How to run check-ins
Objectives and key results only work if they're kept up to date. Check-ins are the habit that keeps OKRs connected to what's actually happening, instead of becoming a document nobody looks at after week one.
What a check-in is
A check-in is a short, regular update on a key result: its current value, a confidence score from 0 to 1 for how likely you are to hit the target, and a short note on what changed. Anyone can add a comment on an objective or key result to discuss progress without submitting a full check-in.
Pick a cadence
Weekly check-ins work well for fast-moving teams; bi-weekly suits slower-moving, strategic key results. Whatever you choose, keep it consistent, a predictable rhythm matters more than the exact frequency.
Turn on reminders
Go to Settings → Check-in and enable check-in reminders. Easy OKR will email key result owners who haven't submitted a check-in in the last 7 days, on the day of the week you choose. You can add a custom message to the reminder email.
What to include in a check-in
- The current value of the key result
- A confidence score reflecting how likely you are to hit the target
- A short note: what moved the number, and what's next
Use confidence, not just progress
A key result can be 80% of the way to its target but heading in the wrong direction, or 20% of the way there but right on track. Confidence scores capture that nuance in a way a percentage alone can't.
Keep it short
A good check-in takes two minutes. If people are spending longer than that, the key result is probably too vague, or there are too many of them. Revisit writing good key results if check-ins start feeling like a chore.