Others

Fix Viva Goals Adding the Wrong User as Objective Owner

Emma Brown Sep 28, 2026 868 views

Question details

Users are encountering a bug in Microsoft Viva Goals where selecting a specific user as an objective owner assigns a completely different user instead.

How to Fix Viva Goals Adding the Wrong User as an Objective Owner

Product: Microsoft Viva Goals
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Assigning owners to a Viva Goals objective, key result, or initiative.
Observed behavior: The system adds an incorrect user (e.g., Data Test1) instead of the selected user (e.g., Data Test2 or Data Test3). Repeated attempts to add the correct user fail and eventually trigger the ten-user assignment limit.

Before you start

Verify that your organization's user directory is fully synced and that the affected users have active, properly licensed accounts before pursuing specialized support.

Solution 1Recommended

Report the Issue to the Dedicated Viva Goals Support Forum

Because this issue involves backend user mapping within the Viva Goals environment, it requires specialized testing and investigation from the Microsoft team.

Standard Microsoft support channels may have limited resources or testing environments specifically for Viva Goals bugs. Esculating the issue to the dedicated Viva Goals technical community is the most direct way to get this backend glitch resolved.

Navigate to the support forum

Open your web browser and go to the official Microsoft Tech Community for Viva Goals at https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/viva-goals/ct-p/Viva-Goals.

Sign in to your account

Click the 'Sign In' button at the top right of the page and log in with your Microsoft 365 administrator or user credentials.

Post a new question

Click on 'Start a New Discussion' or 'Ask a Question'. Detail your exact scenario, including the specific wrong user being added and the ten-user limit being triggered.

Report the Issue to the Dedicated Viva Goals Support Forum

Specialized Support Required: User assignment bugs in Viva Goals typically require Microsoft engineers to investigate your specific tenant environment. Be prepared to provide them with your tenant ID if requested via a private message.

Solution 2

Clear Browser Cache and Check User Profiles

Use this solution to rule out local browser caching issues or temporary directory sync delays causing the wrong user to appear.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Looking for a Lighter, More Reliable Way to Track Goals?

While specialized tools like Viva Goals handle OKRs, managing your daily reports and spreadsheets shouldn't be frustrating. WPS Office provides a lightweight, highly compatible alternative to Microsoft Office for all your document and data tracking needs.

1. Download and install: Visit the official WPS website to download the free WPS Office suite for your operating system.
2. Open existing files: Launch WPS Office and seamlessly open any existing Microsoft Office files you use for reporting.
3. Track your goals: Use WPS Spreadsheets to build highly customizable and reliable OKR trackers with built-in templates.

Seamlessly compatible with Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint formats.Lightweight installation that doesn't consume excessive system resources.Free to use with an intuitive, familiar user interface.Easily create your own OKR tracking spreadsheets without complex setups.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Viva Goals assigning the wrong user as an owner?

This is typically caused by a backend syncing error, conflicting user aliases in Microsoft Entra ID, or a known bug within the Viva Goals environment that requires Microsoft's intervention to resolve.

What is the maximum number of owners for a Viva Goals objective?

Viva Goals allows a maximum of 10 users to be assigned as owners to a single objective, key result, or initiative. Hitting this limit prevents further assignments.

Can I manually remove the wrongly assigned user and try again?

Yes, you can manually remove the incorrect user from the objective's owner list. However, if the underlying bug persists, attempting to re-add the correct user may fail again and quickly consume the 10-user limit.

Office Quick Solutions