inside the project modal. Everyone who is part of the workspace and has access to the project can request the status update anytime.
The only request is to choose a ‘Project manager’ for the project.
As soon as you request the status update, the owner of the project will receive an email.
Click in the ‘Update status online’ and the page will appear below:
Below it is also added the option to make ‘Done’ the status of a step and if there is a sub action related to the action, you can also update the information of the sub action(status, time status, money status,quality status and % complete)
Updating the information from here, it will automatically update the current data in the project modal.
In the OGSM 2 it will only show the last update date, but in the OGSM 1 there is a section ‘Action status update’ and it shows the details of the last update. (Work in progress for OGSM 2).
It will show a list of all updates from the first to the last update. If you make many updates, it will be shown only once and only the last update is saved.
How to request the status update for a person that has no access in the workspace:
1- Create a person (make sure the person created has also email)
2- Request the status update
The person will receive the email and he can update the project without having to login to the software. He will not have access to open the project details or go to the dashboard.
How to create steps
It is possible to create steps only if there are actions already created. And for an action you add new steps.
Option 1: Create Tasks/Steps in 3 steps from action list
Option 2: Create step inside the Action modal
How to edit a step:
- You can edit a step by clicking directly in the step field once, modify the data and hit enter/click outside the field and the changes will be saved
- You can ‘Right click’ on the step field and click ‘Edit’. Modify the name and Submit the changes
How to delete a step:
- Click once in the step field and type your ‘Backward’ button. Once you have deleted all the characters a message will appear asking if you want to confirm if you want to delete it.
- You can ‘Right click’ on the step field and click ‘Delete’. Confirm the deletion.
Add/Edit period of the Task/step in 2 steps
Invite a user in the Workspace and assign to the action in 4 steps
How to change status of a step
- Right click on the steps field and in the bottom of the popup there is a checkbox ‘Mark as Done’. In this way the steps will be Done
- If the steps is ‘Done’ you can ‘Change in doing’ or ‘Archive’ so it will not appear on the list anymore
How to restore deleted steps
If you have already deleted a step, you are now able from OGSM 2 to restore the step deleted. Open action modal, click on the steps tab and there you will find ‘Show all’ option. Click over it and you will see all active and deleted steps clearly visible. If you hover the mouse over the step that you want to restore you will see the ‘Restore’ button on the right. Click and the step will be restored.
Below you will see an example:
Step informative tooltip
Hovering over the eye icon now provides details about the current status, percentage completed, and last update. This feature helps you track your progress and identify areas for improvement.
- Status: This field indicates the current status of the step
- Owner: The individual responsible for managing the step is indicated here.
- Current Progress: This percentage reflects the progress made by the user
- Description: This field contains the description or details that were entered inside the edit modal of the step in the description field.
Sub actions
You can assign a sub-action to an action from OGSM 1 and in the OGSM 2 it will be visible in the list and also in the third tab of the action modal.
Don’t know how to add a sub action in OGSM 1?
Steps:
- Click in ‘…’
- Click in ‘Edit’
- Click in ‘Child action’
In this moment you can add a new sub-action or you can select a sub action that already exist
Task status update
Task status update displays the current situation of a task at a specific time. You need to make some simple configuration so it is more clear when you need to request the status update.
Configurations:
- Choose an Owner of the task
- Set a Start date
- Set an End Date
- Choose a status review frequency
If you want to make a request for a task status update (even if you have not done the above configurations), it can be done inside the task modal. Everyone who is part of the workspace and has access to the task can request the status update anytime.
The only request is to choose a ‘Project manager’ for the task.
As soon as you request the status update, the owner of the task will receive an email.
Click in the ‘Update status Tasks’ and the page will appear below:
How to request the status update for a person that has no access in the workspace:
- Create a person (make sure the person created has also email)
- Request the status update
The person will receive the email and he can update the task without having to login to the software. He will not have access to open the task details or go to the dashboard.
Action and Step Filter
You can filter the actions. When hovering over the action panel select the most right button labeled “Filter”.
