Training records system for a 2,000+ employee UK workforce.

The problem

Training records across the UK business were inconsistent. Two versions of the template were in circulation. Different teams used different columns. The layout wasted screen space with inline guidance notes. Trainee identity fields sat in the middle of the sheet rather than the first two columns. Duration was tracked as start and end times rather than simple elapsed minutes.

It worked well enough for a single department. It fell apart when the data was pulled up to organisational level for reporting.

What I built

A single, simplified training records template designed to match the downstream reporting format. Key design decisions:

• Trainee identity fields moved to columns A and B for logical flow
• Duration simplified to minutes only, with auto-calculated HH:MM for organisational reports
• Guidance moved off-sheet into a dedicated How-To tab
• Data validation on the date field (DD/MM/YYYY format only)
• Time and duration columns locked and made unselectable to prevent accidental formula deletion
• Hosted on SharePoint for single-source-of-truth access

How I tested it

I invited four users to test the form before rollout. Kick-off Teams call at the start to explain the why and the how. Live use for two weeks. Debrief call at the end to capture issues.

Two issues came out of testing I hadn't anticipated:

• Date validation was initially locked to 2025, which blocked entries from any other year
• Some users were accidentally deleting the auto-calculation cells

Both were fixed before full rollout. Date validation was relaxed to accept any DD/MM/YYYY date. Calculation cells were locked and made non-selectable.

Rollout

The form was rolled out in response to existing monthly record submissions. Each time a team sent in their records in the old format, I replied with the new template attached and a short note. The new version was also hosted on the departmental SharePoint so it could be found without asking.

For teams that didn't switch over, the first reminder was friendly and I accepted the records. Second reminder still friendly, but records had to be resubmitted in the new format. This was rarely needed.

An unexpected issue was users filling in the form slightly wrong — right template, wrong column. I reached out directly each time to point out the fix.

What made it work

• Research first. Understanding what was already in circulation and why users tolerated it.
• User testing before rollout. Four real users, two weeks of real use, real issues surfaced and fixed.
• Designed around the reporting format. The sheet matched what organisational reporting already needed, so no manual reformatting.
• Held the line on standards. Gentle first reminder, firm second. Records in the new format only.
• No fanfare. The rollout happened in the normal flow of work, not as a standalone change project.

What this says about my work

Small process changes can unlock large reporting and compliance wins, but only if the design respects how people actually work. Over-complicated systems get ignored. Under-designed ones get bypassed. Good systems sit in the middle: simple enough to use, strict enough to trust.