This feature is included in the Professional Plan and can be trialed for 30 days, free of charge. New users automatically start with a 30-day Professional Plan trial and will be downgraded to the Starter Plan once the trial ends.
Goal Approval helps organizations ensure that goals are reviewed before they become active. Administrators can configure which goal types require approval, assign users who can approve goals, and manage the approval workflow to maintain consistency and alignment across the organization.
What Is Goal Approval?
Goal Approval is a workflow that requires certain goals to be reviewed and approved before they become fully active.
When a goal is created under a goal type configured as Approval Required, the goal enters a Pending Approval state. It must then be approved by the appropriate manager or administrator before it is considered approved and active.
How to Set Up Goal Approval in the Admin Center
1. Enable Goal Approval
Before goals can enter an approval workflow, administrators must first enable Goal Approval within Teamflect.
To enable the feature:
Navigate to the Admin Center.
Open the Goals Module.
Locate the Goal Approval toggle and enable it.
Once enabled, administrators can also select Manage Users to determine which users have access to approval workflows and approval actions.
2. Configure Goal Types That Require Approval
Goal Approval is configured individually for each goal type. Administrators can choose which goal types require approval before goals become active.
To configure a goal type:
Navigate to the Goal Type settings in the Goals Module.
Select the goal type you want to configure, such as Company, Departmental, or Individual goals.
Enable the Approval Required setting for that goal type.
Save your changes.
Once configured, any goal created using a goal type that requires approval will automatically enter the approval workflow.
Goal Approval Workflow
1. A user creates a goal
When an employee creates a goal using a goal type that requires approval, the goal is automatically submitted for approval and enters a Pending status.
2. User with the Approval access then reviews the goal
The assigned manager or an authorized admin can take one of the following actions:
Option 1: Approve the goal
The goal becomes active and fully approved.
Option 2: Reject and delete the goal
The goal is removed from the system.
Option 3: Request changes from the goal owner
The goal is returned to the creator for revisions.
Only users with approval authority can see goals awaiting their approval. The Pending Actions area displays only goals the current user can act on.
Request Changes process:
Approvers can ask the goal owner to modify a goal instead of approving it immediately.
When changes are requested:
The goal enters a Changes Requested state.
The goal owner is notified.
The goal owner is expected to update the goal.
Multiple rounds of change requests are supported.
Notifications are sent to the goal creator whenever changes are requested to keep the process transparent and consistent.
3. Goal resubmission
After updating the goal, the goal owner can resubmit it for approval.
Approvers receive submission notifications, and the goal returns to the review queue for another approval decision.
4. Goal approval
Once the goal is approved:
The goal becomes active.
The approval status is updated.
Approval logs are recorded.
Users receive confirmation notifications.
📌 If a manager or admin creates an approval-required goal on behalf of a direct report, the goal is automatically approved. Because no additional review is needed, the goal creation button displays Create instead of Send for Approval.
Use Cases
Ensure Strategic Goals Align With Organizational Priorities
An organization may require approval for company and departmental goal types to ensure that all goals support broader business objectives. Managers and administrators can review goals before activation, helping maintain alignment across teams.
Standardize Goal Quality Across Departments
Organizations that want consistent goal-setting practices can use Goal Approval to review goals for clarity, measurability, and relevance before they become active. Approvers can request revisions when goals require additional detail or refinement.
Maintain Oversight in Regulated or Structured Environments
Teams with strict governance requirements can use Goal Approval to create an auditable review process for employee goals. Approval logs, notifications, and approval history help ensure accountability and provide visibility into decision-making throughout the goal lifecycle.
💬 Frequently Asked Questions
Which goal types can be configured to require approval?
Administrators can enable the Approval Required setting individually for each goal type. Only goals created using those configured goal types will enter the approval workflow.
Does updating an already approved goal trigger approval again?
Yes. If an approved goal is updated, it will re-enter the approval workflow and require approval again before the changes become active.
What happens if a goal is rejected?
Rejected goals are deleted from the system. If the goal owner still wants to pursue the goal, they must create a new goal.
Is there a limit to how many rounds of requested changes a goal can go through?
No. Approvers can request changes as many times as necessary until the goal is ready for approval.
Who can approve goals?
Only users with approval permissions, such as authorized managers or administrators, can review and approve goals.
What happens if a manager creates a goal on behalf of a direct report?
Goals created by an authorized manager or administrator on behalf of a direct report are automatically approved, since they are already created by an authorized approver.
Where can approvers see goals awaiting approval?
Users with approval permissions can view all goals awaiting their action in the Pending Actions section, which displays only the goals they are authorized to review.