Weekly updates are the rhythm that keeps execution visible between leadership meetings. They connect to initiatives and indirectly to KPIs and goals through the work your department reports.
There are two kinds of weekly signal:
- Personal notes — contributor or manager updates on My Week or Submit Update. These stay as individual notes.
- Official department week — one record per department per fiscal week. Owners, delegates, admins, and executives file it from My Week. Coverage on Weekly Updates is based on this official record, not personal notes.
Official department week
The official week is the department’s voice for the period. It includes:
- Official progress — required
- Ask of leadership — required, or check No ask this week
- Close-out — last week’s open items (prior official close-out, unanswered ask, or first-week blockers). Mark each Done, Still open, or Dropped. New blockers typed this week become next week’s carry-ins.
Aging blockers (still open for two or more weeks) appear on the dashboard next to other loop-health signals. Promoting a blocker to a risk or action item stays a deliberate step — VisionAtlas does not auto-create those records from close-out.
What to include in personal notes
Each personal update typically covers:
- Department summary — progress since last week
- Blockers — issues that need attention
- Initiative updates — status on linked initiatives (when applicable)
Reference initiatives your team owns and note impact on KPIs when relevant (for example, “Initiative X slipped — may affect monthly conversion KPI”).
Relationship to other entities
| Signal in an update | Next step |
|---|---|
| One-time blocker, needs discussion | [Observation](/help/observations-and-risks) |
| Owned threat with severity | [Risk register](/help/observations-and-risks) |
| Discrete follow-up with owner and due date | [Action item](/help/action-items) |
| New body of work for a KPI | [Initiative](/help/initiatives) |
Updates are narrative; they do not replace KPI actuals (Capturing KPI actuals) or formal risk tracking.
Who can submit
Most roles can submit personal notes for their department. Official weeks can be filed by the department owner, delegates, admins, and executives.
Admins name expected weekly submitters on the department (default: owner + delegates). That roster is who is accountable and who gets a reminder when the official week is missing — it does not change who *may* file.
On My Week, Suggest draft can also use your connected Outlook meetings, mail, and Teams chats. Connect Microsoft first; see Outlook, Teams, and Mail. Channel posts and other people’s mailboxes are not included.
Finding weekly updates
After sign-in, go to Weekly Updates in the sidebar. The coverage strip shows Official, Notes only, Missing, or Unassigned for each department you lead (or all departments if you are an executive). Create a personal note with Submit Update, or file the official week from My Week.
Tips for good updates
- Be specific about KPI or initiative impact, not only activity.
- Call out risks early; link formal risks in the Risk register when severity warrants tracking.
- Keep summaries concise — executives scan many updates each week.
- Close last week’s open items on the official week so aging blockers stay honest.
See Dashboard overview for how updates appear alongside KPI and initiative health.