When to Close an OKR
An OKR and Initiative should be moved into a Closed status when:
The time period has ended (end of quarter, end of year)
You've achieved the target and work is complete
Either you're discontinuing the OKR due to shifting priorities or leadership has decided to stop pursuing this goal and it is not being postponed to a later period.
Closing an OKR requires you to provide a final score that reflects your achievement level.
Understanding Closed vs Postponed
Closed: Use when the time period has ended or work is truly complete
Requires selecting a score (0.1-1.0 or "No score")
No new check-ins can be added
Marks a permanent end to the OKR
Postponed: Use when work is paused but may resume
Does not require a score
Indicates OKR is "parked" temporarily
Automatically removes the OKR from parent progress rollup (sets contribution weight to 0)
Check-ins are still allowed (to reactivate or update status later)
💡 Key difference: Closed preserves your contribution to parent progress with a score reflecting partial achievement. Postponed removes contribution entirely.
How to Close an OKR
Navigate to the OKR you want to close
Click Check in
Update your final progress (if not auto-updated)
Set status to Closed
Select a score from 0.0 to 1.0:
Use the dropdown to select in 0.1 increments
Or choose No score if scoring isn't appropriate
Rhythms suggests a score based on your final progress, but you can adjust
Write your final check-in note (see What to Include below)
Click Submit Check-In
The OKR is now closed. You cannot add new check-ins to a closed OKR, but all historical check-ins and the final score remain visible in the activity timeline.
Understanding the Scoring Scale
Rhythms suggests scores based on your final progress:
Progress | Suggested Score | Meaning |
81-100% | 1.0 | Outstanding - Met or exceeded target |
61-80% | 0.7 | Success - Strong achievement, close to target |
41-60% | 0.5 | Partial - Meaningful progress, halfway there |
21-40% | 0.3 | Limited - Some progress, but fell short |
0-20% | 0.0 | Minimal - Little to no progress |
Scores reflect achievement, not effort. A 0.5 score doesn't mean you didn't work hard—it means you achieved about half of what you set out to accomplish.
"No score" is available when scoring isn't appropriate (qualitative OKRs, mid-period metric changes, or exceptional circumstances). While selecting a numeric score is recommended, "No score" ensures you can still close OKRs when traditional scoring doesn't make sense.
Adjusting the Suggested Score
You should adjust Rhythms' suggested score based on qualitative factors:
Did you deliver the intended impact even if the metric fell short?
Were external factors beyond your control?
Did you learn valuable insights that benefit future goals?
Was the original target unrealistic in hindsight?
Example:
Your Key Result was "Increase trial-to-paid conversion rate to 25%" and you reached 22% (88% progress). Rhythms suggests a score of 1.0, but you might adjust:
Score 1.0 if you learned the target was too aggressive and 22% represents strong performance for your market
Score 0.6 if you know you could have hit 25% but execution issues held you back
The score should reflect both quantitative progress and qualitative context.
What to Include in Final Check-Ins
When closing an OKR, your check-in should address:
Final outcome: What did you ultimately achieve?
Score rationale: Why did you choose this score?
Key learnings: What worked, what didn't, and what you'd do differently?
Impact: Did this move the needle on your Objective?
Recommendations: Should this continue in the next period? Should targets be adjusted?
Example final check-in:
"Status: Closed. Score: 0.8. We reached 22% trial-to-paid conversion (target was 25%), but average contract value increased 40% due to our focus on enterprise trials. While we didn't hit the conversion number, revenue impact exceeded our Objective. Key learning: Enterprise trials have longer cycles but higher value—we should adjust targets to reflect this in Q2. Recommend continuing with a revised target of 20% conversion at $50K+ ACV."
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I reopen a closed OKR?
Yes. You can reopen a closed OKR by editing the final check in in the activity feed to change the status.
Do I have to provide a score?
When closing an OKR, you must either select a numeric score (0.1-1.0) or choose "No score." Providing a score helps your team understand achievement levels and improves future planning, but "No score" is available when scoring isn't appropriate.
What happens to postponed OKRs?
Postponed OKRs remain visible but are treated as inactive. Unlike closed OKRs, you can still submit check-ins to postponed OKRs—often to change their status back to active when work resumes. Postponed OKRs don't require a score.
Should child Key Results be closed before closing a parent Objective?
It's good practice to close child Key Results first, but not required. Closing a parent Objective doesn't automatically close its children.
Can I change the score after closing?
You can edit the check-in (including the score) by clicking on it in the activity timeline. However, frequent score changes undermine the purpose of final scoring.
What's a "good" score?
Scores of 0.7+ typically indicate success, but context matters. A 0.6 score with major learnings that inform future strategy can be more valuable than a 1.0 score on an easy target.