E.g. you can hide all actions that are done. A warning sign appears when the filter is on.
You can make great combinations of filters and see the results you need to see.
Activate automatic reminders
Mailings
We have a digital assistant available for you, if you would like to activate this assistant to save time and bring a great habit of on time updates to progress reporting within your organization. Here we will explain all steps that are necessary to get the mailing section working as expected.
Workspace settings
Workspace settings
To have the mailing subscription working as expected, it is necessary first to set the workspace general settings:
Steps
- First click in the left menu and then ‘Settings’. After that click on ‘Workspace settings’. It will appear the Workspace settings options
Click in the third tab and you will find all reminder options. These options are for the workspace level. You will have the option to activate or deactivate options on a personal level as well. Below you will find the explanation of all the options in the picture above:
- Mailing enabled – If you want to receive any emails, this option should be active so you will be able to track your work. If this option is off, you will not receive any kind of emails from the digital assistant
- Measure/Goal mailing (reminder) – You will receive an email X days prior to a measure date telling that: “This is a request to update the status of the Kpis assigned to you with status update on.”
- Project status mailing (reminder) – You will receive an email X days prior to a measure date telling that: “This is a request to update the status of the project assigned to you with status update on.”
- Risk status mailing (reminder) – You will receive an email X days prior to a measure date telling that: “This is a request to update the status of the risk assigned to you with status update on.”
- Assignment mailing (reminder) – If you are assigned a task or project and you “send emails” is on, as work is allocated to you by someone else you will be notified.
- Task status mailing – You will receive an email on the measure date itself: “This is a request to update the status of the task assigned to you, with the status update date today.”
- Goal dashboard mailing – You will receive an email on the measure date itself: “This is a request to update the status of the goal (key performance indicator) assigned to you, with the status update date today.”
- Requirement status mailing – You will receive an email on the measure date itself: “This is a request to update the status of the requirement assigned to you, with the status update date today.”
- Goal dashboard mailing – You will receive an email on the measure date itself: “This is a request to update the status of the goal (key performance indicator) assigned to you, with the status update date today.”
- Requirement status mailing – You will receive an email on the measure date itself: “This is a request to update the status of the requirement assigned to you, with the status update date today.”
- Action status update email – You will receive an email on the measure date itself: “This is a request to update the status of the project assigned to you, with the status update date today.”
- Risk status mailing – You will receive an email on the measure date itself: “This is a request to update the status of the risk assigned to you, with the status update date today.”
- Subscription mailing – You will receive an email on the measure date itself: “This is a request to update the status of the subscription, with the status update date today.”
- Timesheet mailing – Your timesheet for year/month is not yet submitted. Please review your worked hours and submit it. You also receive a daily Timesheet reminder email to fill in your hours for the tasks and projects (weekdays to receive the daily Timesheet reminder is configured in the user’s settings page)
- Task status update mailing (reminder) – You will receive an email X days prior to a measure date telling that: “This is a request to update the status of the Task assigned to you with status update on.”
Person settings
Besides the workspace settings, it is necessary to have the personal mailing set enabled:
First click in my settings, and then in the third tab select ‘ Reminders’ you will find that initially all reminders will be inherited by the mailing workspace settings, but you can personalize them in personal settings for specific users. You can activate or deactivate mailing reminders.
Mailing logic
Object Status Update Notifications are enabled per Workspace level (Workspace Settings page) and per Person level (Person Settings page):
The steps to get the PSU emails:
- An object with owner that has mailing enabled
- Status update frequency with the desired option selected
- Status update start date defined
- The email types are:
REMINDER An email X days prior to a measure date telling that: “This is a request to update the status of the Kpis assigned to you with status update on.”
TODAY An email on the measure date itself: “This is a request to update the status of the Kpis assigned to you, with a status update date today.”
OVERDUE An e-mail one day after the set date if no actual value is filled in: “The status updates of the following Kpis assigned to you are now overdue. The deadline for the status update date was before today. Please submit a status update for each Kpi now.”
