Getting Started: Tracking Your Attendance Data
For some nonprofits and community groups, getting started tracking data is the hardest part. You know that saying, “How do you eat an elephant?
One bite at a time!
When I have a big project to tackle, I always think about the first small step I can take.
The good news is you don’t need fancy and expensive software! A simple spreadsheet can help you take that first step.
For many nonprofits and community groups, tracking meetings or program attendance is that first hurdle.
Let’s take that first bite. You can collect your attendance as people enter your meeting, either paper or on a laptop or iPad if you are back to meeting in person or soon will be! If not, you or someone you designate can simply enter their attendance as people enter the meeting virtually.
Step 1. Create your First and Last name columns.
Step 2. List your sector representation. For some grants, like the Drug-free Communities, there are 12 required sectors. You can come up with your own categories.
Step 3. Note what organization the person is with. For example, they might be a member of the health sector (Step 2) and are a doctor (Step 3).
Step 4. List their title if they have one.
Step 5. List your meeting dates and if they attended, enter a 1. If they did not attend, simply leave the cell blank.
Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Step 6. Total the number of meetings they attended. I promise it’s a simple count formula that adds up all of the “1.” In our example, in the first row, the formula would be=SUM(F4:Q4). The next formula would be =SUM(F5:Q5) and so on. You can copy and paste all the way down the column so no need to type each one! (Hot Tip: click the small green corner of the box and drag down).
Step 7. Do you want to know the % of the meetings each person attended? That is a super simple formula too, in our example =R4/12.
Quick Fancy Tricks
Want to make entering those sectors easier? Create a list then link your list to your sector column.
Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
I promise, it’s not hard. You can then link your Sector Column to your list using a Data Validation rule. On your Data Tab, look for this icon.
You can get a little fancier, you can create a simple formula that adds up your monthly attendance.
And even fancier, but again, not hard, you can add up your sector representation and the % of the time they attend.
I hope this helps you get started on tracking your data. Start small. Soon that elephant will be manageable. Still stuck? I got you.
Download my free guide that will help you design an effective community strategy. Need more help with Excel?
Check out my friend and colleague Amanda Cox-Klein at Engage with Data. She is an Excel Rockstar.
Be sure and connect with Ann Emery, data viz guru.
Take care!