Blog: Wes’s thoughts, articles, and insights

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My most recent posts

Blog post themes over 20 years…

By Wes Trochlil | August 5, 2026

Blog post themes over 20 years… I’ve been writing blog posts for nearly 20 years now. WordPress tells me I’ve written over 1,200 posts. So I asked AI to analyze my 1,200+ posts and give me my top three themes. Here’s what it came up with: Data management and data quality – these posts emphasize that data management is […]

Lots of feedback is a GOOD thing!

By Wes Trochlil | July 29, 2026

Lots of feedback is a GOOD thing! A client in the middle of their AMS implementation said to me: “I’m getting a LOT of feedback from staff about what the system can and cannot do. Is that good or bad?” My response: “Feedback means they’re actually in the system and using it! That’s a good […]

Doing the reps…

By Wes Trochlil | July 22, 2026

Doing the reps… I’m helping a client with the implementation of a new AMS. During a recent call, their internal project manager said “I’m still not as familiar with the system as I’d like to be. I need to get in there more often and play around.” I responded: “That’s exactly right. I suggest you […]

Add one, remove one

By Wes Trochlil | July 15, 2026

Add one, remove one In the world of home-organizing, there’s the “one in, one out” rule. Simply put, for every new item that enters your home, one similar item must leave, helping to maintain a constant level of possessions and prevent clutter accumulation. This would be a great rule for database managers when considering adding new fields […]

Spring cleaning, all year long

By Wes Trochlil | July 8, 2026

Spring cleaning, all year long I talk frequently about “weeding the garden,” the idea that proactively managing your data, consistently, over time, is a better practice than trying to clean up the data in one big effort once every couple of years. But beyond the data itself, weeding the garden should also include making sure all […]

Older Posts

How I learned to love GDPR…

May 2, 2019

This month (May 2019) will bring the one year anniversary of GDPR. I was NOT a huge fan of GDPR […]

How transparent are you?

April 25, 2019

When I work with clients, I’ll often use their website to find general information about the association, such as listings of […]

Does your AMS support your mission?

April 18, 2019

Have you ever consciously considered how your AMS is supporting your organization’s mission? You should, and it should. Part of the […]

Be Aware of Indirect Costs

April 11, 2019

When considering the costs of your current data management system(s), you need to consider both direct costs (how much you […]

Testing and Clear Objectives are Critical

April 3, 2019

I’m always fascinated by stories like this. In a nutshell, the state of Minnesota spent nearly $100 million for a […]

Clean as you go

March 28, 2019

Clean As You Go A good cook or baker knows that, when working in the kitchen, you clean as you […]

Baby Steps

March 21, 2019

One of the keys to developing good data management habits is to be aware of biting off more than you […]

Success Requires Discipline

March 14, 2019

When it comes to data management, most of us know what to do; we just don’t do it. What is required […]

Take a moment to be grateful

March 7, 2019

Because we’re so focused on always improving what we have now, it’s easy to overlook the things we already have. […]

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