Data Strategy: The Vital First Step to Data Modernization

Data modernization is essential for any organization aiming to improve efficiency and elevate decision-making through technology innovation. It’s the process of consolidating and optimizing data to enhance operations and decision-making, but how does an organization actually do it successfully? Engaging in data strategy consulting is the critical first step, as it helps businesses develop a tailored approach to data modernization. First, let’s dig into why data modernization is so important.

Why Modernize Your Data?

When your data is scattered across an array of disparate spreadsheets and legacy systems, that crucial information sits idly by. It can’t provide sufficient insights on program impact, and it can’t enhance service delivery through automated processes. Only by ingesting this data into a powerful CRM platform like Salesforce can it then be synchronized to harness the efficiencies that will take your organization to the next level.

By modernizing your data, you make it more accessible and secure for everyone in your organization, because it’s all housed in one easy-to-access location with greater protection capabilities. Most excitingly, you also make your data more impactful by fueling new analytical insights, streamlined processes, and even AI. This commitment to innovation now paves the way for growth in the future too, as data modernization builds an IT infrastructure that’s easily scalable to meet increasing demand or changing market conditions.

Strategize Before You Modernize

This all sounds great, but creating effective data modernization doesn’t just happen on a whim. You can’t just carelessly throw everything into Salesforce and expect it to piecemeal the perfect solutions to achieve your goals. You first need an experienced Salesforce partner who can develop a proper data strategy involving the people, processes, and technology at the heart of your organization. As the largest Salesforce consultancy focused solely on human services, Provisio understands how to connect these three factors to formulate a data modernization game plan for nonprofits and public sector agencies. Before we even begin migrating data, we dig deep with our clients to determine how they need to use that data. This is the foundation of our innovative solutions that spark better decisions and better outcomes. 

We’ll identify your true needs by asking pointed questions about how your organization operates and about what you require from Salesforce. With these insights, we piece together how to best use your data to address your specific pain points.

Here are just a few questions you can expect to answer at the start of the data modernization strategy process:

• What data / database management systems are you using now?
• What funder or compliance-mandated systems are you required to do direct data-entry into?
• What are the main 3 to 5 mission-critical reasons your organization is seeking a new data/database management technology solution now?
• What real-time dashboards or reports would be helpful for managing and evaluating your programs?
• What kind of reports do you need to run in the system?
• Are there Key Performance Indicators that you use for staff or programs that you would want to report on?

By planning how you actually want to use your data before you modernize it, you’ll ultimately wind up with a much more impactful technology solution. Provisio is the go-to Salesforce partner for first-class human services data strategy. Click the button below to learn how we can help take your organization to the next level through our professional data strategy consulting.