Data Structure & Reporting

Overview

Good reporting is built on good data and data structure.

Once you’ve defined your goals and identified the metrics to measure those goals, you’ll need to setup reporting. Usually you’ll have systems in place that are collecting data, but you’ll often need to build reports in spreadsheets tailored to your needs. There are a few considerations when you build your report data structure:

1. Consistency: ensure that each row of data is consistent. Don’t omit data from certain columns because it seems repetitive. Creating consistent data over every row sets the foundation to build reports with ease.

2. Easy to update: build the structure so you can easily update it. If the report is difficult to update, you’ll be less likely to stick with it. In practice, this means that you should export data from your sources and paste them directly into a spreadsheet tab that can digest the information exactly as it comes from the source. You will likely have many “adaptor” tabs that simply manipulate data.

3. Expandable: you’ll start your report with the products, services, and data that you currently have. This will inevitably expand over time so take that into consideration when building your data structure. For example, split up your data into different tabs to allow for (nearly) infinite column (e.g. dates) or row (e.g. new items) expansion.

4. Show your work: avoid complicated formulas compounded in a single cell. If something breaks, it will be far more difficult to troubleshoot it than if you break down calculations into simple to follow steps on multiple tabs if needed.

5. Document the process: build SOPs with descriptions, Loom videos, and or Scribe tutorials. Ensure that anyone else can update reports in your absence.

6. Delegate: once the report structure and SOPs are established, identify the repetitive steps that are simple to execute and delegate to an assistant. Doing so will keep the mundane data manipulation steps off your plate and keep you focused on higher value activities.