> This is the Markdown of a Backed Help Centre page, https://admin.backed.giving/help/administrator/milestones/outcomes-frameworks.md. Every page is listed at https://admin.backed.giving/help/llms.txt.

> This page uses Backed's default terms, such as Funding Round and Application Template. An organisation may rename them, so read each as your organisation's own term if you've renamed it.

An outcomes framework is the set of results your organisation measures its grants against:
domains, the outcomes under each domain and the indicators under each outcome. You attach a
framework to a Grant, set targets, and bind Milestone deliverables to its indicators, so each
approved Milestone records the grantee's actual against the target. The results are on the
`Outcomes` tabs; see [Outcomes](outcomes.md).

`Grant`, `Application`, `Milestone` and `Program` are your organisation's own terms if you've
renamed them.

## Before you start

- To build, activate or retire a framework you need `Can access Settings > Templates`. Anyone who
  can see your templates can read the frameworks.
- To attach a framework to a Grant and set its targets you need to be able to edit and publish the
  Grant.

## The frameworks list

Go to `Plan > Outcomes frameworks`. Each framework is listed with every version, and each
version shows its status (`Draft`, `Active` or `Retired`), how many indicators it has and the
Grants it is attached to. Select `New framework` to start an empty one, `Import framework` to load
one from a CSV file, or `Start from a starter framework` to copy a ready-made one. Select a version
to open it.

## Import a framework from a CSV file

1. Select `Import framework`.
2. Under `CSV file`, choose the file. Backed reads it and shows a preview. Nothing is created yet.
3. Check the preview. It lists the domain, outcome, indicator, unit and direction of every row,
   and under `Rows with problems` each problem with its line number.
4. Change the `Framework name` if you want to. It starts as the file's name.
5. Select `Import`. The framework is created as a `Draft` and opens in the builder, where you can
   change anything before you activate it.

The file needs a header row (line 1) with the columns `domain`, `outcome`, `indicator`,
`definition`, `unit` and `direction`. Each row after it is one indicator, under the outcome and
domain it names. `definition` may be empty. `unit` is one of `number`, `currency`, `percentage` or
`people`, and `direction` is one of `increase`, `decrease` or `maintain`.

A file can hold up to 2,000 indicator rows. A bigger file is refused before any row is read: you
see `This file has more than 2,000 rows. Import a file of 2,000 rows or fewer.`

Every problem in the file is listed with its line, and `Import` stays unavailable until there are
none. Backed reports, among others:

- a unit or direction that is not one of the codes above
- the same indicator twice under one outcome
- a missing value, or a column missing from the header or named twice

Fix the rows in the file and choose it again.

## Start from a starter framework

1. Select `Start from a starter framework`.
2. Choose a starter. Each shows how many domains, outcomes and indicators it has.
3. Change the `Framework name` if you want to. It starts as the starter's name.
4. Select `Copy`. The copy is created as a `Draft` and opens in the builder.

Two starters are offered:

- `Sustainable Development Goals`: the United Nations goals at goal and target level, each goal a
  domain and each of its targets an outcome.
- `Results-based accountability`: a template with a population result and the three performance
  questions (`How much did we do?`, `How well did we do it?` and `Is anyone better off?`), each
  with example indicators.

Neither starter carries baselines or targets; you set those when you attach the framework to a
Grant. The copy is your organisation's own draft: change, add or remove anything in it. The
starter itself never changes.

## Build a framework

A new framework is a `Draft`. In the builder:

1. Add a domain, then the outcomes under it, then the indicators under each outcome.
2. Give each indicator a name and a definition, and choose its unit (`Number`, `Currency`,
   `Percentage` or `People`) and its direction (`Higher is better`, `Lower is better` or
   `Hold steady`).
3. Select `Save`.
4. When the framework is ready, select `Activate`. Only an `Active` framework can be attached to a
   Grant.

Select `Retire` to stop a framework or one of its indicators being used.

## Versions

Editing an `Active` framework never changes what it has already collected. Your edit creates the
next version as a new `Draft` (version 2 after version 1), and a framework has one draft version at
a time. Activating the new version retires the one before it. Milestone templates bound to the
earlier version keep collecting into it, and the `Outcomes` tabs label every figure with its
version.

## What Backed refuses

- Retiring or removing an indicator a Milestone template in use is bound to: you see
  `A Milestone Template in use is bound to this indicator, so it cannot be retired or removed.`
- Changing an indicator's unit once actuals are recorded against it: you see
  `Actuals have been recorded against this indicator, so its unit can no longer change.`
- Activating a framework that is not a draft, or starting a second draft of an active framework:
  you see
  `Only a draft framework can be activated, and an active framework has one draft version at a time. Edit that draft instead.`
- Giving a framework a name another framework has: you see
  `A framework with this name already exists.`

## Attach a framework to a Grant

1. Open the Grant. On its `Details` page, find the `Framework` panel below the `Reporting` panel.
2. Choose a framework under `Attach a framework` and select `Attach`. Only `Active` frameworks are
   offered; you can attach more than one.
3. For each indicator, enter an optional baseline and target for the whole Grant, then select
   `Save targets`.

Each Application's own baseline and target are set on its `Outcomes` tab; see
[Outcomes](outcomes.md#set-an-applications-baseline-and-target).

## Bind to indicator

Binding ties a deliverable to an indicator, so the grantee's answer becomes the actual.

1. Go to `Plan > Form templates`, open the `Milestones` tab and select the template.
2. In the `Bind to indicator` panel, each Number and Currency field of the deliverables form is
   listed. Choose an indicator for each field you want to count. The indicators offered come from
   the frameworks attached to any Grant.
3. Select `Save bindings`.

Only a number or currency field can be bound. When the grantee completes the Milestone they see
the indicator's unit, their baseline and their target beside the field, and enter the period's
actual. Approving the Milestone records the actual. A Milestone that is unapproved, declined or
sent back for resubmission records nothing.

## What is recorded

Importing a framework or copying a starter, activating, versioning and retiring a framework, setting a target and recording an actual each
leave an entry in your organisation's audit log.

## See also

- [Outcomes](outcomes.md)
- [Milestone templates](milestone-templates.md)
- [Round reporting](../funding-rounds/round-reporting.md)