The number of days the reminder email is sent prior to a measure date depends on the object frequency, and the defaults are:
DAILY, ADHOC – no reminder
WEEKLY – 2 days
BIWEEKLY, QUARTER_WEEKLY, SIXWEEKLY – 4 days
MONTHLY, MONTHLY_END – 7 days
QUARTERLY, QUARTERLY_END, QUADRIMESTER – 14 days
HALF YEAR, YEARLY, YEARLY_END, THREE_YEARS, FIVE_YEARS – 30 days.
The status update emails contain a token-secured link to a Single Update page accessible without the need to login into the tool.
Special cases
For the KPIs objects it is possible to make some exceptions that are:
- A delay to receive the PSU email set in the ‘Status update notification delay (days)’ input field
Example: I have set the ‘next review date’ for March 16th with yearly frequency, it means that is going to be sent the email in this date, again on March 16th from the next year and so on, but if I set a value in the ‘Status Update notification delay (days)’ as 10, the emails are going to be sent alway 10 days later than the set date on March 26th in this case.
- A delay for the item to become overdue after the user receives the ‘Overdue’ email set in “Turn on overdue after number of days’ input field
Example: Every time that the Overdue email is sent (one day after the set date if no actual value was filled in), automatically the object gets as Overdue and if you set a delay for it, in this case the KPI is going to become Overdue only after the period set. Using the example above, if the date is on March 16th and I set 5 days to become overdue, instead it gets overdue on the 17th, it is going to be only on the 21st.
It is possible to set these exceptions for the KPI mailing, following the steps below (you can set it as a generic setting in the Workspace or per object):
Workspace general settings
KPI individual settings (KPI overview page or KPI popup in the OGSM)
This is how you activate your OGSM: you specify the frequency with which emails should be sent to the owners of a goal or measure.
How does the Mailing dashboard page work?
If you want the mailing section in the left menu, you need to enable the ‘Mailing dashboard enabled’ in the workspace settings.
The first tab works the same way that the Reminder one in the Workspace settings, it is for defining the mailing options that are enabled or not:
In the second tab you will find all emails for the current day. Also if the item cannot be mailed for any reason(s) a warning is shown:
In the tabs: Risks, Risk Measures, Projects, KPIs and Tasks are displayed all mailing items from these specific entities:
The workspace admins can set it by themselves for all the users in the mailing page and enable/disable for specific mail types:
Email logs
The Email logs is a page where the workspace owners can see all the emails that were sent. It is possible to access it through the Administration area:
Email logs page
To see the email message, you only need to click on the envelope:
CHAPTER 3 - Cascade OGSM
What is Cascade OGSM?
How can we cascade an OGSM?
There are two ways of cascading an OGSM.
First option is by clicking on the “Three dots” inside the OGSM and in the context menu choose “Cascade OGSM”
The second option is by cascading from the OGSM list. Click in the OGSM list, hover the mouse on the OGSM that you want to cascade and click on the “+” icon.
The cascade OGSM modal asks you to write:
- Name of Cascaded OGSM.
- The start date and end date is based on the parent OGSM but you can choose the specific period you think this OGSM will be executed.
- “Make it confidential” – is initially proposed as the parent OGSM. If parent OGSM is private also the cascaded one is by default confidential. If parent OGSM is public, also cascaded OGSM is public but you can check it if you want to choose otherwise.
How does the “Copy, link and keep empty” option work when cascading an OGSM?
Our Software gives you the ability to Cascade the OGSM using these different options.
Copy option allows you to copy all Goals that you have access to in the parent OGSM. Cascaded OGSM will transfer all information inside all goals.
Who has access in the Cascaded OGSM?
-In progress
You are allowed to create as many Sub OGSM as you want for one OGSM.
Cascade OGSM from a strategy
If the existing strategy is becoming very complex, we have a solution for you. Our software will help you create a new OGSM from a strategy and it is easy to do. After you have created the strategy, measure moments, actions and steps, you click in edit strategy and choose button ‘Cascade OGSM’
- The strategy name becomes the OGSM name and Objective
- Dashboard measures become Goal What/How. Our Software will automatically create Goal headers Goal What and Goal How and position KPI under the specific status
- Actions will become strategies in the new OGSM
- Steps will become Actions for that strategy
How to access meetings in your tool?
