High data quality ensures efficient processes and reliable decisions. This guide shows you how to set up seventhings optimally to make error-free data the standard.
Why is high data quality crucial?
Poor data quality creates a dangerous false sense of security that leads to costly misjudgments and inefficient processes – while well-maintained data brings immediately measurable benefits.
The risk: Flawed dashboards tempt you into expensive wrong decisions such as duplicate purchases or hasty disposal.
Loss of trust: When trust in the data declines, manual workarounds arise that massively lengthen search times and processes.
The costs: In addition to inefficient workflows, there is the threat of high capital commitment, compliance problems and, in worst-case scenarios, production downtime.
The benefit: High data quality saves time, avoids incorrect purchases and lays the foundation for future AI features.
How to optimize field properties
Start your data optimization with the object fields.
First ask yourself critically: Which fields do I actually need? The rule is: Quality over quantity: fewer fields, but maintained without gaps. Delete unused fields directly from your view to make room for what matters.
For high data quality, you don't have to reinvent the wheel. Your instance already contains some sample records. The object fields contained in them have proven particularly useful in our many years of practice and serve as a guide for the object data you should maintain. To better reflect your own processes, you can adapt these fields to your internal terms with a few clicks and arrange them in an order that makes more sense for you. You can also assign them to other field groups or create your own groups.
Predefined field content prevents data chaos caused by different spellings and improves evaluability. Use dropdowns instead of free-text fields for this purpose. For example, create the field Car make as a dropdown field with fixed defined values such as Audi, BMW, Citroën, Cupra, ... . Your users then select the appropriate entry instead of typing in their own variants (e.g., VW or Volkswagen).
Define important data as required fields. However, choose these carefully to avoid frustration in your users' daily work. For example, make the scan code a required field so that no object is recorded without a unique identifier.
Store understandable description texts as a filling aid for your users. This effectively prevents incorrect entries. For example, for the field License package write the note "ID of the license bundle" and for the field License no. write the note "ID of the individual license" into the description.
Use the advanced field settings to define fixed rules for the data to be entered. These can be the minimum and maximum length of the entry, the data format (numeric, alphanumeric or VIN) or the uniqueness of an entry. For example, limit the scan code to exactly 6 characters and allow only numbers as input, or mark the field Car license plate as unique in order to rule out duplicate records from the start.
If you use geotracking, seventhings records the exact position of the object when scanning. This automatically enriches the record with the GPS location when GPS is enabled – even if you forget to select the object's actual location.
These smart functions support you in everyday life
Use the following functions in your object list to speed up data maintenance and minimize input errors.
Duplicate objects instead of creating them individually: Create an error-free template object and duplicate it to create identical (or similar) items with minimal effort. Lock this template object afterwards to protect it from accidental changes. Restrict the locking and unlocking of objects to certain roles via your user management. Both in the mobile and web app, you can duplicate an object up to 100 times to capture your assets in no time.
Replace values with the OR filter: Clean up inconsistent spellings in seconds. Use the quick search bar and the OR search command with two vertical bars, for example Monitor || Screen || Display. Select the affected entries, click Replace values, and standardize all designations to your desired, unified value.
Scan serial numbers instead of typing them in laboriously: Typos in long strings of numbers are the enemy of your data quality. Scan serial numbers directly with your smartphone camera using QR codes or OCR text recognition instead.
Scanning with preselection: You often record many objects one after another in the same location or with identical properties. For this, use the preselection when scanning in the mobile app. Select all the fields you want to fill consistently via the checkboxes and set a default value for each. All subsequent scans will automatically adopt these values.
Use AI assistants: Save valuable time when creating new items. Simply speak or type your data as free text. Our AI assistant completely independently analyzes sentences such as: "Sony 1000X headset, purchased on 20.12.2025 for €399 at Cyberport, with noise cancelling including cloth case" and automatically distributes the values into the appropriate object fields.
