---
title: "Edit or update a Totara goal"
slug: "edit-or-update-a-totara-goal"
updated: 2026-08-13T16:01:31Z
published: 2026-08-13T16:01:31Z
canonical: "totara.help/edit-or-update-a-totara-goal"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://totara.help/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Create, edit and delete Totara goals

If you have [Totara goals enabled](/totara-20/docs/enable-goals), you can create or manage goals in a number of ways.

## Create a Totara goal

When adding content to a performance activity there are a number of different content types you can use. One content element allows users to create a new [Totara goal](/totara-20/docs/what-are-goals) within the workflow of the activity.

[YouTube video player](https://www.youtube.com/embed/K7eTKO9ikzs?si=1RbGLc05zesP1ZBS)

To add a **Create Totara goal** element to a performance activity, follow these steps:

1. In the performance activity, click **Edit content elements**.
2. Click **Add element**.
3. Select **Create goal** from the dropdown list.
4. Enter the question text that will appear in the activity to prompt users to create a goal. Optionally add a **Reporting ID**.
5. Click **Save**.

Goals created within a performance activity will be available to the assignee even if the activity or section is not yet submitted.

When the activity subject, their manager, or another user selected as a responding participant completes the activity, they can create a goal by following these steps:

1. Work through the performance activity until you reach the **Create personal goal** question.
2. Click **Create goal**.
3. Enter a name in the **Goal** field and optionally enter a **Description**.
4. Enter a value for the **Target** field, i.e. the value the user needs to achieve to complete the goal.
5. Enter the goal's **Start** date and **Due** date.
6. Click **Create and close** or **Create and view**.

![A question in a performance activity allowing the subject to create a Totara goal.](https://cdn.document360.io/a007399b-031e-436b-999a-528240e16f58/Images/Documentation/image-1698070782424.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-01T13%3A52%3A52Z&se=2026-11-01T14%3A52%3A52Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=tMexxdibDxRJlk1mneflpK9FcL86hlXF6GNCgPbzfjE%3D)

Once the goal has been created and the performance activity saved, the subject (or another participant such as the subject’s manager) can then view the new goal by clicking **View details**. If the subject created the goal it will appear under **Your response**, while it will appear under **Manager response** if it was created by the manager.

Users can edit or delete the goal by clicking the icon of three dots (![three_dots(1)](https://cdn.document360.io/a007399b-031e-436b-999a-528240e16f58/Images/Documentation/three_dots(1).png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-01T13%3A52%3A52Z&se=2026-11-01T14%3A52%3A52Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=tMexxdibDxRJlk1mneflpK9FcL86hlXF6GNCgPbzfjE%3D)) and selecting **Edit** or **Delete** from the menu.

Note that if a goal from a performance activity is edited after the activity is closed, the activity will reflect the original goal as it appeared when the activity closed.

You can also create a new Totara goal from the **Goals** page by following these steps:

1. Go to *Develop > Goals*.
2. Click **Create goal**.
3. Enter a name in the **Goal** field, and optionally add a **Description**.
4. Set a value for the **T****arget** field, i.e. the value the user needs to achieve to complete the goal.
5. Use the dropdowns to enter a **Start** date and **Due** date.
6. Click **Create and close** or **Create and view**.

![Creating a new Totara goal from the Goals page.](https://cdn.document360.io/a007399b-031e-436b-999a-528240e16f58/Images/Documentation/image-1698070880366.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-01T13%3A52%3A52Z&se=2026-11-01T14%3A52%3A52Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=tMexxdibDxRJlk1mneflpK9FcL86hlXF6GNCgPbzfjE%3D)

## Edit a Totara goal

You can edit an existing Totara goal within the flow of a performance activity by following these steps:

1. After creating your goals (and before submitting), click the icon of three dots (![three_dots(1)](https://cdn.document360.io/a007399b-031e-436b-999a-528240e16f58/Images/Documentation/three_dots(1).png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-01T13%3A52%3A52Z&se=2026-11-01T14%3A52%3A52Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=tMexxdibDxRJlk1mneflpK9FcL86hlXF6GNCgPbzfjE%3D)), then click **Edit**.
2. Configure the goal settings as required, then click **Save**.

Once the goal has been submitted it can no longer be edited in the performance activity, and the **Title** and **Description** of the goal will be static. However you can still edit the goal on the **Goal details** page if required (see below).