Below you will find the meeting manual explaining how to create a meeting and the whole process of working with the meetings.
If you are in the OGSM page you will find the meeting icon on the top right next to “…” of OGSM settings. Click over the meeting icon and you will be directed to the dashboard page where you can work with the tiles you have access. One of them is the meeting tile. Is the first tile on the left.
For more information about the meetings, please click in the link below and you will find the details in the meeting manual.
Help section
CHAPTER 4 - Share your workspace with other users/people
People and Users in our tool
People
The list of people can be accessed from the left menu. Simply click on the “People” name to open the list of registered individuals in our tool. This comprehensive list displays the names, photos, email addresses, job titles, and company information of all individuals.
Only admin users have the ability to delete a person from the list.
By clicking on an individual’s name, you can access their overview page, which displays all relevant information such as their assigned tasks, linked users, projects under management, ownership of OGSMs, dashboard measures, requirements, and participation in meetings.
When creating a person in our tool, it’s important to note that they do not have access to the workspace. The primary reason for creating a person is to assign specific actions, KPIs, or steps to individuals who may not have access to the tool itself. This allows you to designate responsibility for these tasks to the appropriate parties, even if they are not registered as users.
By including a person’s email address, you can also communicate with them via email and receive updates on their progress without requiring them to become registered users of the tool. This allows for greater flexibility in managing tasks and projects, as well as facilitating collaboration with individuals outside of the workspace.
How to create a person
- Hover the mouse over the people menu (a plus icon will appear) and click on it
- Make sure you fill in the name field, which is mandatory
- You may also enter the person’s email address if desired
By checking the “Invite to workspace” option, you can invite as a user who will be registered as a person as well in the list.
Another way to create a person is when you search for the team inside the action modal
To create a new person in the OGSM, follow these steps:
- Click on the action team icon.
- The search bar can be used to search for existing people or to create a new person.
- Click on “create” and the create popup will appear.
- When creating a new person, all you need to provide is their name. However, you can also add their email if you have it.
- Click on “create” again and the new person will be created and added to the people list.
The same steps we follow when we want to add a new attendee inside the meetings, the search has the same
If you want to access people list and search for a specific person you need to open the left menu and click in people option
Person page
After creating a person, you can access further information about them. This includes all activities associated with the person, such as assigned tasks and responsibilities. You have several options at your disposal:
- If the person is not a user yet, you can invite them to join the workspace.
- You can review all outgoing emails sent to this person
- You can view all meetings where this person is listed as an attendee.
- You can also see all tasks, projects, OGSMs, and other related items that this person has ownership of.
Users
Users are the “people” that interact with the software. Is someone who is able to login in our tool and based on its role can do specific actions.
How to invite a user
Create person and invite user at the same time
This is the same way we create a person, with the difference, in the “Create new person/user” popup you should also check “Invite to Workspace” option and select a role
Convert a person into a user
To invite an existing person to join the workspace as a user, follow these steps:
- Open the workspace and navigate to the left menu.
- Click on the person icon to access the person page.
- Locate and select the name of the person you want to invite.
- In the top right corner, click on the three-dot menu icon (“…”).
- From the menu options, choose “Invite User.”
- Provide the necessary information:
- Enter the person’s name.
- Enter their email address.
- Assign a role for this person within the workspace.
Once you have filled in the required details, click on the invite button to send the invitation.
By following these steps, you can successfully invite an existing person to join your workspace as a user.
Once the the user is invited you can check in the user section:
Difference between people and users
The differences between a person and a user:
- A person does not have access to the tool. A user can access the tool and based on its role can see/edit/delete things inside.
- A person can give feedback only by status update emails he receives. Also a user can do that but they are able to login inside the system and make the changes manually
Set the role for users
Admin Role:
- The Admin role has full access to all features of the workspace.
