The Track Records Blog

Paper and spreadsheet systems vs. Client tracking software

A few years ago, client service organizations were limited. Limited in the number of individuals they could serve because of the strenuous task of documenting those services. Limited in the amount of money they could bring in because of the limit on individuals they could serve. More employees meant serving more individuals, but also a higher bottom line. More money must be spent to hire employees to manage the clients before more clients could be served. It was a vicious circle.

Service providers who have been in the industry since the 1990's have seen the world of documentation evolve in profound ways. One service provider says, "During my first 10 years of serving clients, all of my documentation was hand-written." She would literally stack paper into piles before compiling any statistical reports. At times, the piles would have to be rearranged to prepare to compile a different statistical report. Counting the number of individuals served, reporting demographic information on those clients, and understanding the current demographics with the hopes of looking to the future took days or weeks. By the time the numbers were calculated, the information was no longer "current."

With computer use on the rise, many service providers started using some form of electronic documentation. Spreadsheets were created, folders on hard drives were mapped, and different types of information were placed in different files for easier calculation. However, the training necessary for understanding where all the information went was complex and difficult at best. "I had made multiple notes on scrap pieces of paper so I could keep track of where to put my documentation," says an occupational therapist. "Those pieces of paper were my key to getting the documentation where it needed to be. What a mess!"

Once software that was designed to ease the burden of the necessary documentation needs of client service organizations started falling into the hands of those service providers, the whole industry heaved a sigh. Software can actually cue a person through the steps of documentation in a process that actually makes sense. Fewer steps, and people, fall through the cracks. Service providers can serve more individuals because the burden of documentation has been lessened. Other service providers are able to view the information quickly and understand the direction in which the service provider is leading that client. Reports on progress, statistics, and demographics can be generated within seconds to give pertinent and reliable information. "Once we started using client tracking software, my scrap paper notes quickly found their way to the trash!"

Track Records has created a simple, easy-to-use client tracking software program that benefits client service agencies of all types. To learn about Track Records client tracking software, click here.

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