Set programme objectives

Objectives are the outputs a programme is aiming for, such as hot meals served or events run. Where ThirdSectorBee already records the activity, it counts progress for you; for anything else you keep the figure up to date yourself.

Before you start

You need programmes:write:programmes to create or edit the programme.
Objectives are saved as impact measurements, so you also need impact:write:outcomes, and impact:read:outcomes to change them later. Without these, the What will this programme achieve? section doesn’t appear.

Add an objective

You can add objectives when you create a programme or later from Edit.

Under What will this programme achieve?, choose Add an objective.
In What to measure, choose one of the options in the table below.
Check the Name. Counted objectives are given a name you can change, such as Events organised. Every objective needs a name.
Enter a Target.
Choose Create Programme or Save Changes.

What to measure	How progress is counted
Events organised	Each event linked to this programme and marked as counting towards impact, from the moment it’s created. Cancelled events aren’t deducted.
People reached through events	Adds up the capacity of this programme’s events. It counts places offered, not confirmed attendance, and only capacity set when the event was created. Events given a capacity later aren’t counted.
Cases managed	Each case opened for this programme.
Something else (updated by hand)	Nothing is counted automatically. You keep it up to date yourself.

Keep these definitions in mind when you report figures to funders. “People reached” is a count of places offered, not of people who came. To link an event to a programme, set its programme and impact purpose when you create the event.

Note: A case counts towards Cases managed only if it’s linked to the programme. The Create Case form doesn’t offer a programme, so only cases created through the API or an integration with a programme set are counted.

Update a hand-kept objective

Progress so far appears only for Something else (updated by hand) objectives, and only on the Edit page.

Open the programme and choose Edit.
Enter the new figure in Progress so far.
Choose Save Changes.

Change or remove an objective

On the Edit page you can rename an objective, change its target, or remove it with the remove button beside it (Remove this objective).

What to measure can’t be changed once an objective is saved. To measure something else, remove the objective and add a new one.
Removing an objective deletes its measurement, including any count built up so far. Removing it and adding it again starts the count from nothing.

What you’ll see

Objectives appear on the programme’s Impact tab under Output, alongside any other measurements. Counted objectives show a Linked to … badge and their current count.

If you see The programme was saved, but some objectives could not be., the programme details were saved but one or more objectives weren’t. Open Edit again and check them.