Getting your data in an organized structure is hard enough but getting it in order is only half the battle. Keeping your data organized can prove to be just as hard a task. You need to have strict rules in place or your data can overlap and finding items in your inventory can become a nightmare. If you don’t adhere to a strict data structure, adding new items and using new abbreviations can corrupt your structure. If you have too many manual controls and processes it can limit your ability to enforce standards.
Having limited resources can also affect your ability to monitor and sustain data quality. If there are multiple people in your company who are not using the same wording and structure, it can lead to data inconsistencies and gaps in data. If you have several people controlling the data structure in your organization, you must make sure that each person is following the same rules.
Another issue arises when staff changes cause new people to join a data entry team. If someone new joins the team and uses a different format for their data input then either their new data will be wrong, or all of the old data would be wrong, making systematic data searches and automation incredibly difficult.
Keeping your data consistent can be hard but adherence to your naming rules with staff or process changes is key to keeping data consistent. Limits on input and staff that have permissions to change master records can keep mistakes or accidents from occurring and different formats from being used. Also limiting special rule breaks and having the same abbreviations will help you avoid a lot of headaches down the road. Think to yourself if you would rather have to go back over your data a second time around to get everything organized. It’s better to take the time to get it right the first time than to have to retrace your steps later.
If your master data is beginning to slip away from you, let QuadraDot help. Our software allows disparate parts of your company to use the same start and endpoints, agree on abbreviations and standards that new people or processes won’t easily disrupt.
