Digital change can feel overwhelming, especially if your team isn’t confident with technology or is used to manual processes. The good news? You don’t have to overhaul everything at once. Small shifts can build momentum and lead to meaningful improvements in how you manage data and work digitally.

Here are 12 practical, easy-to-understand actions that any organisation can take to get started - no heavy tech jargon, just real-world solutions that work and give you an idea of what's possible.

1. Automate routine data entry tasks

Let’s say your team collects client information through online forms, but someone still has to manually copy that info into a spreadsheet or database. This can be slow and mistakes can happen when typing. Instead you can use tools that embed forms on your website. They connect your online form directly to your spreadsheet or database. That means whenever someone fills out the form, their information automatically appears in your system - no typing required. It saves time, reduces errors, and lets your team focus on more important work.

2. Move from spreadsheets to shared online sheets or dashboards

Imagine you have a spreadsheet that you use for case management - it has columns for contact details and case status, with a row for each client. After every update, a caseworker edits the spreadsheet, saves it, and emails it to the admin team, who then copies the new data into the master file. This emailing back and forth can cause confusion over which version is the latest. A simple fix is to use a shared online sheet like Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel Online. These platforms let multiple people open and edit the same file at the same time, so everyone sees the latest information immediately - no more emailing versions back and forth.

3. Standardise data formats

If your team enters information like dates, addresses, or phone numbers in different formats, it can be hard to pull reports or analyse the data accurately. For example, some might write dates as “12/05/23,” others as “12 May 2023,” and this inconsistency causes problems when sorting or filtering data. Or it might be that when people enter contact details into your system, they sometimes mistype phone numbers or email addresses - maybe missing a digit or adding an extra letter. This causes problems when you try to get in touch later. There are tools that let you set up dropdown menus or specific input formats for fields like dates or addresses. This means your team picks from predefined options or formats, ensuring all data looks the same and reports come out clean and reliable.

4. Replace paper forms with digital forms

Let’s say your outreach workers fill out paper surveys or forms during visits, but sometimes those papers get lost, damaged, or delayed getting back to the office. Switching to digital forms means workers can enter data directly on a tablet or smartphone while they’re with clients. Once they submit the form, the information is automatically saved online and ready for your team to access immediately. This cuts out lost paperwork and double data entry, making the whole process faster and more reliable.

5. Integrate commonly used tools

Maybe your contacts are stored in one system, your impact data in another and SMS messaging happens elsewhere with none of these systems talking to each other. This means someone has to enter the same information at least twice, which wastes time and can cause mistakes. Integration tools can connect different apps together so that data flows automatically between them. For example, when you add a new contact in your CRM, it can automatically update your impact tracking spreadsheet without extra work. Setting this up usually involves choosing the apps you want to connect and specifying what info should transfer between them - no coding needed.

6. Schedule regular data reviews

If you only look at your data once every few months, mistakes or missing info can build up without you realizing it. Setting up short weekly or bi-weekly meetings with your team to review recent data can help catch problems early. You don’t need a long meeting - just 20-30 minutes looking at simple dashboards created in tools like Tableau or even Google Data Studio to spot trends or gaps. This habit keeps your data in good shape and makes reporting easier down the line.

7. Create easy-to-understand visual reports

Boards and funders often find long spreadsheets overwhelming and hard to digest. Instead of sharing raw data, you can use data visualisation tools to turn your data into colourful charts and graphs. These visuals highlight the key information - like how many people you’ve helped or progress toward goals - in a way that’s quick to understand. You simply connect your data source to the tool, and it automatically updates the visuals as new data comes in, so reports are always fresh and clear.

8. Train a few digital champions internally

When new digital tools are introduced, some staff might feel unsure or anxious about using them, which slows down adoption. To help, identify a few team members who are comfortable with technology or eager to learn. Give them extra training and encourage them to support their colleagues through informal coaching or mini-workshops. These “digital champions” become go-to helpers who make the transition easier for everyone, creating a positive and confident team culture around the new tools.

9. Encourage sharing tips and tricks across teams

Often, different people find clever shortcuts or helpful ways to use software, but these insights stay private. Encouraging your team to share these tips can save time and frustration. You might set up a weekly email newsletter or a dedicated chat channel (using tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams) where people post helpful tricks or answer each other’s questions. This kind of informal knowledge-sharing builds a stronger, more tech-savvy team.

10. Celebrate small successes publicly

When your team tries a new tool or process and gets it right, it’s important to recognize that effort. Celebrate these small wins by sharing them in team meetings, newsletters, or chat channels. For example, you might highlight how one program reduced data errors by switching to digital forms. This positive feedback motivates everyone to keep improving and shows that small steps add up to big change.

11. Set up automated reminders for data entry deadlines

It’s easy for busy staff to forget when data needs to be entered or reports submitted. Instead of manually chasing people, you can set up automated reminders using task management tools like Asana or calendar apps like Google Calendar. For example, you can create a recurring task that sends an email or notification a few days before a deadline. This gentle nudge helps keep everyone on track without extra effort from managers.

12. Start with pilot projects in one team or programme

Rolling out a new digital system across your whole organisation can feel overwhelming and risky. Instead, pick one team or program to try it out first. This “pilot” lets you learn what works, fix problems early, and build confidence before expanding. For example, one team might start tracking impact data with a new app, and after a few months of success, the whole organisation follows. Pilots reduce stress and help make the full roll-out smoother.

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Digital transformation doesn’t have to be a giant leap. Taking these small, practical steps can make a big difference over time - helping your organisation work more efficiently and confidently in today’s digital world. At Makerble we've helped teams around the world improve the way they run their services and report results. Take a look at Makerble Workflow to find out more.

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