How You Can Keep Your Churchʼs Data Accurate

Imagine you are a pilot, flying a passenger aircraft, that isn’t a Boeing. Because it’s flying. Your job is to get a group of people from one point to another, as safely as possible. And look cool while doing so. But there is a problem. You don’t know what some instruments do and some aren’t even working. The altimeter lags, the airspeed indicator hasn’t worked in weeks, and you thought the artificial horizon was your child’s art. Sure, you can probably still land the plane, but it might be bumpy. Ok now snap back to reality, you’re a Rock administrator. If your tools are out of sync or neglected, your journey may also get bumpy. Data integrity isn’t about perfection. Rather, it’s about calibration and attention. In this Rock Solid Data Blog, we’ll explore the tools Rock RMS gives you to maintain clean, reliable data and how using them wisely can make all the difference.

Tools to Check Frequently

Some tools deserve a permanent place on your radar. These include:

• Duplicate Finder
• Reports
• Merge Requests

These tools help maintain a lean and mean database and should be checked weekly or monthly. It only takes a bit of time when checked regularly and can result in long term benefits. While these tools are not configurable, you can always add to the reports to make your data integrity checks more tailored.

Tools to Check...Less Frequently

Other tools are just as vital but don't require your constant attention. These include:

• Location Editor
• Photo Requests
• NCOA

The Location Editor can be helpful to spot the issue if location data is not being inputted correctly. If you report on locations, you can use this tool to find non-geocoded addresses and remove a cleaning step from your reporting. You likely already know about the Photo Requests tool. Be sure to check it so that the photos people upload are appropriate and helpful. The NCOA tool is crucial for ensuring your addresses are accurate. This may come as a surprise, but switching an address in a church management software database may not at the top of a person’s to-do-list when moving. While you might not use these tools weekly, reviewing them quarterly or biannually will go a long way toward maintaining trust in your data.

The Tool That May Be Rusted to Your Toolbox

The Connection Status Change tool probably does not get the love it deserves. Sure, it can only show you people who go from exactly one connection status to the next. A Sankey, bar, or line chart is undoubtedly more effective at seeing overall flow between connection statuses. However, this tool drills down to the lowest level of data and gives you something powerful: a list of actual people. Try comparing statuses that indicate high engagement vs. low or declining engagement. It’s a practical way to support meaningful follow-up and ensure no one falls through the cracks.

The Tools You Have Control Over

If you like customization, Rock’s Data Automation tools are for you. These tools not only keep your data clean, but they also empower your communication and reporting. Clean data means confidently targeting ‘active’ or ‘engaged’ members without second-guessing your filters. Start by defining the Inactive People and Reactivate People automations using consistent, logical criteria. Sit down with ministry leaders to define what engagement looks like in your context. You’ll be surprised how much clarity this can bring to your communications and reporting strategy. A little bit of effort in the present can set you up for years of clean, actionable data.

Data integrity is one of the most impactful investments you can make in your ministry’s effectiveness. With the tools already built into Rock RMS, you have everything you need to ensure your data works for you. A little strategy and consistency now can free up hours of saved effort and enable powerful insights that help you serve your people even better.

If you'd like to learn more about these tools, check out the Rock Admin Hero Guide. To learn more about this topic or related ones, check out the Data Analytics Hub.