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

Beware: Small things can add up to big time suckers…

July 10, 2017

When I work with clients, one thing I focus on is process. How is data managed within the organization? What […]

Four Elements of Data: Volume, velocity, variety, and veracity

July 7, 2017

I don’t remember where I first read this, but I love this description of the four elements of data. Volume, […]

Things you WANT to hear about your database

July 5, 2017

I was speaking at an ASAE event recently and ran into a woman I had worked with at a past […]

Implied Interest and your database

June 30, 2017

I don’t recall where I first heard the term, but I’ve been using the concept of “implied interest” since back […]

Is data an afterthought at your organization?

June 28, 2017

I was working with a client recently and discussing how data is currently managed in their organization. During the course […]

Before choosing a new AMS vendor, ask yourself THIS question…

June 26, 2017

Before you sign up with a new AMS vendor, ask yourself this question: “Can I spend the next 7-10 years […]

Don't let the exception drive the rule

June 23, 2017

I’ve written many times about managing exceptions and being careful not to design rules around exceptions. As a general rule […]

What efforts are you making to maintain the relationship with your vendor?

June 21, 2017

As has been noted elsewhere, the AMS market has experienced significant changes over the past year. As one simple but […]

Technology improvements lead to higher customer expectations

June 19, 2017

The irony of improving technology to better serve customers is that the better technology leads to…greater expectations of customer service. […]

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