Hello Reader, ✨Welcome! I am so glad you're here!✨

Before we get into the ops-talk festival of fun let's get started with these highlights:

1. ​Black Leave by Kirby - OOOOOOH heck yes. Put this one right now! Everything by her is BOMB but this one, ON REPEAT!
2. ​Wish Silent Auction - The WISH Silent Auction is back! The fine folks over at Wish are looking for items for their annual silent auction. They have set a fundraising goal of $20000 and all funds raised will go directly towards supporting street-based sex workers. Let's get them some good stuff!
3. ​How do I do that? A Beginners Guide to Operations Planning - Join me for a free webinar tomorrow at 12pm PDT as part of the Spring Business Activate Program. I will be taking you though beginners guide to how to turn your strategy into a reality and how using something like ClickUp can make the whole process easier! It's full of action steps and is a pretty darn great session if I do say so myself! Register here!

Now let's jam on the importance of a single source of truth in an organization.

What is a single source of truth?

A single source of truth is a central repository of data that is trusted by all members of an organization. It is the one place where all data is stored, maintained, and updated, ensuring that everyone has access to the same accurate, up-to-date information.

Why is a single source of truth important?

Trust me on this one, the sooner you can establish a single source of truth the better! There are SO many reasons to make this a foundation of your work but here are a few key ones:

Consistency: A single source of truth ensures that everyone is working with the same information, reducing the risk of inconsistencies and errors.

Efficiency: When everyone is using the same data, processes can be streamlined, and work can be completed more efficiently.

Collaboration: A single source of truth promotes collaboration by providing a common platform for all team members to access and share information.

Transparency: A single source of truth provides transparency, enabling stakeholders to easily track progress and make informed decisions.

Compliance: A single source of truth ensures that all data is accurate and up-to-date, reducing the risk of non-compliance with regulations and policies.

So, how can you establish a single source of truth?

The SUS Method of course! (AKA the Stop Using Spreadsheets Method!)

Working towards a single source of truth is actually the backbone of the SUS Method. You want your data to flow between all of your systems and the best way to do that is to follow these 5 steps:

1. Discover what you need: Determine what data is essential for your organization and what needs to be tracked for reporting.
2. Research what is possible: This need not mean getting new software! Find out how you can get your data to flow across the tools you have right now. Many of my clients have been able to breakdown their silos simply by setting up a few easy integrations! (I can tell you right now though, if what you are using is only spreadsheets then you WILL need to get some good software in your life. But using the SUS method will make it much easier to get it right!)
3. Design with data in mind: Establish clear rules and guidelines for data entry, maintenance, and access. Ensure your software is integrated well so that your key data is maintained and easy to access.
4. Implement together: Create an implementation plan in collaboration with the teams that are the most affected by any changes. Train all staff on how to use the platform effectively to ensure that everyone is working with the same data.
5. Refine over time: Nothing is going to be perfect right out of the gates! Setup a regular time to evaluate how accessible your data across your organisation and refine as needed.

Establishing a single source of truth is essential to your success AND it need not be a huge endeavour to get there!

If you haven't already done so, click here and select 'Stop Using Spreadsheets Resources' to get my Stop Using Spreadsheets Checklist!

It will guide you on your road to single source of truth by saying goodbye to your spreadsheets! You will also be added to a 5 week email series that is packed with great resources, I highly recommend you check it out!

Until next time!

R*