#1 Problem with Managing Your Training Records in a Spreadsheet

Your training records spreadsheet is now so big, if you printed it off, you could wallpaper your entire office with it, and you would probably still have a heap of paper to spare. 

You update this spreadsheet almost daily. You spend a lot of time updating the records. You spend even more time chasing missing training certificates and attendance records.

From scheduling the training to producing reports for management, there is a lot of data, and it is very difficult to manage.

In this article, we confront the common issue with managing training records in a spreadsheet and show you an alternative.  

No matter how many advanced formulas you use or the amount of conditional formatting rules you put on each cell, will the process of managing your training records in a spreadsheet ever be robust enough for you? 

The #1 Problem

If you require proof of competency for your employees, if staff require regular, mandatory training and if your organisation is heavily regulated, managing training records in an excel spreadsheet quickly becomes completely unmanageable. 

Managing training records in a spreadsheet is arduous and prone to error.  It is difficult to see gaps in training competency and it is easy to overlook out-dated records. On top of this, there is no prompt to validate that training has actually taken place, leaving your organisation at risk. 

What if training records were systematically managed? 

What if you could guarantee employees have the competency required for their role?

What if you could demonstrate robust processes for managing training records in line with the new ISO 9001:2015 requirements?

The Alternative:  

Give up the spreadsheet battle and look for a database-driven solution which is going to meet the requirements of your modern, fast-paced and demanding business. 

Regulated industries are obliged to verify that their staff are competent to carry out their work or risk non-conformance, reputational damage, fines, a reduction in the bottom line, or even risk harm to staff, customers or suppliers. 

The training records management module, EQMS Training Records Manager, was launched in 2005 to offer a superior alternative to managing training records in spreadsheets. EQMS Training Records Manager provides complete visibility across all your training records, prompting action and requiesting evidence wherever required. You easily identify and plug training gaps to ensure compliance with regulatory demands. 

With insight from Quality Professionals, industry consultants and the ongoing feedback from many customers, EQMS Training Records Manager is now a popular, robust solution which provides considerable time-savings for our customers. 

Even the most heavily regulated, fast-paced businesses such as Sodexo, BT and Diageo reap the benefits of a systematic training records management system.

Key Benefits of EQMS Training Records Manager: 

• Reduce the Risk: Request notifications when training is due so you are confident employees always have the required training. 
• Save Time: Bulk upload training and instantly create training reports to save considerable amounts of time. 
• Integration: EQMS Training Records Manager integrates with other EQMS modules so you can attach training documentation to the record to save you time sending e-mails. 

NEW Training Matrix 

The latest version of EQMS, EQMS 6.7, incorporates a training records matrix which is generated from all of your training record data to demonstrate the live status of all training records. This provides at-a-glance management information duplication effort and enables you to instantly view any competency gaps:

From the middle of March, all current EQMS customers will have the option to upgrade to EQMS 6.7. All new customers will benefit from a range of new features in the 6.7 release.

For more information about using EQMS Training Records Manager in your organisation, please download the EQMS Datasheets for a pdf brochure.