If you're a Teamflect administrator, you can save time by uploading multiple goals at once using the bulk import feature. This function is especially useful during onboarding, OKR planning sessions, or company-wide goal-setting initiatives.
Here’s a complete step-by-step guide to importing goals via Excel.
✅ Step 1: Access the Goals module in the Admin Center
There are two ways to access the Goals module in the Admin Center:
Option 1: From the app
Open the Goals module.
Click New Goal and select Import goals from Excel file (this option is visible only to admins).
You will be redirected to the Goals module in the Admin Center.
Option 2: From the Admin Center
Click "Admin Center" from the left-side menu of the Teamflect app.
Navigate to Modules > Goals on the left-hand menu.
✅ Step 2: Locate the Import Section
Scroll to the "Import goals from Excel file" section.
Click the "Download template" button to save the file to your device.
You can also download the template by clicking here.
✅ Step 3: Fill Out the Excel Template
The updated Excel Template now consists of five structured sheets plus the Goals to Upload sheet that will contain the pre-set example rows.
📌 How to Use and Understand Each Sheet in the Goals Upload File:
Introduction: This section explains how to navigate the file, outlines key usage rules, and highlights common mistakes to avoid.
Field Definitions: A reference guide for each column in the Goals to Upload sheet. Includes purpose, format requirements, and notes on common pitfalls. (Read-only)
Goal Types: A lookup list of all Goal Type names configured for your organization. (Read-only)
Visibility: A lookup list of visibility settings, such as Public or Private. (Read-only)
Measurement Types: A lookup list of available measurement types, including key value rules (e.g., 0–100 for Reach %). (Read-only)
Goals to Upload: The only editable sheet. Enter your goal data here, including both basic and advanced fields. Ensure all required fields are completed.
🚨 Make sure to check the Measurement Types and Visibility sheets to ensure the fields align with the default system options (e.g., ''Reach - Percent", ''Public'', ''Private'').
✅ For the Goals to Upload sheet, the following fields are available and can be filled out:
Reference ID
Goal Owner
Goal Creator
Goal Type
Visibility
Goal Title
Description (Optional)
Measurement Type
Currency Code (If the goal is measured by currency)
Start Value
Current Value
Target Value (Leave ''100'' if the measurement type is ''roll-up from subgoal progress'' or ''roll-up from task progress'')
Threshold Value (Optional - For ''stay above'' & ''stay below'' measurement types)
Goal Start Date (the date format should be yyyy-mm-dd)
Goal End Date (the date format should be yyyy-mm-dd)
Goal Labels (Optional)
Parent Goal Reference ID (Optional - if you'd like to build a goal hierarchy)
Goal Weight (Optional - if you'd like to assign different priorities based on goal types that should affect the overall goal progress, or for different scenarios, such as inclusion in performance evaluations)
💡 Tips for Completing the Template:
Reference ID: Assign unique numeric IDs (e.g., 1 to 10) to new goals only. Existing goals don’t have reference IDs.
Note: If the goal doesn't have a reference ID, the system won't read that line and import the goal.
Email Addresses: Enter valid emails for the goal owner and goal creator. You can assign goals to multiple people using commas.
Goal Type: Must exactly match the spelling (case-sensitive) of the ''Visible name'' of goal types configured in Manage Goal Types in the Admin Center.
Next, fill in the goal title and description fields.
Visibility Options:
Public: Visible to everyone
Public with private comment: Title is public, comments restricted
Private: Visible to the owner, their managerial hierarchy, and admins. Department goals are visible to the other people in the same department.
Measurement Types: Choose from:
Measurement Type | Description |
Reach - Percent | Progress is tracked in percentages. |
Reach - Number | Tracks numeric growth from a start to a target. |
Reach - Currency | Tracks monetary growth in a given currency. |
Stay above - Percent | Metric should not fall below a certain percentage. |
Stay above - Number | Metric must stay above a defined number. |
Stay above - Currency | Financial metric must not drop below a threshold. |
Stay below - Percent | Progress is better if the value remains under a certain % threshold. |
Stay below - Number | Metric should not exceed the defined value. |
Stay below - Currency | Financial metric must stay below the defined amount. |
Completed/Not completed | Binary goal marked 1 if completed, 0 if not. |
Roll-up from key result progress | Progress comes from linked subgoals. |
Roll-up from task progress | Progress comes from linked tasks. |
Here are some examples:
Reach - Percent: "Increase monthly sales revenue." Start: $10,000, Target: $20,000
Stay Above: "Maintain customer satisfaction score above 75%." Target: 80%, Threshold: 75%
Stay Below: "Keep customer response time under 24 hours." Target: 24 hours, Threshold: 30 hours
Completed / Not Completed: "Complete quarterly project milestone." Yes, No
Roll-up from key result progress: "Improve team performance." Subgoal 1: "Complete team training," Subgoal 2: "Launch new product"
Roll-up from task progress: "Achieve project completion on time." Task 1: "Finalize project plan," Task 2: "Submit final report"
Values: Enter start, current, and target values. For task/subgoal-based goals, use start = 0 and target = 100
Labels: These must already exist in your system; use commas for multiple labels.
Parent Goals: To nest goals, enter the parent’s reference ID under Parent Goal Reference ID.
In the example below, the ''Increase Lead Generation'' goal with the reference ID of 2 is the parent goal, while the ''Improve Interpersonal Skills'' is a connected subgoal to it thanks to the reference IDs being a match.
Goal Weights: Used to indicate the strategic importance of each goal. This affects the calculation of weighted progress.
✅ Step 4: Upload and Validate Your File
Save your completed Excel file
Return to the Admin Center > Goals
Click "Choose file" and upload the Excel file
Press "Start validation" to check for errors
If the file passes validation, your goals will be successfully imported. If the system throws an error, please go back and edit your file based on the error message you see and choose the same file, and start validation again.
📌 Validation rules have also been improved with comprehensive error checks to ensure correct formatting before upload:
Missing or invalid Reference IDs now trigger clear error messages
Goal Types, Visibility, Measurement Types, and Currency Codes must match predefined dropdown values.
Email addresses are now validated by both email format and User Principal Name (UPN).
Date fields must follow YYYY-MM-DD format and maintain correct Start-End order.
For roll-up goals, Start, Current, and Target values are no longer mandatory.
The new Edit and Re-upload File button allows users to correct any errors in their uploaded file and return directly to the upload stage, without having to start the process from scratch.
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
Mismatch in Goal Type Names
– Solution: Copy exact names from the "Manage Goal Types" section, including correct casing.Incorrect or Missing Reference IDs
– Solution: Assign sequential numbers starting from 1 for each new goal. Make sure there are no duplicates.Emails Entered Incorrectly or Not Existing in Teamflect
– Solution: Use valid, active email addresses that match Teamflect users.Empty Required Fields
– Solution: Ensure all 17 columns are filled in. Even if a value seems optional (like description), it's best to include it.Date Formatting Errors
– Solution: Use standard formats (e.g., YYYY-MM-DD) to avoid parsing issues.Improper Label Usage
– Solution: Labels must be pre-created in the system. Use commas to separate multiple labels.Trying to Update Existing Goals
– Solution: Bulk upload is only for creating new goals. Edits to existing goals should be done manually or via in-app tools.
Use Cases
Performance Review Alignment: Upload goals in bulk at the start of review cycles to ensure a consistent framework.
OKR Rollout Across Departments: Push department-specific goals tied to company-level OKRs.
Scaling Goal Management for New Teams: Quickly assign structured goals during onboarding for rapid alignment.