For a long time, our weekly reporting was a huge pain point. Every Friday, we’d spend way too much time gathering spreadsheets, transferring data into emails, and trying to sew everything together into one report. It was frustrating, time-consuming, and often led to delays or mishaps.
Here’s how our tiny team managed to shorten that procedure from two hours down to just eight minutes – and how you can accomplish something similar.
What Went Wrong
Our prior way of doing things was messy. Everyone sent their updates separately by email, which meant our manager had to spend hours bringing all the figures together, double-checking for missing info, and preparing the final report. Deadlines were routinely pushed back, and the reports didn’t always appear consistent.
Designing a Better System
We took a step back and laid out every stage of the process to evaluate where we were spending time — largely on manual data entry and chasing updates through scattered emails. To remedy this, we designed a simple Google Form enabling everyone to input their figures in one place. All the responses fed immediately into a single Google Sheet, so we had one clear, trustworthy source of data.
Automating the Summary
Then, we created a rudimentary script that takes essential numbers from the sheet and provides a brief, easy-to-read summary with just one click. Our manager swiftly reads it, transfers the summary into Notion, and adds any extra information.
What Changed
We decreased our reporting time from two hours down to eight minutes. No more duplicate emails or finicky formatting. The report now appears in the CEO’s inbox by 9 a.m. every Monday, and our staff uses the extra time to focus on studying the data instead of seeking for it.
This minor tweak made a great difference. By structuring how we collect data and automating the summary, we saved hours and made our reports more dependable. If your weekly reporting feels like a hassle, consider this technique – it might just revolutionize the way you operate.
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