> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.optimazehq.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Goals

> Set a spend or unit economic target on a node of your Financial Operating Model and track whether it is on track.

A budget sets a limit on spend, a goal sets a target for performance. Every goal sits on a node of your Financial Operating Model, so it measures something a named part of the business is accountable for, the cost of a product, the cost per customer of a service.

## Goal types

| Type | What it tracks |
| :- | :- |
| **Spend** | Attributed spend on the node, against a dollar target or a percentage reduction from a starting cost |
| **Unit economic** | A [unit economic](https://docs.optimazehq.com/unit-economics.md) linked to the node, against a target value |

## Before you start

* A [Financial Operating Model](https://docs.optimazehq.com/attribution.md) with the node you want to set a goal on.
* For a unit economic goal, a [unit economic](https://docs.optimazehq.com/unit-economics.md) linked to that node.

## The Goals page

Under **Planning**, select **Goals**. Goals are grouped by the node they sit on, shown as a path such as *Acme Corp / Development AI*. Filter by **All types** and **All statuses**, search by name, and switch between card and table views. **Expand all** opens every group, and **Export** downloads the list.

| Status | Meaning |
| :- | :- |
| **On track** | The actual value meets the target |
| **At risk** | The actual value is close to missing the target |
| **Off track** | The actual value misses the target |
| **Unavailable** | OPTIMAZE cannot calculate the goal yet, for example because there is no data |

## Create a goal

Select **New goal**. The wizard has five steps.

![New goal wizard on the Type step, with Unit economic and Spend options](https://mintcdn.com/optimaze/1GorH5batRwM9XiF/images/console/goals-type.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=1GorH5batRwM9XiF\&q=85\&s=55e099b3eefff64936d67a0dee6d49fe)

**1. Type**

Choose **Unit economic** or **Spend**.

**2. Name and node**

Enter a **Name**, then choose the **Financial Operating Model** (or one of its sub-models) and the **Node** the goal belongs to. Progress is tracked in the context of that node.

**3. Target**

Choose the **Period**: **Monthly**, **Quarterly** or **Yearly**.

For a unit economic goal, choose the **Unit economic** (only those linked to the node are listed) and enter the **Target per month** (or per quarter or year).

For a spend goal, choose how to express the target:

* **Dollar target**: an amount per period, such as \$40,000 a month.
* **Percentage below a starting cost**: a **Percent** reduction from a **Starting cost** you enter, such as 15% below \$50,000.

Then choose the **Operator**:

| Operator | On track when actual is |
| :- | :- |
| **\<= At most** | Less than or equal to the target |
| **>= At least** | Greater than or equal to the target |
| **\< Less than** | Below the target |
| **> More than** | Above the target |
| **= Exactly** | Equal to the target |

The **Current value** panel shows the actual for the period to date, and a chart of the last six months shows how often the target would have been met. The line under the fields confirms the locked target, for example *Locks at \$0.50 per month*.

![Target step for a unit economic goal, showing the target, operator, current value and the last six months against the target](https://mintcdn.com/optimaze/1GorH5batRwM9XiF/images/console/goals-target.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=1GorH5batRwM9XiF\&q=85\&s=8d33604a455ca8f996aad8295d632944)

**4. Notifications**

The owner of the node is always notified. Notices are sent when the goal leaves **On track**. To notify anyone else, add organisation members under **Notification recipients**, or use **Add email** or **Add Slack channel**. Members you add are told they have been chosen as recipients.

![Notifications step showing that the node owner is always notified, with optional recipients, Add email and Add Slack channel](https://mintcdn.com/optimaze/1GorH5batRwM9XiF/images/console/goals-notifications.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=1GorH5batRwM9XiF\&q=85\&s=3be64d03d794fe81bfa1028ffe517bb6)

**5. Review**

Check the summary of the goal, its target and who will be notified, then select **Create goal**.

> [!NOTE]
>
> Targets are locked when you create the goal. A budget added to the same node later will not move it.

## When the model changes

If a model change removes the node a goal sits on, the publish confirmation lists the goal and publishing archives it. See [Edit and publish a model](https://docs.optimazehq.com/attribution/editing-models.md#publish).

## Troubleshooting

* **Current value says "Couldn't load recent values".** The node may have no attributed spend yet. Check the node on the [attribution view](https://docs.optimazehq.com/attribution.md) and its coverage.
* **My unit economic is not in the list.** Unit economic goals only list unit economics linked to the chosen node. Link it in [Unit economics](https://docs.optimazehq.com/unit-economics.md).


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