Mirel concept-aligned tool for analysing employee participation in projects – data validity in the tool

Purpose: The main research purpose underlying this paper has been to develop and present solutions intended to support validation of the data entered in a tool created in line with the MiRel concept to help in analysing employee participation in the implementation of projects. Design/methodology/approach: The study comprises analysing the manner in which the tool in question can be used and identifying the successive steps taken in order to generate a report of an intended format. Potential problems pertaining to the validity of the data entered in the tool, which may be encountered while individual steps are performed, have been defined. A supporting solution has been developed with reference to each of the problems identified as a means to ensure data validity. Furthermore, collective information panels have been proposed to inform the user about the potential occurrence of any of the problems previously defined. Findings: Data validation supporting solutions can narrow down the range of values admissible to be entered by users or explicitly inform them that the values being entered are invalid. The range of admissible values can also be limited by means of the Data Validation mechanism combined with the Name Manager. The solutions intended to provide information about existing errors can make use of the Conditional Formatting mechanism, coupled with formulas based on standard built-in spreadsheet functions. Practical implications: The solutions proposed in this paper support data validation in the tool in question. There are analogous solutions which can be applied in similar tools aimed at supporting data processing in a different scope within organisations. Social implications: Once successfully applied, the solutions proposed in this paper make the tool in question more reliable and user-friendly. They make the tool easier to use to support data processing in organisations and less prone to problems. Originality/value: The concept described in the paper is the author’s original solution.