Objective
Institute a regular data audit to validate the accuracy of HRH data.
Distribute the Data Quality Questionnaire to internal users of iHRIS as part of a regular data audit.
Data Audits: Concepts
Conduct a regular (monthly, quarterly, or yearly) data audit to identify problem areas in iHRIS data collection, entry, and management procedures. As part of an audit, you might compare iHRIS data to similar data from another source, such as a survey, census, or payroll system, to check for discrepancies. Another way to verify data quality is to check randomly selected electronic records against paper versions of data collection forms. Software logs should provide information on usage and maintenance of the system. Also solicit feedback from iHRIS users on their assessment of data quality.
Watch for these issues when conducting the data audit:
- Does the total number of records match the expected number?
- Are any duplicate records found?
- How many records are out of date (for example, a worker has changed position or left employment, but the change has not been recorded)?
- How many key fields are incomplete (such as worker contact information, cadre, or job title)?
- How frequently are records being updated? Are they updated in accordance with routine maintenance procedures?
- Are there any invalid user accounts (such as for data entry staff who no longer work on the HRIS)?