DevResults enables users to set targets for indicator results. Targets define goals per indicator, per reporting period, and (optionally) per activity. When targets are entered in DevResults, the system automatically includes progress-to-target analyses and visualizations.
- Defining Global vs. Activity Targets
- Defining Incremental vs. Cumulative Targets
- Entering global targets
- Entering activity targets
- Importing targets for one indicator
- Importing targets for multiple indicators
- Analysis and visualization of targets
Global vs. Activity Targets
DevResults has two kinds of targets: global targets and activity targets.
- Global targets are overall goals for indicators that might be reported by one or more activities or no activities at all.
- Activity targets are goals for indicators for that activity. (To enable activity targets, indicators must be defined as "Results are reported separately for each activity" and assigned to one or more activities.)
For example, the global target for an indicator this quarter might be 100. This means that the whole organization's goal is to achieve a result of 100 this quarter. If two activities report on the same indicator, perhaps one activity's target is 40 and the other activity's target is 60.
Indicators can have both global targets and activity targets at the same time. DevResults does not require that the sum of the activity targets equal the global target, as in the above example. (This is because global targets might be defined before activities are launched to achieve those results.)
Incremental vs. Cumulative Targets
DevResults also lets you define targets incrementally or cumulatively. This specified on the indicator's definition tab and displayed at the top of the targets tab. When entering targets, make sure to note which style should be used.
- Incremental targets: An incremental target describes your goal for just that reporting period. For example, if you want to train 50 people each quarter for a year, you'd have four targets of 50, 50, 50, 50.
- Cumulative targets: A cumulative target describes your total goal up to that date. For the same example, you would enter targets for each of the four quarters as 50, 100, 150, 200 in the cumulative style.
Mathematically, these styles are equivalent. It's a matter of preference for how you choose to think about targets, and you might choose a different approach for different indicators.
On an activity's performance tab, thumbnail graphs of each are displayed either cumulatively (showing the increase in the total over time) or incrementally (showing the results achieved that period) based on how targets are defined.
Entering Global Targets
Go to the indicator's Targets tab at Program Info > Indicators > (Select Indicator) > Targets tab.
To set global targets, make sure the dropdown at the top right is set to All Activities. (You will not see this dropdown unless the indicator is defined as "Results are reported separately for each activity".)
In the first two columns, type in the dates for your targets and the target values. For all targets, we recommend using a date that corresponds to the End Date of a reporting period for proper visualization display.
In this view, there are five calculated columns of information:
- Activity Target: The total of the activity targets
- % of Target: [Activity Target]/[Global Target #]
- Activity Actual: The actual result totals from all activities for this indicator
- Actual % of Target: [Activity Actual]/[Activity Target]
- Actual % of Total Target: [Activity Actual]/[Global Target #]
Entering Activity Targets
Go to the indicator's Targets tab at Program Info > Indicators > (Select Indicator) > Targets tab.
To set targets for individual activities, select the activity from the dropdown at the top right.
In the first two columns, type in the dates for your targets and the target values. For all targets, we recommend using a date that corresponds to the End Date of a reporting period for proper visualization display.
In this view, there are two calculated columns of information:
- Activity Actual: The actual result totals for just this activity for this indicator
- Actual % of Target: [Activity Actual]/[Activity Target #]
Importing targets for one indicator
Go to the indicator's Targets tab at Program Info > Indicators > (Select Indicator) > Targets tab.
For One Activity
To import targets for one activity, use the top right dropdown to select the activity. (If the desired activity is not included in the dropdown, first assign the activity to the indicator.)
Next click on the gear icon and select Download Blank Template.
Fill out the template by adding as many rows as needed for dates and targets. For all targets, we recommend using a date that corresponds to the End Date of a reporting period for proper visualization display.
Save the completed template. Open the gear menu again and select Import, choose the correct file, and click Continue.
For Multiple Activities or Global Targets
To import targets for multiple activities at once for that indicator, or to import global targets, use the top right dropdown to select show results for all activities.
Next click on the gear menu and Download Blank Template.
Fill out the template by adding as many rows as needed for activities, dates, and targets. For global targets, leave the activity column blank. We recommend including targets for each relevant reporting period using the end date of each reporting period.
Save the completed template. Open the gear menu again and select Import, choose the correct file, and click Continue.
Importing targets for multiple indicators
Indicator targets can be imported using the Bulk Import tool.
Users with correct permissions settings import multiple activities and indicator targets via the Bulk Import page. Under the Tools menu, a user will see the Bulk Import page.
In the Indicator Targets section click the button Download Blank Template.
When completing the template, the Activity column should be left blank for global targets. After the document is completed, select the Import Indicator Targets button.
Analysis and visualization of targets
When targets are entered in DevResults, the system automatically includes progress-to-target analyses in:
- The indicator's Targets tab (Program Info > Indicators > Select Indicator > Targets tab)
- Reporting period pages for each activity (Program Info > Activities > Select Activity > Select Reporting Period)
- Visualizations on Dashboards
- Visualizations on each indicator's Reports tab
- MultiMatrix
- Visualizations on each activity's Performance tab
Didn't answer your question? Please email us at help@devresults.com.