Spot checking isn’t criticism. It’s editing your data.
Over the last week I’ve been building an import template for one of my lovely clients. It would be nice if everything could be fully integrated and automated, but that isn’t always realistic. Often you have to work with what’s available: the technology, the infrastructure, available resource and, most importantly, the people.
When I’m asked to build something like this, I’m always thinking about what the team can reasonably manage day to day. That might mean adding buttons to standardise tasks I could technically do another way. The button isn’t there because I can’t do it differently. It’s there to introduce consistency and reduce the chance of wandering off piste with the data – that way lies chaos!
Because in the end, data is about people. We sometimes forget that.
Once the tool was built, I handed it over with one instruction: please spot check the imports it’s creating. I’d been looking at it for too long and needed a fresh pair of eyes to note anything that didn’t look right.
The next day an email arrived with a list of errors to account for. I was genuinely delighted.
You wouldn’t publish a book without editing it before print. I’m not including the self-published tripe you can find online – that’s a separate conversation over a cuppa. But in any professional context, editing is expected. It improves the work.
Spot checking does the same for data.
It improves accuracy, of course. Small inconsistencies quickly become reporting problems. But it also builds collaboration. I understand the tool from the build side; the client now understands how source data becomes import-ready data. They aren’t just using the process; they understand it.
And importantly, spot checking isn’t criticism. When I receive a list of errors, I don’t see failure. I see refinement. It’s part of making something robust. Selections work the same way. I build them, the client checks them, and together we learn more about the quality and structure of the data. That isn’t fault-finding. It’s shared ownership.
If you don’t make space to check your data, you’ll eventually have to make space to fix it. Editing is always cheaper than reprinting.
Spot checking doesn’t require heroics – just intention and structure. It’s one of those small disciplines that quietly protects your organisation.
I’ve got availability from mid-May and I’m looking to support 2–3 charities with their data/CRM.
If you know a team that’s a bit stuck with their data – whether it’s getting on top of things or getting their CRM behave as it should – I’d really appreciate an introduction.
#CharitySector
#DataQuality
#CRM
#DataGovernance
#NonprofitLeadership
