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How to Add and Manage Goals for an Individual

Document an Individual's goals and supporting steps so service delivery stays aligned with the approved plan

Overview

All users

Goals let staff document the outcomes an Individual is working toward, and the concrete steps that support each one — mirroring the goal structure found in a Person-Centered Service Plan (PCSP) or ISP. Keeping goals and their steps current in SETWorks gives direct support staff a clear record of what to work on during service delivery, and gives you a defensible paper trail during a funder or state audit. Because goals can be tied to a Goal System and an Authorization, they also help keep documentation aligned with what's actually been approved and billed for that Individual.

ℹ️ Note: Terminology can be modified within SETWorks to better fit the needs of your organization. If the terminology in our articles are not the same on your site, talk to your local administrator to assist in translation.

Before you start

  • You'll need an existing Individual record. Goals are added from within that Individual's profile.
  • Know which Goal System the goal belongs to (for example, a specific funding source's employment or day services system). The Select a System dropdown on the Goals page determines which set of goals you're viewing and adding to.

Steps

  1. Open the Individual's Goals tab.
    a. Navigate to the Individual's profile, then click Goals in the left-side tab menu. Use the Select a System dropdown to choose the correct system (for example, Washington Employment), and the Status dropdown to choose which goals display (for example, Active).
  2. Click Add Goal.
    a. Click the blue + Add Goal button above the goals table. This opens the Add Goal window.
  3. Enter the goal's core details.
    a. Enter a Name for the goal. Optionally set the Individual Goal Statuses dropdown (defaults to Not Started), and use the Detail field to describe the goal in more depth — this is a rich-text field, so you can format text, add links, or insert images.
  4. Set the goal's dates and authorization.
    a. Confirm or adjust the Start Date (it defaults to the current date and time). Add an End Date if the goal has a target completion date. If the goal is tied to a specific funder approval, select it from the Authorizations dropdown.
  5. Confirm the goal's Additional Details status.
    a. Under Additional Details, confirm the Status dropdown (defaults to Active). This controls whether the goal shows up when the Goals page is filtered to Active.
  6. Click Add Step to create a step (or subgoal).
    a. Click the blue + Add Step button. This opens the Add Step window on top of the Add Goal window.
  7. Enter the step's details.
    a. Enter a Name for the step, and optionally set its Individual Goal Statuses, Detail, Start Date (defaults to the current date and time), and End Date — these fields work the same way as they do on the goal itself.
  8. Save the step.
    a. Click Save in the Add Step window. The step now appears in the steps table back on the Add Goal window.
  9. Add any additional steps.
    a. Repeat steps 6–8 for each additional step the goal needs. There's no limit to how many steps you can add to a single goal.
  10. Save the goal.
    a. Once all steps have been added, click Save in the Add Goal window to save the goal and its steps to the Individual's record.

Note: Steps must be saved individually (via the Add Step window's own Save button) before you save the overall goal. If you close the Add Goal window without clicking its Save button, the goal — and any steps you've added to it — will not be saved.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What's the difference between the Individual Goal Statuses field and the Status field under Additional Details? Individual Goal Statuses tracks the Individual's progress toward the goal (for example, Not Started, In Progress, Completed). The Status field under Additional Details controls whether the goal record itself is Active or Inactive, which is what the Status filter on the Goals page uses to decide what displays.

Q: Why isn't the goal I just added showing up in the table? Check the Select a System and Status dropdowns at the top of the Goals page. A goal only appears if it belongs to the system currently selected and matches the selected status filter.

Q: Do I need to select an Authorization when adding a goal? No, the Authorizations field is optional. However, linking a goal to an authorization can help keep service documentation aligned with what's actually been approved for billing, so it's good practice to add one when applicable.

Q: Can I edit a goal or step after it's been saved? Yes. Goals and steps can generally be reopened and updated from the Goals table using the row's available actions. If you're updating dates or status on a goal tied to billed activity, confirm the change doesn't conflict with existing documentation.

Q: Is there a limit to how many steps a goal can have? No. You can add as many steps as the goal requires by repeating the Add Step process before saving the goal.