- Admins can create and delete items within the workspace.
- They have complete control over the workspace settings.
Manager Role:
- Managers have access to all features within the workspace, except for workspace and OGSMs settings.
- They can create, edit, and delete items, collaborate with other users, and contribute to the workspace’s activities.
User Role:
- Users have limited access to the workspace.
- They can only access their own personal settings and view public OGSMs.
- User role permissions are restricted unless the owner grants them specific permission to access additional features or private OGSMs.
We also have some specific user modes that overrides the permissions and roles:
| User Mode | Description |
|---|---|
| Read-only user mode | Everything is read only |
| Project user mode | I only see projects that I belong to |
| OGSM user mode | I only see OGSMs I belong to |
| Meeting user mode | I only see meetings that I am an attendee |
How admin users can enable users to above modes:
- Open the users list
- Click in the arrow of the person you want to make read only
- Check the box to be “Read-only mode”
Confidentiality and permission rules
Public OGSM
Public OGSMs are an effective way for organizations to align their teams and ensure that everyone is working towards the same goals. By making the OGSMs accessible to all workspace users, employees can easily track the progress of their work and see how it contributes to the overall objectives of the organization.
Moreover, Public OGSMs also foster transparency within an organization. By making the OGSMs visible to all employees, it helps to create a culture of openness and accountability. This means that everyone is aware of the objectives and strategies of the organization, and can work together to achieve them.
However, it is important to note that Public OGSMs should be managed carefully. While they can be a valuable tool for collaboration and transparency, they can also be vulnerable to unwanted changes and unauthorized access. For this reason we have implemented a new OGSM mode which is read only mode
How to make an OGSM public
If you’re the owner of an OGSM and want to make it public, the process is straightforward. First, navigate to the top bar and look for the option to adjust the OGSM’s privacy settings.
Click on the option to make the OGSM public, and a confirmation message will appear. Once you confirm that you want to make the OGSM public, any previous restrictions on the OGSM will be lifted. This means that all users who have access to the OGSM will be able to make changes to it.
This is what other users see if they try to click in the padlock/person icon. They cannot change the OGMS mode.
User permissions for Public OGSMS
If you would like permissions to work different than below, please contact us at info@ogsmsoftware.com
| Function | Admin | Manager | User | Person |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Invite user | Yes | Only managers or user | No | No |
| Take control of the OGSM | Yes | No | No | No |
| Add new OGSM | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Add objects within an OGSM | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Edit objects within an OGSM | Yes | Yes | Only objects that are owner of | No |
| Delete objects | Yes | Yes | Their own objects | No |
| Receive and process status updates | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Reports | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Change OGSM mode | Only OGSMs that user is owner of | Only OGSMs that user is owner of | Only OGSMs that user is owner of | No |
Read- Only OGSM
Read-only OGSMs are accessible to all users, but only for viewing purposes. This can be useful for sharing information and updates with a broad audience, such as stakeholders or the wider organization. By making the OGSMs visible to everyone, it can help to build awareness and understanding of the organization’s goals and strategies, and foster a sense of shared purpose across the organization.
As explained above, only admin can make an OGSM read only.
How to make an OGSM read only?
Follow the same steps as you did for public OGSMs. Choose read-only mode and after confirming all workspace users will be able to view the OGSM and only admin can make changes
User permissions for “Read-Only OGSMS”
| Function | Admin | Manager | User | Person |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Invite user | No, unless you are the owner of the OGSM or have the permission | No, unless you are the owner of the OGSM or have the permission | No | No |
| Take control of the OGSM | Yes | No | No | No |
| Add new OGSM | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Add objects within an OGSM | No, unless you are the owner of the OGSM or have the permission | No, unless you are the owner of the OGSM or have the permission | No | No |
| Edit objects within an OGSM | No, unless you are the owner of the OGSM or have the permission | No, unless you are the owner of the OGSM or have the permission | Only objects that are owner of | No |
| Delete objects | No, unless you are the owner of the OGSM or have the permission | No, unless you are the owner of the OGSM or have the permission | Only objects that are owner of | No |
| Receive and process status updates | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Reports | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Change OGSM mode | No, unless you are the owner of the OGSM | No, unless you are the owner of the OGSM | Only OGSMs that user is owner of | No |
Private OGSM
How to set an OGSM private
Click on the padlock and change the OGSM mode to “Private” and users will lose access to this. Only the owner and selected users with specific permissions can access this OGSM
How to set permissions to users in a private OGSM
Steps:
- Click in the OGSM 1
- Click in the Padlock and add permission
- Select the type of permission that you want to assign to the user such as “View”
Note that the selected permission will override the user’s role in the organization, so it is important to choose the appropriate level of access based on the user’s responsibilities and needs.
