1. Introduction
This guide provides step-by-step instructions for effectively using filters in Rhythms. Filters are essential for refining your OKR data, helping you and your team identify and manage specific objectives, monitor progress, and maintain strategic alignment. Using filters well streamlines OKR management and leads to more insightful analysis and decision-making.
2. Understanding and Using Filters in Rhythms
Filtering in Rhythms allows you to selectively display OKRs based on chosen criteria, such as team, owner, status, time period, or custom user attributes. This narrows down extensive lists to a manageable selection, making it easier to find information, identify trends, and focus your attention.
Key benefits of using filters include the ability to:
Achieve Focused Views: Concentrate on specific OKRs by criteria like team, owner, status, or time period, allowing for deeper understanding of specific OKRs.
Enhance Clarity & Insight: Quickly identify at-risk items or track progress for specific initiatives—such as those belonging to particular teams or management chains—by isolating relevant OKRs. This clarity, derived from your filtered view, helps in making informed decisions.
Streamline Reviews: Easily prepare for meetings or reporting cycles by isolating the most relevant OKRs for discussion or presentation.
Save Time: Significantly reduce manual searching and scrolling by directly accessing the OKRs you need.
3. How to Use Filters in Rhythms
You can access the filter options in the OKR views. Selecting a filter type will allow you to specify your criteria.
3.1 Time Period Filter
Use the Time Period filter to view OKRs associated with a specific strategic cycle, such as the current quarter. This is useful for reviewing past performance, focusing on current objectives, or planning.
Select "Time Period" from the filter options.
Choose your desired period (e.g., "Current Quarter," "Q1 2025," "Last 90 Days") from the list that appears.
3.2 Owner (Manager) Filter
The Owner filter is essential for viewing OKRs assigned to a specific individual. It's particularly powerful for managers needing to see objectives across their team (their "management chain") and for administrators managing the OKRs of former employees.
To view OKRs for an active user/manager:
In the search bar within the Owner filter, type the name of the active user or manager.
Select the desired user from the results
For Manager Hierarchy (to see their "management chain"):
Toggle on "Include direct reports" to also view OKRs from the manager's immediate team members.
Toggle on "Include all reports" for a comprehensive view of all OKRs within that manager’s entire organizational structure.
To manage OKRs of Former Employees:
To see OKRs for all inactive users: Select the "inactive users" option within the Owner filter dropdown.
To see OKRs for a specific inactive user: You can also search for a specific inactive user by typing their name in the search bar within the Owner filter.
Note: Inactive users can be easily identified by their greyed-out appearance in the interface. This visual indicator helps you quickly distinguish inactive users from active ones in the system.
3.3 Team Filter
The Team filter helps you focus on OKRs belonging to a particular functional team or a broader structure of related sub-teams. This is essential for team leaders and members to monitor their collective progress and for viewing OKRs for specific organizational units like a "Leadership Team" or various departments, if they are defined as teams in RhythmsAI.
Select "Team" from the filter options and select the desired team from the results.
To view by Team Hierarchy:
Toggle on "Include immediate sub-teams" to also view OKRs from teams directly nested under the selected parent team.
Toggle on "Include all sub-teams" for a complete view of all OKRs within that team's entire organizational hierarchy.
3.4 Last Check-in Filter
Use the Last Check-in filter to find OKRs based on when they were last updated. This helps ensure OKRs are being actively monitored and that progress discussions are based on current information.
Select "Last Check-in" from the filter options.
Choose your desired relative time-frame from the displayed list (e.g., "1 day ago," "1 week ago," "1 month ago").
3.5 Status Filter
The Status filter enables you to quickly group and view OKRs by their current progress. This is critical for identifying objectives that require immediate attention, are proceeding as planned, or have been completed.
Select "Status" from the filter options.
Choose one or more statuses to filter by from the displayed list (e.g., "Not Started," "On Track," "At Risk," "Closed").
3.6 Tags Filter
Tags allow for flexible grouping and retrieval of OKRs that are related by projects, strategic initiatives, custom keywords, or any other categorization that makes sense for your organization. This is useful for tracking thematic work that might span multiple teams or owners.
Select "Tags" from the filter options.
Choose from the list of existing tags or type in the search bar within the Tags filter to find and select specific tags.
3.7 Custom User Attribute Filters (HRIS-based)
If your organization syncs user profile data from an HRIS system, RhythmsAI offers custom filters based on employee attributes such as Division, Job Level, Employee Type, and Location. These powerful filters allow you to:
Gain targeted insights into how different employee segments contribute to objectives
Analyze OKR distribution and progress across various organizational dimensions
How to Use Custom HRIS Filters:
Select the specific attribute you wish to filter by (e.g., "Job Level" or "Department")
Choose one or more values from the displayed options to refine your OKR view (e.g., "Director" under Job Level, or "Sales" under Department)
To focus on leadership or core team members:
Filter by "Job Level" and select executive positions (e.g., "C-Suite," "VP," "Director")
Alternatively, if your organization uses tags or designations for core team members, select the appropriate attribute (e.g., "Team Type" or "Employee Category") and choose "Leadership" or "Core Team"
This filtering capability helps you quickly identify patterns and track performance within specific organizational structures, particularly for monitoring strategic alignment at leadership levels.
4. Best Practices for Using Filters
Combine Filters for Precision: Use multiple filters to achieve highly specific views for analysis and action.
Utilize Hierarchical Views: Make full use of Owner and Team hierarchy options for comprehensive oversight.
Manage Departed Employee OKRs Promptly: Regularly use the "inactive user" option (either general or by searching for a specific inactive user) in the Owner filter for data hygiene and accountability.
Leverage Custom Attributes for Strategic Insights: Use HRIS-based filters to analyze OKR data across different user segments.
Prepare Filtered Views for Meetings: Use filters to create tailored OKR lists to guide discussions.
5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Can I save a set of filters I use regularly?
A: RhythmsAI preserves the filters you have selected in your current view.
Q: How can I see all OKRs assigned to my direct reports?
A: Use the "Owner" filter, select your name, and then toggle on the "Include direct reports" option.
Q: An employee has left. How do I find all their OKRs specifically?
A: Use the "Owner" filter. You can search for the specific inactive employee's name. Alternatively, you can select the general "inactive user" option to see OKRs for all deactivated users, and then locate the specific employee's OKRs if needed.
Q: How can I filter to see a specific "management chain" or a "leadership team and all levels below them"?
A: For a "management chain," use the "Owner" filter, select the top-most manager, and toggle "Include all reports." For a "leadership team and levels below," if represented by a high-level manager, use the same Owner filter approach. If defined by HRIS attributes (e.g., "Job Function = Executive"), use Custom User Attribute Filters, possibly combined with other filters.
Q: Can I use HR data like 'department' or a custom 'Leadership Level' to filter OKRs?
A: Yes, if your organization has configured custom user attribute filters based on HRIS data, you can use these for specific segmentation and analysis.