Aligning Data with Process: Why The Right Data Structure Matters
- Chris Rochford
- 4 hours ago
- 4 min read
Insights and automation increasingly drive the accounting profession. Firms face a critical yet often overlooked challenge: ensuring their data structure aligns with their processes. At Boomer Consulting, Inc., we’ve seen firsthand that even with clearly defined workflows, you can struggle when the underlying data fails to reflect how business is actually done.
Recently, we’ve been working on automating revenue reporting to gain better insights into the services we offer: what we’ve sold, what we expect to sell and when we’re delivering those services. Along the way, we ran into a core issue: collecting data at the deal level, not the product level.
This might sound like a minor distinction, but it has big consequences.
The problem: Collecting data at the wrong level
In our case, each “deal” often included multiple service lines. For example, we might bundle memberships in multiple peer communities, a strategic planning and visioning consulting engagement and access to the Boomer Knowledge Network. But when we sat down to automate reports for revenue forecasting and service delivery planning, we realized we couldn’t see what mattered most:
When are we actually delivering the services?
When do we send the invoices?
Which consultant will deliver the consulting engagement?
How did we price each individual service?
That information existed but was buried at the product or line-item level inside our CRM. For most firms, that data likely lives in the Practice Management system.
As we pushed for automation, it became clear: if we want our processes to align with what we’re actually selling, we must collect information at the right level.
Automation is the trigger, but structure is the solution
The desire to automate often becomes the catalyst for uncovering poor data structures. Firms try to replace manual reporting with automated dashboards, only to find that the data feeding those dashboards is incomplete, inaccurate or just too vague.
At BCI, we invested hours in splitting deals into individual services just to get meaningful reports. That kind of workaround isn’t scalable, and it’s not sustainable when you’re trying to make fast, data-driven decisions.
The solution: Think like a data architect
This experience revealed a valuable opportunity for process leaders: approach process improvement from a data perspective.
Before you reengineer workflows or revamp client-facing steps, ask yourself:
Where is the data being collected, and at what level?
Is the sales process collecting what you need for delivery and reporting?
Are your reports interpreting high-level 'containers' like deals or drilling into the individual services you actually sell and deliver?
Most of the time, we’ve found that the sales process itself doesn’t need a dramatic overhaul. The real fix lies in the structure of the data supporting it. You don’t need to toss out “deals”—they serve a purpose. But you need to make sure you can track, price, schedule and report on each deal component independently.
Cross-functional collaboration is key
Realigning data to process doesn’t happen in a vacuum. You need buy-in from multiple teams. That means identifying your stakeholders early:
Who owns the sales process?
Who is responsible for data input and management?
Who needs the output (i.e., reports, dashboards, forecasts) for strategic decision-making?
Bring them together. Surface the gaps. In our case, our client service team struggled to answer basic questions when looking at bundled deals. Was the work completed in 2024? Is it scheduled for 2025? Without clear, segmented data, they had to interpret spreadsheets or dig through notes.
This is where many firms feel the pain. Your team shouldn't have to spend hours cleaning up reports or asking follow-up questions to understand what you sold. Your systems will answer those questions if you set the data up correctly.
The result: Growth, insight, and strategic planning
When your data structure mirrors your actual service delivery model, you unlock the ability to:
Track growth by service line
Forecast delivery capacity more accurately
Spot declining demand in underperforming segments
Assign resources with greater confidence
This kind of insight becomes even more valuable as your firm grows or when bundling services becomes more common. Without proper visibility, you risk misallocating staff, misrepresenting revenue and missing opportunities for cross-selling or improving client satisfaction.
Every firm’s tech stack and process map differ, but the data alignment issue is surprisingly common. That’s why we encourage firms to join the Boomer Process Circle. It’s a space where process leaders can share wins and setbacks, learn from each other, and find commonality in what often feels like a firm-specific struggle.
When your goal is automation, don’t let structure hold you back. Start by aligning your data with your process, and the path to clarity and scalable growth gets a lot smoother.
Could you benefit from structure and accountability as you strive to push your firm forward?
The Boomer Process Circle is a peer group of top Process and Lean Six Sigma leaders in the accounting profession who share tools and resources for pushing change within their firms. Apply now to tap into the experience and expertise you need to lead the charge for continuous improvement.
As Technology Manager for Boomer Consulting, Inc., Chris Rochford leverages a diverse background in web development and technology consulting. His role involves managing Boomer Consulting, Inc.’s internal technology, as well as researching how new and emerging technologies can be leveraged internally and for our external clients.
Before joining Boomer Consulting, Inc., Chris spent 15 years in tech, doing web development for state and local government agencies and commercial clients.
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