Visual Space manual, Goals, Goal References

Goal references give each goal a readable label that is easy to recognize on a board and easy to share in Chat. A label such as `VS-42` combines a space's goal key with the goal's number in that space. The label is a convenient name, not a fragile link. When someone selects a goal through the Chat picker, the shared reference continues to follow that intended goal even if its visible label later changes.

Goal references give each goal a readable label that is easy to recognize on a board and easy to share in Chat. A label such as VS-42 combines a space's goal key with the goal's number in that space.

The label is a convenient name, not a fragile link. When someone selects a goal through the Chat picker, the shared reference continues to follow that intended goal even if its visible label later changes.

Read A Goal Reference

The number identifies the goal within its current space. The optional letter key helps people recognize the space at a glance, so VS-42 means goal 42 in a space that uses the key VS.

References appear with goals across planning surfaces, including cards, backlog rows, and goal details. They are useful when a title is long, when several goals have similar names, or when a conversation needs an unambiguous pointer back to the work.

A key does not need to be unique across Visual Space. Two spaces can both use VS, and each can have its own goal 42. The space choice is therefore part of selecting a goal, even when two visible labels look the same.

The same compact VS-5 identity appears on the planning card and in the goal details that open beside it.

Choose A Useful Space Key

Visual Space suggests a key from the space name. A multi-word name can become initials, so Visual Space may suggest VS for a space named Visual Space. The suggestion remains ready for review until a space manager accepts it, changes it, or deliberately leaves the space without a short key.

When a manager creates the first goal before that review has happened, Confirm your goal key presents the choice at the point it becomes useful. Confirming continues with the original goal creation. A person who can create goals but cannot manage the space is not held up by a setting they cannot change.

Space managers can later review the goal key in Space Settings under About. A valid key:

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Contains 2–8 uppercase letters or numbers.

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Starts with an uppercase letter.

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Uses no spaces or punctuation.

Typed or pasted letters are changed to uppercase. A key such as G2 is valid, while 2G, G-2, and a one-letter key are not. Clearing the field is also valid and turns off the short KEY-number form without turning off goals or goal sharing.

Find The Intended Goal From Chat

Chat recognizes a few focused shortcuts at the point where you are typing:

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Type /VS- to browse recent accessible goals in joined spaces that use VS. Continue typing a title or keyword after the hyphen to narrow the results.

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Type /VS-42 to look for goal 42 in a joined space that uses VS.

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Type /goal to begin by choosing from joined spaces. This is the general route and includes spaces that do not use a short key.

Keyed shortcuts use uppercase keys. Lowercase text such as /vs- does not open the keyed goal picker, which keeps ordinary slash text from becoming an accidental reference search.

When only one joined space matches a keyed shortcut, the picker can continue directly to that space's goals. When several joined spaces use the same key, it first shows Choose a space. After you select one, only goals from that space are considered. The /goal command always begins with the space choice, making it useful when you want to be explicit or when the space is keyless.

Space choices put the current space first when it matches. Your recently and frequently used spaces are then favored, followed by stable space details such as name and handle. The ordering makes repeated sharing quicker without silently deciding which duplicate-key space you meant.

!Onboarding Chat composer with the unsent VS goal shortcut and VS-5 Goals - Goal ids highlighted in the goal picker

The picker resolves the uppercase VS key to the joined space and exposes the exact seeded goal before anything is inserted or sent.

Select Without Leaving The Keyboard

The highlighted row follows the same two-stage flow as mouse or touch selection:

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Use the Up and Down Arrow keys to move through the visible spaces or goals.

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Press Enter or Tab to accept the highlighted choice.

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Press Escape to close the picker without inserting a reference.

Choosing a space advances to its goals. Choosing a goal replaces the active shortcut with a rich, clickable goal reference in the message. If nothing matches, the picker reports that no accessible spaces or goals were found rather than inserting uncertain plain text.

For the complete sharing flow, see Share a Goal in Chat.

Keep References Current

A selected Chat reference remembers the intended goal rather than depending on the letters and number that were visible at the time. When the message is read later, Visual Space shows the goal's current label and opens its current location.

That distinction matters when planning changes:

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A space key change updates the visible prefix. A shared VS-42 may display with a new key later, while still opening the same goal.

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A move within the same space keeps the goal number. Moving between the space, its subspaces, and its activities does not give the goal a new reference.

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A move to another space adopts the destination's reference. The goal receives the next number in that space and displays its destination key, or its keyless label, without breaking the earlier shared reference.

Old visible labels do not become permanent alternative names. If someone later types the old plain text into Chat, it is not guaranteed to find the moved or renamed goal. The reference already selected in a message, however, continues to follow it.

Share From A Space Without A Key

A space manager may prefer not to use a short key, especially when initials would be unclear or the space rarely refers to goals outside its own context. Goals in that space still receive numbers and remain fully usable.

Instead of VS-42, a keyless goal uses a qualified label based on its space handle and number, such as visual-space/42. Use /goal in Chat to choose the space and then the goal. This keeps the reference readable while avoiding a short prefix the space does not want.

Protect Goals The Reader Cannot Access

Goal references respect the reader's current access. A member can select and open only goals available through spaces and areas they can access.

If a referenced goal is deleted or the reader no longer has access, the message shows the same non-clickable Goal unavailable label. It does not reveal the former title, location, or private-space identity. This shared fallback also avoids telling a reader whether the goal was removed or merely became private.

Common Questions

Can two spaces use the same goal key?

Yes. Keys are space-local rather than globally reserved. When more than one joined space matches, the Chat picker asks you to choose the space before it shows goals.

Can a space manager change the key after goals have been shared?

Yes. Existing selected references continue to follow their goals and display the current label. Plain text using the old key does not become a lasting alias.

What happens if a manager clears the key?

Goals continue to work. They use a label based on the space handle and goal number, and members can find them from Chat with /goal.

Why does /vs-42 not open the picker?

Keyed shortcuts require the uppercase space key. Use /VS-42, or use /goal when you do not know the key.

Why do I have to choose a space before a goal?

The same key and number can exist in different spaces. Choosing the joined space first makes sure the reference points to the work you intended.

Why does a message say Goal unavailable?

The goal may have been deleted, or your access may have changed. Visual Space uses one safe label for both cases and does not disclose the goal's former details.

Return to the Goals overview to see how references fit with the board, backlog, goal articles, and access boundaries.