By following these steps, you can ensure that only authorized personnel have access to the private OGSM, while still enabling collaboration and communication among the designated group of users.
User permissions for Private OGSMs
| Function | Admin | Manager | User | Person |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Invite user | No, unless you are the owner of the OGSM or have the permission or have the permission | No, unless you are the owner of the OGSM or have the permission or have the permission | No | No |
| Take control of the OGSM | Yes | No | No | No |
| Add new OGSM | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Add objects within an OGSM | No, unless you are the owner of the OGSM or have the permission | No, unless you are the owner of the OGSM or have the permission | No | No |
| Edit objects within an OGSM | No, unless you are the owner of the OGSM or have the permission | No, unless you are the owner of the OGSM or have the permission | Only objects that are owner of | No |
| Delete objects | No, unless you are the owner of the OGSM or have the permission | No, unless you are the owner of the OGSM or have the permission | Only objects that are owner of | No |
| Receive and process status updates | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Reports | No, unless you are the owner of the OGSM or have the permission | No, unless you are the owner of the OGSM or have the permission | No | No |
| Change OGSM mode | Only OGSMs that user is owner of | Only OGSMs that user is owner of | Only OGSMs that user is owner of | No |
CHAPTER 5 - Gantt Chart
A Gantt chart is one of the most popular and useful ways of presenting your planning. The left side of the chart consists of the list of initiatives; along the top is a suitable time scale. Each activity is represented by a bar, the position and length of which reflects the start date, duration and end date of the projects.
This allows you to see at a glance:
- What the various projects are;
- When each project starts and ends;
- The duration of each project;
- Where activities overlap with other activities, and by how much;
- The start and end date of the whole business plan implementation.
Reports
Three Ways to Use Pre-Existing Templates:
- Run the report directly:
- Click on the three dots of the OGSM
- Select the preferred report from the options
- Click on “Run report”
An Excel file containing the selected report’s information will be downloaded.
2. Download and customize the template:
To personalize an existing report, hover over the preferred report and click on the arrow to expand the report options. Select the first option, “Download this template to customize.” This will download the report template without any data filled in, allowing you to add, remove, or modify content to create a more personalized report.
3. Create automatic time reports to receive regular updates
You can now enable the automatic time reports feature to receive regular updates for each OGSM. Simply set a start date, end date, and desired frequency, and the reports will be sent to you automatically.
- Click on the three dots of the OGSM
- Hover over the preferred report from the options
- If you haven’t enabled automatic reports, you can do so by clicking the clock icon next to the delete icon, or by clicking the arrow to expand the report options and selecting “Activate” under “Manage your Timed Reports”
- In the automated report setup you need to choose “start date”, “end date” and “frequency” that you want to receive the reports
- Once activated, hovering over the report will show a quick view of the frequency and the next scheduled report
- From there, you can also click on “Open List” to see all reports generated while the report has been active
- Select the option “Run report via your own template Excel.”
- Click “Select Files” and choose the file you want to run.
- If you want to save this template for future use, enable “Save for later use.” After generating the report, this uploaded template will be added to your list, allowing you to use it again later.
Comments
Comments can now be added to the OGSM, enabling users to collaborate and share ideas for improving progress towards goals. This feature enhances communication and transparency in the OGSM process.
