Importing goals and KPIs into a goal cycle
Use the goal import to load a cycle's shared goals and KPIs from a spreadsheet instead of typing them in, or to backfill progress, ratings and comments that were recorded outside KAMI. This article shows you how to import goal definitions, how to import historical results, and the rules each workbook must follow.
Where: Performance › Team performance › Goals › a cycle's … › Import
You need: the Admin right
Which import to use
| You want to… | Use |
|---|---|
| Add or update the goals and KPIs everyone in the cycle shares | Definitions |
| Record progress, KPI ratings and comments people already have from another system or a spreadsheet | Historical Results |
Both work on one cycle at a time. Create the cycle and its participants first. See Creating a goal cycle.
How to import goal definitions
- Click … on the cycle's card and choose Import. The Import Goals & KPIs dialog opens on Definitions.
- In step 1, Download Template, click Download to get Goals_KPIs_Definitions_Template.xlsx.
- Fill in both sheets (see the rules below), or open Use Claude to write your goals & KPIs and click Copy to get a prompt that helps you draft them.
- Click Continue. In step 2, Upload File, click the upload area and choose your .xlsx file.
- Click Continue. In step 3, Review & Import, check the cycle, the mode Definitions (add / update) and the file name.
- Click Import Goals & KPIs. The dialog closes and the import runs in the background.
How to import historical results
- Click … on the cycle's card, choose Import, then switch to Historical Results.
- Click Download to get Goals_KPIs_HistoricalResults_Template.xlsx. It already lists every participant and has a column for each of the cycle's goals and KPIs.
- Fill in the values for each employee (see the rules below).
- Click Continue, upload the file, and click Continue again.
- Check the mode Historical results (backfill), then click Import Historical Results.
Download the results template after the goals are final. Its columns are built from the goals and KPIs at the moment you download it.
What Happens Next
- Definitions update or add cycle goals:
- A row whose Goal Name matches an existing cycle goal overwrites that goal's priority, details and dates. - A KPI whose description matches an existing one on that goal has its weight, maximum and inverted setting overwritten. - Anything new is added. - Nothing is deleted, and personal goals are never touched.
- Historical results write each employee's KPI progress, comments and KPI ratings, then recalculate goal ratings and overall progress. Re-importing overwrites the same employee and KPI only.
- One at a time. If another import is still running for your company, upload is refused with "Another import is in progress, please wait."
- Check the cycle afterwards. The dialog doesn't show the outcome. Open the cycle after a minute to confirm the goals or results are there.
Tips
- Start from the template every time. Sheet and column names must match exactly, and the template has them right.
- Treat Goal Name and KPI Description as keys. Changing the wording creates a new goal or KPI instead of updating the old one.
- Fill in Start Date and End Date on every new goal. A new goal without dates makes the whole import fail.
- Use the Claude prompt to draft, not to decide. Claude isn't connected to KAMI. It asks about your team and builds a file in the right format, and you still review everything before importing.
- Enter actual values in results, not percentages. For a KPI out of 200, type 120, and KAMI works out 60%.
Troubleshooting / FAQ
Q: Upload says "Only .xlsx format is allowed." or "Invalid file type." Save the file as an Excel workbook (.xlsx). CSV and older .xls files aren't accepted.
Q: The import failed because a sheet wasn't found. The definitions workbook needs sheets named exactly Goals and KPIs. The results workbook needs Goal Reviews and KPI Results.
Q: A goal's KPI weights must sum to 100. For an existing goal, the check adds the weights already in KAMI to the ones you're importing. Make the final total exactly 100.
Q: Where do I put the reviewer's rating? On the KPI Results sheet, in each KPI's Rating (1-5) column. The Goal Reviews sheet only holds the reviewer's comment for each goal, and KAMI calculates the goal rating from the KPI ratings.
Q: Can I import goals for just one person? No. Definitions are cycle goals, shared by everyone in the cycle. Add one person's goals from the cycle's manager view.
Workbook reference
Definitions: Goals sheet
| Column | Rule |
|---|---|
| Goal Name | Required. Matches an existing cycle goal by exact name. |
| Priority | Minor, Major or Critical (any case). |
| Start Date / End Date | Dates. Required for new goals. Blank leaves an existing goal's date unchanged. |
| Details | Optional text. |
Definitions: KPIs sheet
| Column | Rule |
|---|---|
| Goal Name | Must match a name on the Goals sheet. |
| KPI Description | Required, up to 512 characters. |
| Weight (%) | Number without %. Each goal's weights must total exactly 100. |
| Max Value | Whole number of 1 or more, default 100. Progress is measured against it. |
| Inverted (Y/N) | Y when lower is better. Anything else counts as N. |
Historical results
| Sheet | Columns per goal or KPI |
|---|---|
| Goal Reviews | One row per employee. [GOAL: name] Reviewer Comment for each goal. |
| KPI Results | One row per employee. For each KPI: Progress (the actual value), Employee Comment, Rating (1-5) and Reviewer Comment. |