Trace where your information comes from and where it goes
In your words: “We're collecting the same information in forms, spreadsheets and systems, but nobody knows why”
- Information lineage
- Data duplication
- Form rationalisation
A form asks for twenty fields, a spreadsheet repeats twelve of them, and a system captures three more under different names. Nobody currently owns the question of why each piece of information is collected, where it came from, or whether it still serves a purpose.
Tracing what depends on each field turns forms and spreadsheets into a clear picture of what is needed, where it comes from and where it goes.
Each field has a reason and an owner, maintenance falls and audits can name the authoritative version.
Tracing where each piece of information originates, which processes use it, where it goes next and whether it is still required turns a form audit into an automation-readiness exercise. In practical terms, you find out which fields to keep, which to retire and which to finally connect to a single source of truth before you automate around them.
- A clear picture of which information is genuinely unique and which is duplicated across forms and systems
- Traceability from every captured field back to the process and decision it supports
- Fewer forms, fields and hand-offs to maintain, reconcile and explain at audit
- A defensible basis for retiring fields nobody can justify
- A cleaner foundation for automation, so duplication is not simply automated alongside everything else
- For your longest form, could you explain why each field is collected?
- How many places in the business hold a version of the same piece of information?
- Who currently owns the decision to add or remove a field from a form or system?
- Which piece of information is captured furthest from where it is actually used?
- If you automated this process today, would the duplication be automated along with it?
Data lineage is the process of tracking the flow of data over time, providing a clear understanding of where the data originated, how it has changed, and its ultimate destination.
IBM: What is data lineage?
Data lineage maps how your company uses data, helping identify inefficiencies like duplicate reports and outdated processes.
Alation: What is Data Lineage?