---
title: "Create OKR"
canonical: "https://support.appfire.com/space/SPM/2324726248/Create%20OKR"
format: markdown
---
> Macro (aura-html)

> Macro (excerpt-include)

  

## OKRs in BigPicture

In BigPicture, apart from traditional Objectives and Key Results, you can also create Strategic themes. All of these are collectively referred to as OKRs.

### Strategic theme and sub-theme

A Strategic theme (ST) is a big, long-term goal that guides an organization for several years. Think of it as a multi-year mission.

Unlike a regular Objective, which usually aims to be completed within a year, a Strategic theme serves as an umbrella for a collection of Objectives and their Key Results (OKRs).

Strategic themes are global, meaning that any user permitted to use the OKR module can link OKRs relevant to their box to an existing Strategic theme. 

This ensures that everyone can see and contribute to the company's overarching, long-term vision, even if their day-to-day goals are shorter-term. This shared visibility helps align efforts across different teams.

| **Creation screen for a new Strategic theme.** | **Creation screen for a new sub-theme.** |
| --- | --- |
| ![Strategic Theme creation screen.](media://456fe396-79f7-425f-8c54-116747483127) | ![Sub-Strategic Theme creation screen.](media://d5735a0d-f5d8-47ac-83de-942dc21ba83e) |

> 📝 A Strategic theme is a top-level parent, which means you cannot create a top-level parent Objective directly under it.
> 📝 
> 📝 A Strategic theme is a top-level parent, which means you cannot create an Objective or Key Result above it.
> 📝 
> 📝 The typical hierarchy looks as follows:
> 📝 
> 📝 **Strategic theme** > **Objective** > **Key Result**
> 📝 
> 📝 You can create a nested hierarchy with multiple levels of sub-themes and sub-objectives. If needed, you can also add a Key Result directly under a Strategic theme.

### Objective and sub-objective

An Objective is a clear and inspiring goal you aim to achieve. It is broad and aspirational, providing direction and motivation.

The Objective should be ambitious yet achievable, helping to focus efforts and drive progress. It is typically qualitative, describing what you want to accomplish, and is set to be achieved within a specific timeframe, usually a quarter or a year.

You can additionally define sub-objectives. They represent smaller, more focused goals that support achieving a larger Objective. A sub-objective breaks down a bigger goal into manageable parts, making it easier to track progress and stay on target.

| **Creation screen for a new Objective** | **Creation screen for a new sub-objective.** |
| --- | --- |
| ![Create objective modal.](media://3ec75768-43f9-4923-ad8e-243344f35714) | ![Create sub-objective modal.](media://72ec30d3-bb56-4ab9-80fc-5c8e27261fe3) |

### Key Result

A Key Result (KR) is a measurable outcome that tracks progress toward achieving an Objective or sub-objective. It defines how you will measure success and assess whether you have accomplished the Objective.

| **Creation screen for a new Key Result.** |
| --- |
| ![Key Result attributes on the Key Result creation screen.](media://2f9b272d-a5fe-4d63-bd9b-87516792a4e8) |

## Create a new OKR

> 📝 If you have the **Settings** > **Allow restricting OKRs** option enabled, you can [restrict an OKR](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/SPM/pages/1918864985) during creation. You can also restrict an OKR after you create it.

You can create all OKRs only in the OKR module.

### Create a Strategic theme and Objective

You can create a parent Strategic theme and a parent Objective for your initiative, project, program, or portfolio directly on the:

- *[OKR Overview](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/SPM/pages/1918834317)* page
- *[OKR Hierarchy](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/SPM/pages/1918669889)* page
- *[Progress Dashboard](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/SPM/pages/1918801225)* page

(Note that all three of those pages share the same top menu, so you can follow the steps while viewing any of them.)

1. Click **Add **>** Create objective/Create strategic theme**.

![okr-create-theme.png](media://4e323b99-5455-4b67-b91d-2bf2e883f7f6)

2. A **New strategic theme**/**New objective** screen displays. Fill in the [OKR details (attributes)](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/SPM/pages/2324726185). Details marked with an asterisk are mandatory.
3. Click **Save** to complete the process.

You are now on the *Tree view* page. It displays a hierarchy for your newly created OKR. On this page, you can add only child OKRs (sub-themes, sub-objectives, and Key Results). To create another parent Strategic theme or Objective, follow steps 1-3. 

### Create a sub-theme, sub-objective, and Key Result

If you want to break your Strategic theme into sub-themes, an Objective into sub-objectives, or add Key Results to any of them, you can do so on the:

- *[OKR Overview](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/SPM/pages/1918834317)* page
- *[Tree view](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/SPM/pages/1918801711)* page

You can use the following methods to create child items for existing Strategic themes, sub-themes, Objectives, and sub-objectives.

- For a Strategic theme and sub-theme, you can create a sub-theme, sub-objective, and Key Result.
- For an Objective and sub-objective, you can create a sub-objective and a Key Result.
- For a Key Result, you cannot create any child OKR.

**Strategic theme > sub-theme > sub-objective > Key Result**.

#### OKR Overview

##### Context menu

1. Click **More actions** (**…**) next to the OKR and select **Add key result**/**Add sub-objective**/**Add sub-strategic theme** from the context menu.
  
2. On the new OKR creation screen, fill in the [details (attributes)](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/SPM/pages/2324726185).
3. Click the **Create **button to complete the process.

##### OKR Details side panel

> 📝 Make sure the OKR Details panel is enabled in the **[OKR Overview settings](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/SPM/pages/1918408551)** > **Details panel settings (Personal)**.

1. Select an OKR to open a side panel.
2. Click **More actions** (**…**) and select **Add key result**/**Add sub-objective**/**Add sub-strategic theme** from the dropdown.

![A side panel for a Strategic theme. A dropdown on the panel is expanded.](media://ef919666-8d74-4704-9bb4-1941f2a4eb3b)

3. On the new OKR creation screen, fill in the [details (attributes)](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/SPM/pages/2324726185).
4. Click the **Create **button to complete the process.

#### Tree view

1. On the OKR, click the **plus** (+) button.
2. Select **Add key result**/**Add sub-objective**/**Add sub-strategic theme** from the dropdown. (If your OKR hierarchy includes parent items with nested sub-objectives or strategic themes, ensure you select the correct parent before creating a child item.)

![A tree view page for a Strategic theme.](media://1ec6ea34-2eed-4b62-b6db-545796139920)

3. Click the **Finish & go back **button to complete the process.

> ℹ️ - On the Tree view page, you can also use the **Create top-level objective** button to create a new sub-objective under an Objective or sub-objective. This button is unavailable for Strategic themes and sub-themes.
> ℹ️ - The **[Suggest key results](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/SPM/pages/2193818158)** option is an AI-powered function that can help you generate KRs relevant to a selected OKR.

#### OKR Details page

1. On the *OKR details* page, scroll down to the **Alignment** section.
2. Under **Alignment**, click the **+Add** button and select **Sub-strategic theme**/**Sub-objective**/**Key result**.

![A dropdown under the Add button on the OKR details page.](media://5c93e7d0-c800-4cd3-b4a2-531cfee46aa3)

3. On the new OKR creation screen, fill in the [details (attributes)](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/SPM/pages/2324726185).
4. Click the **Create **button to complete the process.

If the button is missing, you are viewing Key Result details.