Alternatively you can edit the goal via the goal details panel:

1. Go to the **Performance overview** page (*Develop > Performance overview*) or the **Goal** page (*Develop > Goals)*.
2. Click the name of the goal to open the goal details panel.
3. Click the icon of three dots (![three_dots(1)](https://cdn.document360.io/a007399b-031e-436b-999a-528240e16f58/Images/Documentation/three_dots(1).png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-01T13%3A52%3A52Z&se=2026-11-01T14%3A52%3A52Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=tMexxdibDxRJlk1mneflpK9FcL86hlXF6GNCgPbzfjE%3D)), then click **Edit**.
4. Configure the goal settings as required, then click **Submit**.

## Update a Totara goal

You can update a goal's **Status** and **Progress** via the **Goal details** panel:

1. Go to the **Performance overview** page (*Develop > Performance overview*) or the **Goal** page (*Develop > Goals)*.
2. Click the name of the goal.
3. Click the icon of three dots (![three_dots(1)](https://cdn.document360.io/a007399b-031e-436b-999a-528240e16f58/Images/Documentation/three_dots(1).png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-01T13%3A52%3A52Z&se=2026-11-01T14%3A52%3A52Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=tMexxdibDxRJlk1mneflpK9FcL86hlXF6GNCgPbzfjE%3D)), then click **Update progress**.
4. Change the **Progress** and **Status** fields as required.
5. Click **Update**.

You can also [update the goal within the flow of a performance activity](/totara-20/docs/review-goals-in-a-performance-activity).

![Updating a goal from the Goals page.](https://cdn.document360.io/a007399b-031e-436b-999a-528240e16f58/Images/Documentation/image-1698070974658.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-01T13%3A52%3A52Z&se=2026-11-01T14%3A52%3A52Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=tMexxdibDxRJlk1mneflpK9FcL86hlXF6GNCgPbzfjE%3D)

## Delete a Totara goal

As long as a performance activity is open, you can delete a Totara goal from within the activity:

1. Go to *Develop > Activities* and select the performance activity containing the goal you wish to delete.
2. Select the question containing the goal you wish to delete.
3. For the goal you wish to delete, click the icon of three dots (![three_dots(1)](https://cdn.document360.io/a007399b-031e-436b-999a-528240e16f58/Images/Documentation/three_dots(1).png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-01T13%3A52%3A52Z&se=2026-11-01T14%3A52%3A52Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=tMexxdibDxRJlk1mneflpK9FcL86hlXF6GNCgPbzfjE%3D)), then select **Delete**.
4. Configure the goal settings as required, then click **Save**.

You can delete a Totara goal in a closed performance activity by following these steps:

1. Go to *Develop > Performance overview* or *Develop > Goals*.
2. Click the name of the goal.
3. Click the icon of three dots (![three_dots(1)](https://cdn.document360.io/a007399b-031e-436b-999a-528240e16f58/Images/Documentation/three_dots(1).png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-01T13%3A52%3A52Z&se=2026-11-01T14%3A52%3A52Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=tMexxdibDxRJlk1mneflpK9FcL86hlXF6GNCgPbzfjE%3D)), then click **Delete**.

### **What happens when you delete a goal?**

When a Totara goal is deleted it will be removed from the user’s list of goals on the **Performance overview** and **Goals** pages, and can no longer be edited, updated, or selected for review on performance activities.

If a goal was already added to a performance activity, either when it was created or as a review element, then the title and description of the goal will remain. The goal can no longer be edited, updated, or viewed outside of the performance activity, but will remain as a ‘snapshot’ on the submitted and/or closed responses.

## Next steps

- [Add tasks to a Totara goal](/totara-20/docs/add-tasks-to-a-totara-goal)
- [Review Totara goals in a performance activity](/totara-20/docs/review-totara-goals-in-a-performance-activity)
- [Reporting on Totara goals](/totara-20/docs/reporting-on-totara-goals)

![Course badge](https://cdn.document360.io/a007399b-031e-436b-999a-528240e16f58/Images/Documentation/course-badge_goals.svg?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-01T13%3A52%3A52Z&se=2026-11-01T14%3A52%3A52Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=tMexxdibDxRJlk1mneflpK9FcL86hlXF6GNCgPbzfjE%3D)Why not visit the Totara Academy for our latest course on [Goals](https://totara.community/mod/page/view.php?id=23390) in Totara Perform. Here you can learn more on how to use goals, see best practice, and give it a go yourself.

Join the [Totara Community](https://totara.community/) for more resources to help you get the most out of Totara.

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