Fresno, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/12/2016 -- In the rush to be and stay informed, collecting data is a national obsession.The prevailing dictate is ask for everything and sort it out later. This system results in a mass of data that is difficult to structure after the fact, and painstakingly difficult and tremendously time consuming to make use of in the interim. The data entry process is overburdened collecting data that may or may not prove useful and in ways that are often inconsistent and inaccurate. Efforts by managers to use the information are hampered by data that is disjointed, missing or unreliable. The large-scale collection of information is inspired by the latest trend in technology – big data.

The danger with the big data approach is that serious problems are hiding in activities that are deemed normal work responsibilities. Critical business information is being stored on paper, on whiteboards, in emails, on local drives and in the cloud. With so much unstructured data, organizations are regularly overburdened with the simple task of finding and maintaining information, never mind effectively organizing and communicating with it. In a recent study by the Data Warehouse Institute, researchers found that poor data quality costs businesses within the United States alone over $600 Billion each year. Three familiar business situations shed a stark light on poor data management practices: a key person leaves, there's limited IT support and communication failures due to poor information gathering and storing processes.

A key person leaves the organization

When key people leave an organization, they unfortunately leave behind a data management process understood only by them. As long as they were there it worked and now there is a gap in the flow of information – "It made total sense to Mary." This puts enormous strain on other staff as they are suddenly overloaded with responsibility. It also puts the company at risk, as data quality issues can cause misunderstandings, inaccurate reporting, capital losses and customer frustration.

Limited or no IT support

Many companies have little or no IT support, which means a lot of disparate information can cause a lot of problems. Departments and individuals are left managing their own data, a complex undertaking that leads to duplicate information, disjointed processes, inaccurate reports and blank records. Inaccurate information harms valuable relationships, making partners, customers and co-workers feel undervalued.

Communication failures that are a direct result of poor information management

Communication breakdowns are a strong indicator that multiple data management methods are being juggled simultaneously.Data is bound to get lost, duplicated or misused in an environment working with spreadsheets, emails, white boards, shared drives and multiple software applications. Ultimately, this disjointed approach puts companies at risk of communication failures that damage their reputation and jeopardize their success.

The Small Batch Data ebook lists 10 action points to improve your data management process now. Small batch data is an elegant solution to overwhelming situations caused by big data practices. It operates on the principle that intelligently gathered, qualified and stored data affords assurance and fluidity vs. the vulnerability and incoherent results of big data practices. The ebook helps streamline fragmented information and offers efficient and productive approaches to data management.

About PowerFiles
It is designed to provide the reader with the necessary skills they need in order to effectively use their existing data management solutions, including FileMaker Pro, to organize their data into manageable and intelligible data sets. Using the FileMaker Pro data management platform streamlines the transition to the small batch data approach:assembling quality information and organizing it in a way that supports valued relationships, saves money and uncovers industry trends.

Visit their website to find more information about PowerFiles and to download their free Small Batch Data ebook.

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