Why Check Ins Matter
Check-ins tell the story behind your OKRs and Initiatives. While auto-updates can keep numbers current, check-ins provide context: Are you on track? What's blocking you? What's working better than expected?
Check ins help you:
Signal when you're blocked or need support before it becomes a crisis
Share insights about what's working or not working
Keep stakeholders informed without extra meetings
Connect progress to status—are the numbers telling the real story?
Understanding Progress and Status
Progress shows how far you've come toward your target. It updates in three ways:
Manual: You enter the value during each check-in
Rollup automatically from contributing children: Automatically calculated based on progress from contributing children
Auto update: Auto-populated from connected tools. See How to Set Up Auto-Updates for more information.
Status shows how confident you are about achieving your target by the deadline—always your judgment call, even with auto-updates:
Not Started: Haven't begun work yet
On Track: Confident you'll hit the target on time
Behind: May miss target without intervention
At Risk: Significantly off track, unlikely to meet target without major changes
Closed: Goal period has ended—see Closing and Scoring OKRs
Postponed: Paused or deprioritized. Setting status to Postponed automatically removes the OKR from parent progress rollup (contribution weight set to 0). If you want credit for partial progress achieved, mark it as Closed instead.
💡 Auto-Status Suggestions
For goals with automated progress (rollup or auto-update), Rhythms may
suggest a status based on progress trends and trajectory. These are helpful
starting points, but you always have the final say. Adjust the status based on
your context and knowledge of potential blockers.
Why both matter: An OKR at 75% progress can still be "At Risk" if blockers will prevent reaching 100%. Or an OKR at 30% progress can be "On Track" if you're ahead of schedule. Check-ins explain this relationship.
What Makes a Check-In Effective
Focus on change and context. Answer: "What's different since last time?"
Weak: "Working on user interviews. Made progress."
Strong: "Completed 8 of 15 user interviews. Key finding: 6 of 8 users want offline mode—not on our roadmap. Adjusting script to explore this. On track to finish by Friday."
Connect progress to status. Explain misalignment: "At 70% of target pipeline, but 60% is from one stalled prospect. Marking At Risk—we need to diversify."
Signal blockers early. "At Risk: Getting 2 days/week of engineering instead of 5. Need to adjust target or escalate priority."
Share learnings. "Cold email: 3% response. LinkedIn: 18% response. Shifting effort to LinkedIn."
Common Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Writing for yourself, not your audience
❌ Only reporting numbers without context
❌ Waiting until blocked to ask for help
❌ Using status as a performance review
❌ Skipping check-ins when nothing changed
How to Submit a Check In
Navigate to your OKR or Initiative and click Check in. When in list view, you can also click the “...” icon to the right of the OKR and select Check in.
Update progress (if not auto-updated): Enter the current value or switch between Manual/Rollup/Auto update modes
Update status: Rhythms recommends a status based on progress, but you can adjust
Write your note: Click Draft for AI assistance or Improve if you already have a note drafted
Add attachments (optional): Up to 5 files, 10MB each, 25MB total
Select date (optional): Defaults to today, but you can backdate to past dates
Click Submit Check-In
Check-in Frequency
Check-ins are due every 7 days by default. If you want to specify a custom frequency for your OKR, you can do so by clicking on More then Check-in frequency on the detail page. Your admin can also change the check-in default settings for the organization
AI-Assisted Note Drafting
Click Draft to get AI help writing your check-in:
With Auto updates: Auto-generates notes based on information from the connected tool
Without Auto updates: Suggests notes based on your progress, status changes, and recent activity
Improve existing notes: Click Improve to refine what you've already written
The AI learns your writing style over time. You can always edit or ignore suggestions—AI drafting is optional.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to check in if my Key Result has auto-updates?
Yes, it is best practice. Auto-updates handle numbers; you provide status, context, and interpretation.
Can I check in more frequently than required?
Yes. The default 7-day frequency is the minimum.
Who sees my check-ins?
Anyone with view access to the OKR.
Can I edit a check-in after submitting?
Yes. Click the check-in in the activity timeline to edit.
When should I backdate a check-in?
When catching up after being away or recording past progress. Cannot backdate before the Key Result was created.
Is AI drafting mandatory?
No. It's optional. The AI learns your style as you write more check-ins.
How do I assign a delegate?
This feature must be enabled by your admin. Refer to this article for more information about assigning delegates