How to log a measure manually

When a measure isn't logged automatically, you record it on the Log Measure form. This article shows how, which measures typically need manual logging in the first place, and how the measure picker behaves.

A measure only auto-generates its logs when it's built on an indicator that tracks Volunteer Hour Logs or Donation Logs (see How measure logs are auto-generated) - broadly, the "Volunteering hours" indicator and the donation-related indicators (Cash donated, Materials/Services/Space/Equipment donated).

Every other indicator in Goodsted's library has no automatic source feeding it, so measures built on them need a manual log every time. This covers most of the outcome and impact indicators, for example: Jobs created, Placements created, Training hours delivered, Attendance count, Attendance hours, People reporting improvement, Trees planted, Items collected, Waste diverted, CO₂e reduced, Miles driven, and Apprenticeship weeks.

Example: say you run a tree-planting activity as part of an environmental programme, with a measure called "Trees planted this quarter" built on the Trees planted indicator. There's no automatic system event that tells Goodsted how many trees went in the ground - nobody "logs an hour" or "logs a donation" for it - so after the planting day, someone opens the Log Measure form for that activity and enters the number of trees planted by hand.

The form only shows measures that fit the activity, then:

📌 Note: Logging through an opportunity inherits that opportunity's measure, so no picker appears.

📌 Note: You can only log against a date that falls within the activity's window, and you can't log against an archived activity. Whether your manual log lands Pending or Approved depends on your app's measure-log approval setting.

📖 See How to set measure log approval permissions and How to enable indicators.

💬 Need more help? Contact us anytime at support@goodsted.com.