A common question we receive is regarding the absence of Data Analytics controls directly within Approval forms. This article aims to clarify the rationale behind this design choice and introduce an effective alternative solution to meet your data analysis needs.
The Challenge with Data Analytics Controls in Approval Forms
Approval forms in Yeeflow are designed to facilitate streamlined workflow management. A key feature of these forms is their version control capability. Whenever an Approval form is updated and re-published, a new version is generated. This ensures that processes can continue uninterrupted and that historical data remains accessible and accurate.
However, this versioning feature introduces complexity when integrating Data Analytics controls directly within Approval forms. The crux of the issue lies in the multiple versions of Approval forms that may be running concurrently. Each form version can potentially contain different fields, logic, and structures. Integrating Data Analytics controls directly into these forms would mean:
Complex Data Aggregation: Aggregating data across multiple form versions for analytics purposes becomes challenging. Different versions may not align perfectly, leading to inconsistencies in data analysis.
Difficulty in Maintaining Accuracy: As updates to Approval forms are made, ensuring that Data Analytics controls reflect these changes accurately across all versions would require substantial effort and could lead to potential errors.
Performance Concerns: Embedding Data Analytics controls in each form version could impact the performance and responsiveness of the Approval process, affecting user experience.
The Alternative Solution: Dashboards with Data Analytics
Understanding these challenges, we propose an alternative solution that not only circumvents these issues but also enhances the flexibility and power of data analysis within Yeeflow. The solution involves creating a dedicated dashboard equipped with Data Analytics controls. This dashboard serves as a centralized platform for all your data analysis needs, offering several advantages:
Unified Data View: A dashboard allows for the aggregation of data from multiple versions of Approval forms into a single, cohesive view. This simplifies data analysis and ensures consistency across different datasets.
Advanced Analytics Features: With dedicated Data Analytics controls on the dashboard, you can leverage more sophisticated analytics tools, such as pie charts, summaries, and pivot tables, to gain deeper insights into your data.
Improved Performance: By separating the data analytics functionality from the Approval forms, both the forms and the analytics dashboard can operate more efficiently, ensuring a smoother user experience.
Easy Access and Integration: You can easily link your Approval forms to the dashboard. Users can submit their forms as usual and then visit the dashboard to view comprehensive analytics related to their submissions.
Implementing the Solution
To implement this solution, follow these steps:
Create a Dashboard: Utilize Yeeflow’s dashboard creation tools to set up a new dashboard. Customize it to fit your analytical needs and workflow requirements.
Add Data Analytics Controls: Incorporate various Data Analytics controls into your dashboard. Choose from pie charts, summaries, pivot tables, and more to visualize your data effectively.
Link to Approval Forms: Ensure that your Approval forms contain a link to the dashboard. This can be done through a simple URL link or a more integrated approach, depending on your preference.
Educate Your Users: Provide guidance to your users on how to use the dashboard for their data analysis needs. A brief tutorial or help article can greatly enhance their understanding and adoption.
While integrating Data Analytics controls directly within Approval forms poses significant challenges, our alternative dashboard solution offers a powerful, efficient, and user-friendly approach to data analysis. By leveraging dedicated dashboards, Yeeflow users can enjoy comprehensive data insights without compromising on the integrity and performance of the Approval process.