Create an OKR Tracker in Google Sheets
Align your team around clear objectives and measurable key results. Track progress and hold everyone accountable—all in one simple spreadsheet.
Most teams set goals, but few track them systematically. Objectives get forgotten, key results go unmeasured, and quarterly reviews become "what did we actually accomplish?" exercises. Without a clear tracking system, goal-setting is just wishful thinking. OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) provide a simple framework: set ambitious objectives, define 3-5 measurable key results for each, and track progress weekly. Companies like Google, LinkedIn, and Twitter scaled using OKRs—and you can too, without expensive software. In this comprehensive guide, you will build a complete OKR tracking system in Google Sheets. Learn to write effective objectives, define measurable key results, track weekly progress, and run productive check-ins. By the end, you will have a system that keeps your team aligned and accountable.
What You'll Need
- Basic familiarity with Google Sheets
- List of your team or company goals for this quarter
- Understanding of OKR framework basics
Step-by-Step Guide
Understand OKR Structure
Learn what makes a good Objective and Key Result.
- Objective = Qualitative, ambitious, inspirational goal (example: "Become the go-to tool for startup analytics")
- Key Results = Quantitative, measurable outcomes that prove you achieved objective (3-5 per objective)
- Good KR example: "Grow MRR from $10k to $50k" (has start, target, measurable)
- Bad KR example: "Improve product" (not measurable, no target)
- Time-bound: OKRs typically run quarterly (3 months)
- Ambitious: Aim for 70% completion—100% means you set bar too low
Pro Tip
If you cannot measure it, it is not a Key Result—it is a task or initiative. Key Results must have numbers.
Create OKR Tracker Sheet
Build a structured table to log all objectives and key results.
- Column A: Objective (qualitative goal)
- Column B: Key Result (measurable outcome)
- Column C: Owner (person responsible)
- Column D: Start Value (baseline)
- Column E: Target Value (goal)
- Column F: Current Value (updated weekly)
- Column G: Progress % (auto-calculated)
- Column H: Status (On Track, At Risk, Off Track)
- Column I: Last Updated (date)
Pro Tip
Use merged cells for Objectives that span multiple Key Results. Each KR gets its own row.
Write Your Company or Team Objectives
Define 3-5 ambitious objectives for this quarter.
- Limit to 3-5 objectives max—focus is critical
- Make objectives inspiring: "Delight customers with fast support" not "Reduce ticket time"
- Objectives should align with company strategy and mission
- Each department/team can have their own OKRs that ladder up to company OKRs
- Examples: "Establish market leadership in X segment", "Build world-class product team", "Achieve financial sustainability"
Pro Tip
Involve the team in setting objectives. Buy-in comes from participation, not top-down mandates.
Define Measurable Key Results
For each objective, create 3-5 specific, measurable outcomes.
- Use specific numbers: "Increase NPS from 30 to 50" not "Improve customer satisfaction"
- Include timeframe: "By end of Q1" or "Within 90 days"
- Make them outcome-based, not activity-based: "Launch 5 features" is a task, "Reduce churn from 5% to 2%" is outcome
- Use different metric types: Revenue metrics, user metrics, efficiency metrics, quality metrics
- Aim high: 70% achievement is great, 100% means not ambitious enough
Pro Tip
Good formula: Verb + What + From X to Y. Example: "Grow MRR from $10k to $50k" or "Reduce support response time from 24h to 2h".
Add Progress Tracking Formulas
Automate progress calculations so you see % complete.
- Progress formula: =(Current_Value - Start_Value) / (Target_Value - Start_Value)
- Example: Start=$10k, Target=$50k, Current=$30k → ($30k-$10k)/($50k-$10k) = 50% progress
- For decreasing metrics (like churn): =(Start_Value - Current_Value) / (Start_Value - Target_Value)
- Format as percentage: Format → Number → Percent
- Add conditional formatting: Green >70%, Yellow 40-70%, Red <40%
Pro Tip
Some KRs are yes/no (launch feature). For these, use 0% or 100% instead of formula.
Set Up Status Indicators
Add visual signals for on-track, at-risk, and off-track key results.
- Status formula: =IF(Progress>=0.7, "On Track", IF(Progress>=0.4, "At Risk", "Off Track"))
- Alternative: Manual dropdown (Data → Data validation) for more nuanced status
- Use conditional formatting: Green background for "On Track", Yellow for "At Risk", Red for "Off Track"
- Add emoji indicators: 🟢 On Track, 🟡 At Risk, 🔴 Off Track (optional)
- Flag stale data: Highlight rows where Last Updated > 7 days ago
Pro Tip
Weekly updates are critical. If someone has not updated in 7+ days, that KR is probably off track.
Create OKR Dashboard
Build a visual summary of overall progress.
- Overall progress: =AVERAGE(All_Progress_Percentages)
- Count by status: =COUNTIF(Status_Column, "On Track")
- Objectives at risk: List objectives where <50% of KRs are on track
- Create progress bar chart: Column chart showing progress by objective
- Create status pie chart: Show distribution of On Track / At Risk / Off Track
- Top performers: Highlight KRs and owners exceeding targets
Pro Tip
Dashboard should fit on one screen. Leadership should see health of all OKRs at a glance.
Run Weekly Check-Ins and Reviews
Establish cadence for updates and course corrections.
- Weekly updates: Every team member updates their KRs every Monday
- Monthly reviews: Deep dive into why KRs are on/off track, adjust tactics
- Quarterly reviews: Assess final results, celebrate wins, learn from misses
- Share sheet: Give edit access to all KR owners, view access to entire company
- Set calendar reminders: Automated Monday reminder to update OKRs
- Archive completed quarters: Move to "Q1 2024 Archive" sheet for historical reference
Pro Tip
Transparency is key. Share OKRs company-wide so everyone knows what everyone is working toward.
Wrapping Up
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Objectives and Key Results?
Objectives are qualitative, aspirational goals that inspire the team (example: "Become the market leader in X"). Key Results are quantitative, measurable outcomes that prove you achieved the objective (example: "Grow market share from 10% to 25%"). Every objective has 3-5 key results. Objectives answer "what we want to achieve", key results answer "how we know we achieved it".
How many OKRs should a team have per quarter?
Limit to 3-5 objectives per quarter. Each objective should have 3-5 key results. This means 9-25 total key results maximum. More than this dilutes focus. Prioritization is critical—saying "no" to good ideas keeps you focused on great ones. Individual contributors typically own 1-2 objectives; managers own 2-3; executives own 3-5 company-level OKRs.
What is a good OKR completion rate?
Aim for 60-70% achievement on average. If you consistently hit 100%, your goals are not ambitious enough—you are sandbagging. If you consistently hit <40%, goals are unrealistic or execution is weak. The sweet spot: stretch goals that push the team but remain achievable with strong effort. Celebrate 70% as success.
How do I write measurable key results?
Use the formula: Verb + What + From X to Y. Examples: "Increase MRR from $50k to $100k", "Reduce churn rate from 5% to 2%", "Launch in 3 new markets (0 to 3)". Key results must have: starting value, target value, measurable metric, deadline (typically end of quarter). Avoid vague language like "improve" or "enhance"—always use specific numbers.
How often should I update OKR progress?
Update weekly (every Monday recommended). Monthly deep-dive reviews to assess why KRs are on/off track and adjust tactics. Quarterly retrospectives to evaluate final results and set next quarter's OKRs. Weekly updates create accountability and surface problems early. If a KR goes 2+ weeks without update, it is probably off track or not a real priority.
