Overview
Key Results (KRs) let you track measurable outcomes on Strategic Objectives. While Tactical Objectives roll up delivery work through Epics alone, adding Key Results turns an Objective strategic so you can monitor targets alongside the work in Shortcut.
Strategic Objectives and Key Results are available on Business and Enterprise plans. Tactical Objectives are available on all plans.
What are Key Results?
A Key Result is a measurable target attached to an Objective. Each KR tracks progress with Starting, Current, and Target values. Shortcut calculates progress from Current against Target.
Key Result progress is updated manually on the Objective detail page. It does not roll up automatically from Story or Epic completion unless you align Epics to the KR and use that alignment to inform your updates.
An Objective becomes Strategic as soon as it has at least one Key Result. Objectives without Key Results remain Tactical and show Epic progress only.
Create Key Results
When you create an Objective, choose Strategic to add Key Results during setup. You can also add Key Results later to a Tactical Objective, which converts it to Strategic.
During creation or from the Objective detail page:
- Add a Key Result title.
- Choose a tracking type (see below).
- Set Starting and Target values. Starting cannot be edited after the KR is created.
- Optionally align Epics to the Key Result, or to the Objective directly.
You can create an Objective from anywhere using the keyboard command n then o.
Tracking types
Key Results support three value types:
- Boolean — Incomplete / Complete
- Number — Numeric targets (decimals supported; values can be below 0 or above 100 when needed)
- Percentage — Progress expressed as a percent toward the target
Update and manage Key Results
On the Objective detail page, update Key Results inline by clicking Current or Target. Use the ... menu on a KR row for quick actions.
The Key Result modal lets you:
- Edit the Key Result title
- Align Epics via Add Epics
- Update Current and Target (Starting is fixed after creation)
- Delete a Key Result
- Pin a Key Result to the sidebar
You can also add, update, re-align, or delete Key Results after creation from the Objective detail page.
Limits and focus
Each Strategic Objective supports up to 20 Key Results. Shortcut recommends keeping 2–5 Key Results per Objective for focus and impact.
Each Key Result can have up to 40 Epics aligned to it.
Track progress
On the Objectives page and Objective detail page, Key Result progress (Strategic only) shows each KR’s Current value against its Target. The Objective progress summary includes:
- Key Result progress (Strategic Objectives only)
- Epic progress across all unique Epics on the Objective
- Target date with time remaining