What it is (why)
Executive reviews (/reviews) save a point-in-time executive snapshot for a reporting period — stored in your workspace with a history list and what changed compared to the prior review. Use them for monthly or quarterly leadership records, board prep, or compliance-friendly period documentation.
They complement but do not replace Executive Briefings (weekly slides) or AI Summary (ad-hoc narrative).
When to use it
| Need | Use |
|---|---|
| Formal period record in VisionAtlas | **Executive reviews** → **Generate review** |
| Weekly slide cadence | [Executive Briefings](/help/executive-briefings) |
| Quick read before a meeting | [AI Summary](/help/ai-summary) |
| Five-slide PowerPoint export | **Download board pack** on Reviews or AI Summary |
| Operational day-to-day view | [Dashboard](/help/dashboard) |
Requires CanViewExecutiveDashboard and Intelligence+ AI features. Visibility rules apply to underlying data.
How to use it
Generate a review
- Open Reviews from the sidebar.
- Click Generate review to snapshot the current reporting period.
- VisionAtlas stores structured summary JSON and shows the new entry in Review history.
If you also have CanViewExecutiveBriefings, a banner links to Executive Briefings for the weekly deck product.
What changed
After at least two reviews exist, the list page shows What changed vs the previous snapshot:
- KPI at-risk / off-track deltas
- Initiative at-risk delta
- Open risks delta
Delta links drill into filtered lists where your permissions allow.
Review history and detail
- Open Review history on
/reviews. - Click a period row to open `/reviews/[id]`.
- The detail page shows the same section cards as AI Summary (goals, KPIs, initiatives, risks, recommendations).
- Use Download board pack for a five-slide PowerPoint from that review’s data.
Initiative outcome prompts
After generating a review, you may see initiatives needing outcome evaluation for the period — prompts to complete initiative outcome fields that support quarterly retrospectives.
Action items from recommendations
With CanCreateActionItems, turn review recommended actions into tracked action items.
Reviews vs Briefings vs AI Summary
| Executive reviews | Executive Briefings | AI Summary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Cadence** | Monthly / quarterly archive | Weekly slides | Any time |
| **Output** | Stored snapshot + deltas | 10-slide deck + share link | Live narrative |
| **Email** | Not auto-sent by default | Schedule + notifications | Not auto-sent |
| **Best for** | Period audit trail | Monday meeting deck | Quick read |
For retention, access, and procurement language, see Executive leadership records.
Who typically owns it
- Executives — generate reviews before board or QBR meetings
- Company administrators — ensure cron and data hygiene; not responsible for review content accuracy
- Managers — supply timely KPI and weekly update data upstream
Related
Common mistakes
- Expecting reviews to email executives without configuring Settings → Notifications
- Using reviews as the weekly leadership deck — use Executive Briefings instead
- Generating a review with stale KPI data — refresh KPI actuals first
- Skipping initiative outcome prompts when your QBR process depends on documented outcomes