Follow these steps to prepare for the next reporting cycle and collect data effectively from portfolio companies.

1. Start a new year in Setup

Before initiating reporting, a new year must be created in the platform to prevent data from overlapping with previous years. This keeps the data distinct and accurately reflected in both the Analytics and Tabulate views.

Follow this guide to set up a new year, or contact the CSM.

2. Update and activate survey    

To achieve a high response rate and collect quality results, analyze responses and gather feedback from reporting companies. This helps identify areas for improvement and streamlines the reporting experience. The CSM can offer guidance on best practices for effective data collection.

Refer to this guide for instructions on adjusting the survey, or contact the CSM for further support.

Always consult the CSM before making any changes if visualizations or scorings are connected to the survey.

3. Update welcome email and text

A well-formulated welcome text helps reporters answer the survey and increases the chance of receiving responses before the deadline.

Follow this guide to change the email and this guide to change the welcome text.

4. Update companies, tags and contacts   

Set the stage for successful reporting by ensuring respondent contact information is up to date for the welcome email.

Refer to this guide for step-by-step instructions on updating the contact person for each company.

5. Set clear deadlines   

Establishing a clear deadline helps set expectations for reporters and boosts response rates.

Include clearly defined deadlines in the welcome text and email communications. Deadlines can be added to the welcome text using placeholders. Also include a deadline when sending out the survey.

6. Send out the survey   

Complete all previous steps before sending out the survey. Once everything is finalized, the survey is ready to send.

Include a deadline, schedule reminders, and send the email. Refer to this guide for detailed instructions on how to send out the survey.

Note that Copy answers from previous survey means that the survey will be automatically pre-filled with last year’s data.

Expert tips for successful data collection

• Gather feedback from portfolio companies after the reporting period to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Work with the SPM and SPA to optimize and refine the survey for better results.
• Craft a well-formulated welcome text with key information highlighted in bold or italic to ensure it stands out.
• Set and communicate clear deadlines to manage expectations effectively.
• Clearly specify who reporters should contact for any questions or assistance.
• Provide visualizations for portfolio companies to encourage reporting and engagement with their own data. Contact the SPM for support in enabling this feature.