Once a comment is left, you have the option to process comments by either sending feedback via email or simply processing the comment without sending an email
If you want to have a big overview of all comments left, you can quickly access the OGSM context menu, click “All comments” and a popup will appear showing all non processed comments. The present button allows you to view all comments, including processed comments.
Icons and features
- Drag and drop Icon, Is found in every item created in the OGSM and enables you to change item position above or below.
You can:
- Move Goal header between What or How goal, by changing also the Type
- Move strategy above existent or below together with all the dashboard actions and steps of that strategy
- Move Dashboard measures inside a strategy
- Move actions inside a strategy
- Icon present on hover of an item. By clicking in the ‘+’ it will allow you to add a new Item (KPI, strategy, action, steps) below the existing one.
- By clicking over it will appear a popup with different options (edit, delete, comments, attachments, change statuses, view, mark as done)
This is present in the action list.
- The number shows the number of steps/sub-actions created for that action divided by numbers
- When an action has steps added, we display an arrow in the left side to expand/collapse the lane, showing the steps. If there is no steps present then you can create one by clicking in the area which is written ‘Add your step’
- Review dashboard: by clicking on the chat balloon you get an overview of the status of your OGSM plan. This overview can be used to review progress during a review session.The text that will appear on the Review conclusion and Explanation status & progress YTD are from OGSM and Strategy status update and can be changed clicking on the “Updates” as shown on the image (it goes to the page where the text can be edited)
New releases
In the top right of the screen you find a small gift icon. A red notification point as shown below indicates a new release has been published
To understand what is new click on the icon and the pop-up will elaborate on the new changes made. By clicking on ‘Acknowledge’ the red notification point will be hidden until a new release is published.
Managing Archived OGSMs and Notification Settings
Stopping Notifications for Archived OGSMs:
To prevent notifications from being sent for archived OGSMs, adjust the OGSM’s status to “Closed.” This action halts further notifications related to that OGSM.
Options for Handling Archived OGSMs:
Option 1 (Recommended): Convert each OGSM into a PDF or image (with or without status/color information) and store them in an eBook-style format within a designated directory.
Note: The individual creating the image must have access to read the OGSMs.
Steps to Create a Wiki Document:
- Create a BidDoc under the Biddocs section.
- Add a Delivery Plan to the newly created BidDoc.
- Within the Delivery Plan, create the Bid Document.
Benefits:
- Reduces the number of OGSMs, resulting in a cleaner left-side tree and a faster workspace.
Steps:
- Create the image or PDF.
- Add it to the designated document.
- Delete the original OGSM.
Disadvantages:
- You cannot see all the history of the OGSM, such as all the status updates and changes over time.
- Creating images can be more challenging to size correctly, though they require fewer clicks when viewing.
Time Estimate: Approximately 2 minutes per OGSM, with an additional 5 minutes to learn the process.
Option 2: Leave the old OGSMs in the archive tree structure and remove all of the owners and/or status update settings so that no emails are sent.
Note: The person performing this update must have access to the OGSM, either directly or by “taking control.”
Benefits:
- The OGSM remains accessible, including all history.
Steps:
- Extract all archived data.
- Update the import file with new settings.
- Bulk update all objects.
Disadvantages:
- OGSM objects remain in the system, which may cause confusion during future data selection.
Time Estimate: Approximately 15 minutes of work.
Option 3: Set archived OGSMs setting to be closed.
Benefits:
- The OGSM remains accessible, including all history.
Disadvantages:
- This method has not been tested recently, as most customers prefer Option 1. Confirmation is needed to ensure it functions as stated.
Time Estimate: Approximately 15 seconds per OGSM if you have access.
Option 4 (Not Recommended): Delete old OGSMs that are more than a year old without storing anything.
Note: While it’s possible to undelete if required, this approach is not advised as Option 1 allows for deletion with its benefits but keeps historical progress.
When choosing the appropriate method for managing archived OGSMs, consider the organization’s need for access to the history of the OGSM, workspace cleanliness, and notification preferences.