Viva Goals Is Shutting Down: Your Options for OKR Software in 2025
Microsoft ends Viva Goals on March 4, 2025. Here's what happened, your migration options, and how to evaluate alternatives for your software company.
On December 3, 2024, Microsoft announced that Viva Goals would shut down on March 4, 2025. If you're one of the companies that adopted Viva Goals for OKR tracking, you need a migration plan.
This post breaks down what happened, your options going forward, and how to evaluate alternatives based on what actually matters for running a software company.
What happened to Viva Goals
Microsoft acquired Ally.io in 2021 and rebranded it as Viva Goals, integrating it into their Microsoft 365 suite. The product was positioned as an enterprise OKR solution tightly connected to Teams, Azure DevOps, and the broader Microsoft ecosystem.
The shutdown reflects a broader trend: Microsoft is consolidating its product portfolio around AI and Copilot. Standalone tools that don't fit that vision are being sunset.
Timeline
Why this matters
If you're using Viva Goals, you're probably in one of two situations:
- Enterprise deployment. Your organization rolled out Viva Goals as part of a larger Microsoft 365 initiative. You have hundreds or thousands of users, cascading OKRs, and integrations with Azure DevOps and Teams.
- SMB using Microsoft ecosystem. You're a smaller company (under 100 people) that adopted Viva Goals because you already use Microsoft 365 and wanted an integrated solution.
Your migration path depends heavily on which category you fall into.
Option 1: Enterprise OKR platforms
If you're a large enterprise with complex OKR needs, you'll likely evaluate platforms like:
- Quantive (formerly Gtmhub) - Enterprise-focused, strong integrations, complex feature set
- Lattice - Combines OKRs with performance management
- Workboard - Strategy execution platform for large organizations
These platforms handle the complexity of enterprise deployments: cascading goals across hundreds of teams, granular permissions, compliance requirements, and integration with enterprise IT systems.
The tradeoff is cost and complexity. Enterprise OKR tools charge per-seat, often starting at $8-15 per user per month. For a 1,000-person company, that's $100K+ annually.
Option 2: Lightweight OKR tools
If you're a smaller software company (25-100 people), enterprise platforms are probably overkill. You might consider:
- Runsheet - Built for software leaders who want OKRs grounded in execution work. Integrates with Linear, Stripe, and PostHog. Company-based pricing, not per-seat.
- Tability - Simple OKR tracking with AI-powered check-ins
- Weekdone - Weekly planning combined with OKRs
Lightweight tools prioritize speed and simplicity over enterprise features. You can be up and running in minutes instead of weeks.
Option 3: Build your own
Some companies decide to track OKRs in Notion, spreadsheets, or a custom internal tool. This works if:
- You have a small team (under 20 people)
- Your OKR process is simple and stable
- You have someone willing to maintain the system
The downside is that DIY solutions rarely scale well. As you grow, you'll spend more time maintaining your Notion database than actually using it for decision-making. Spreadsheets become unmaintainable. Custom tools need ongoing engineering attention.
The spreadsheet trap
What to consider when choosing
Beyond features, here are the questions that actually matter:
Team size and growth
Enterprise tools make sense if you're 500+ people or growing rapidly toward that scale. For 25-100 person software companies, enterprise features are complexity you pay for but never use.
Integration needs
What systems does your team actually use for work? If you're in the Microsoft ecosystem (Teams, Azure DevOps), you'll want something that integrates there. If you're a modern software company using Linear, GitHub, and Stripe, look for tools that connect to those.
Pricing model
Per-seat pricing means you pay more as you grow, which creates perverse incentives. Do you really want to pay extra every time you hire? Company-based pricing aligns the tool cost with the value it delivers.
Philosophy alignment
Different tools embed different philosophies about how OKRs should work. Some emphasize individual goals cascading down from company objectives. Others focus on team alignment and weekly rhythms. Pick the one that matches how you actually want to run your company.
Why we built Runsheet differently
We built Runsheet because we saw a gap in the market. Enterprise OKR tools were too complex and expensive for growing software companies. Lightweight tools didn't connect goals to real work.
Our core thesis is credibility over intent. Instead of asking people to self-report progress, we connect OKRs to your delivery system. When you link a key result to a Linear project, you see what's actually shipping, not what someone claims is happening.
We designed everything around the weekly review. Not quarterly planning sessions or annual goal-setting retreats, but the weekly rhythm that actually runs a software company.
If this resonates, we'd love for you to try Runsheet. If it doesn't, that's fine too. The important thing is finding a tool that helps you run your company effectively.
Next steps
If you're migrating from Viva Goals, here's what to do:
- Export your data now. Don't wait until March. Export your objectives, key results, and historical progress while you still have access.
- Evaluate your options honestly. Do you need enterprise features, or are you paying for complexity you don't use?
- Try before you commit. Most OKR tools offer free trials. Set up your core objectives in 2-3 tools and see which one feels right.
- Plan for Q1. Ideally, you want your new system running before your next quarterly planning cycle.
Need help with migration? Check out our Viva Goals migration guide or detailed comparison to see how Runsheet stacks up.
This article is part of our Operating Layer series.
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