Alignment matrix style reports show how different strategic elements are related across your organization. Specifically, an alignment Matrix Report can display the parent-child relationship between elements located in different Scorecards. Alignment Matrix Summary Reports can be created for Objectives, Measures, and Initiatives.
Creating an Alignment Matrix
This example walks through building an alignment matrix as an Objective summary report. The same steps are applicable for Measures and Initiatives reports as well. If you create the alignment report from the Objective summary report, it will mean that all of the alignment is based on the Objectives (even if you are displaying Measures or Initiatives).
Start by making sure you are in the scorecard you would like to create the alignment matrix for. This scorecard will be the first column in your report and will display the objectives you select from this scorecard (since this is an objective summary report). For best results, we suggest selecting a top-level or parent scorecard to build this report in.
Select Scorecards & Elements from the Control Panel
Choose Manage Reports
Open Objective Reports
Click on the Plus icon
Under Report Name, enter the name of the new Measure Report, in this example, ‘Upward Air Alignment Matrix’.
From the Report Type dropdown menu select Alignment Matrix
For an Objective Alignment Matrix report, a new dropdown will appear providing the option to select a Matrix Child Element
This will determine the type of element alignment that will appear in the report. When making this selection, it is important to remember that all alignment in the report is based on the objectives in the current scorecard that the report is being created in. To make this more clear, let’s break this down by element type:
Objectives: This will display objectives from other scorecards that are linked to the objectives from the current scorecard.
Measures: This will display measures from other scorecards that are linked to objectives within their own scorecards, which have also been linked to the objectives in the current scorecard.
Initiatives: This will display initiatives from other scorecards that are linked to objectives within their own scorecards, which have also been linked to the objectives in the current scorecard.
For Access Type, you have the following options
Global Reports can be seen by all users with access to the Scorecard
Private Reports can only be seen by the creator of the report
Hidden Reports users can hide reports to focus on relevant ones without deleting them. You can also hide a report when creating reference reports.
Once you are done with your changes, click Save
You will find your newly created alignment Matrix Summary Report under Objective Reports
Objectives tab – Determining the specific elements to include in the report
Select Scorecards & Elements from the Control Panel
Choose Manage Reports
Open Objective Reports
Select the Report you are going to be working with, in this example, ‘Upward Air Gantt Chart’.
Click on the edit Pencil icon
Navigate to the Objectives tab
To include only specific Objectives from the Scorecard, select Click to select specific elements. Check the boxes next to the specific Objectives to include in the report.
These are the Objectives that will be displayed in the first column of the report and that the alignment of the report will be based on.
Under Select Matrix Scorecards, check the box next to the scorecards that you would like to include as additional columns in the report.
The element type that you selected for the Matrix Child Element will display in these columns, based on their links to the objectives in their scorecard and their corresponding linkages to the objectives selected above.
Once you are done with your changes, click Save
You will find your newly created alignment Matrix Summary Report with the elements you have chosen under Objective Reports
Filter tab – Setting criteria to narrow down Objectives included
If you would like to filter the Objectives from the current Scorecard (first column) included in the alignment Matrix, you can add a filter.
Select Scorecards & Elements from the Control Panel
Choose Manage Reports
Open Objective Reports
Select the Report you are going to be working with, in this example, ‘Upward Air Gantt Chart’.
Click on the edit Pencil icon
Navigate to the Filter tab
Click on Add Filter
In this example, we are going to create a Filter that only displays Objectives with the status indicators ‘Not defined’ or ‘No information’. This will give visibility to the Objectives that require your attention.
Once you are done with your changes, click Save
You will find your newly created alignment Matrix Summary Report with the filters applied under Objective Reports
Element Order tab – Customizing the order in which the Objectives appear
In our example, we can customize the order in which Objectives appear on the report.
Select Scorecards & Elements from the Control Panel
Choose Manage Reports
Open Objective Reports
Select the Report you are going to be working with, in this example, ‘Upward Air Gantt Chart’.
Click on the edit Pencil icon
Navigate to the Element Order tab
Mark the checkbox next to Use Custom Element Sort Order
Drag and drop the Elements, or use the blue up and down arrows, to customize the order that the Objectives will appear in the report.
Once you are done with your changes, click Save
You will find your newly created alignment Matrix Summary Report with the Objectives in the desired order under Objective Reports
