Give your staff more freedom, not less

Give your staff more freedom, not less

I often tell my clients, when it comes to data management, I'm a big liberal; I believe you should give as many staff as possible the ability to edit data within your data management system (with proper training, of course!). The point of a centralized data management system is not just to hold the data in one place, but to allow all staff to update that data when appropriate.

I've lost count of the number of organizations I've worked with where only one or two staff were allowed to update data within the AMS. If a staff person received a data change (e.g., new phone number, new title, new email) they would have to email the person who can update that data in the AMS. So the result is at least TWO people will have typed out (or at the very least cut-and-pasted) the same information (first the email, then into the database).

And I've seen a similar thing happen with editing the association's website. Often only one or two people are allowed to make edits, so any changes to the website have to go through these staff, which slows down the process and increases the opportunity for error.

My suggestion: train your staff and then trust them to do the work correctly. Isn't that why we pay staff?

Wes's Wednesday Wisdom Archives

Communicating when there is a major technology change

November 12, 2025

Communicating when there is a major technology change For those of you who are ASAE […]

Everything works, until it doesn’t.

November 5, 2025

Everything works, until it doesn’t. “If something cannot go on forever, it will stop.” – […]

Some things are unknowable

October 29, 2025

Some things are unknowable One of the most challenging aspects of moving to a new […]

Do we have access to that data?

October 22, 2025

Do we have access to that data? When I work with my clients on a […]

The three “buckets” of contact data

October 8, 2025

The three “buckets” of contact data Broadly speaking, when collecting data on contacts (individuals or organizations), […]

Balancing what is possible with what is realistic

October 1, 2025

Balancing what is possible with what is realistic When I work with clients on technology […]

“Humans want to be surrounded by beauty.”

September 24, 2025

“Humans want to be surrounded by beauty.” “Humans want to be surrounded by beauty.” – […]

Data managers vs data consumers

September 17, 2025

Data managers vs data consumers When I work with clients on any data management project, […]

Another universal truth

September 10, 2025

Another universal truth There are many universal truths in data management. Some examples: You will […]

Don’t miss this year’s DAN Science Fair!

September 3, 2025

Don’t miss this year’s DAN Science Fair! I’m taking a break from my weekly tips […]

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top