Data Health Check: a fixed-scope database audit
The Data Health Check is a database audit and data quality assessment with a fixed scope. I review your data, your reports and your SQL Server setup, then give you a plain-language report of what's wrong and what to fix first.
A good first step if…
You know something is off with your data, but not exactly what, or where to start.
- You're not sure where your reporting problems come from
- You're planning a system switch and want to know what you're about to move
- You inherited a database that nobody documented
- You want a second opinion before investing in dashboards
What a database audit usually uncovers
Data quality issues
Duplicate customers, missing cost codes, orphaned records and free-text fields used in ten different ways.
Reports with conflicting logic
Two reports that should agree but don't, because each one calculates the same number differently.
Performance problems
Slow queries, missing indexes and a database that keeps growing without anyone knowing why.
Hidden risks
Backups nobody has tested, everyone logged in as an administrator, and one person who knows how everything works.
What you get
A clear picture of your data and a short list of practical next steps, whether you work with me afterwards or not.
A written report
Findings ranked by impact and explained in plain language, for owners and controllers, not just IT.
Data quality scorecard
Duplicates, missing values and broken links between records, measured table by table.
Reporting review
Which of your key reports agree, which don't, and why.
SQL Server review
Backups, security, maintenance and performance basics, checked against good practice.
A prioritized action list
What to fix first, what can wait, and what your team can handle internally.
A walkthrough meeting
We go through the findings together and you can ask anything.
How the Data Health Check works
Kickoff
A short call to agree on scope, the systems to review and the questions you most want answered.
Access
Read-only access, or a backup copy restored on a secure machine. Nothing in your system is changed.
Review
I profile the data, test the key reports and review the SQL Server setup.
Report
You receive the written report and we walk through it together.
Data Health Check: common questions
Why a fixed scope?
So you know exactly what you'll get, and when, before we start. It's a contained first project, not open-ended consulting.
Do you need access to our live system?
Read-only access is enough. If you prefer, I can work from a backup restored on a secure machine. I never change data during a Health Check.
Is our data kept confidential?
Yes. I'm happy to sign an NDA, access is read-only, and any copies are deleted when the work is done.
How long does it take?
It depends on the size of your systems. You get a delivery date at kickoff, and the review itself is deliberately kept short.
What happens after the Health Check?
The report is yours. You can act on it yourself, with your IT provider, or with me. There's no obligation to continue.
Start with a clear picture
A Data Health Check is the easiest way to find out what your data can do for you, and what's holding it back. Let's talk about your systems.