Data insecurity in your dealership spreadsheets? There’s a better way.

Many organisations use spreadsheets for data management purposes, but spreadsheets can also pose a risk to data security. This is especially true in automotive dealerships, where the risks associated with uncontrolled data changes can be significant. In this blog post, we'll discuss some of the common causes of data insecurity within spreadsheets and how they can be avoided.

Risks of uncontrolled data changes

There are a number of risks associated with uncontrolled data changes within spreadsheets, including: 

Uncontrolled data changes are changes made to a spreadsheet without appropriate authorisation, controls or processes. These changes can occur due to human error, deliberate manipulation, or system glitches. The risks associated with uncontrolled data changes include the following:

• Errors in calculations: Spreadsheets are often used to perform complex calculations. Uncontrolled data changes can introduce errors into these calculations, leading to inaccurate results. These errors can have significant consequences, particularly when used in financial modelling, budgeting or forecasting.
• Loss of data integrity: Uncontrolled data changes can also lead to the loss of data integrity. This occurs when the accuracy, completeness or consistency of data is compromised. Loss of data integrity can lead to incorrect decision making, regulatory non-compliance, and reputational damage.
• Potential security breaches: Uncontrolled data changes can also result in potential security breaches. This occurs when unauthorised users gain access to sensitive data, modify it or steal it. This can result in significant financial losses, reputational damage and regulatory non-compliance.

Common Causes of Data Insecurity within Dealership Spreadsheets

The common causes of data insecurity within spreadsheets include the following:

• Unsecured access: Spreadsheets are often shared among team members, making it difficult to control who has access to the data. This can lead to unauthorised changes, errors, and security breaches.
• Lack of version control: Spreadsheets can be easily edited by multiple users, making it challenging to track changes and maintain version control. This can lead to the loss of data integrity and accuracy.
• Insufficient data validation: Spreadsheets rely on users to enter data correctly and accurately. Insufficient data validation can lead to errors, incorrect calculations and loss of data integrity.

How SalesLogs Can Increase Data Security for Your Car Dealership

As a car dealership principal, you are likely always looking for ways to increase data security and protect your business. SalesLogs software can help you do just that. SalesLogs offers several features that can increase data security, including access controls, version control, data validation, encryption, and regular backups. Let's take a closer look at each of these features and how they can benefit your dealership.

• Access Controls: Access controls restrict who can access certain files or folders. This is important because it prevents unauthorised individuals from viewing or modifying sensitive information. With SalesLogs, you can set up different access levels for different users, so you can be sure that only authorized personnel have access to the information they need.
• Version Control: Version control keeps track of changes made to files or folders over time. This is important because it allows you to revert back to previous versions if necessary. With SalesLogs, you can easily track changes and restore previous versions if needed.
• Data Validation: Data validation ensures that data is accurate and consistent. This is important because it helps prevent errors and inconsistencies in your data. With SalesLogs, you can validate data before it is entered into the system, so you can be confident that the data is accurate and up-to-date.
• Encryption: Encryption encodes information so that it can only be accessed by authorized individuals. This is important because it helps protect sensitive information from being accessed by unauthorized individuals. With SalesLogs, you can encrypt information so that only authorized personnel can access it.
• Regular Backups: Regular backups create copies of files or folders so that they can be restored if necessary. This is important because it helps ensure that your data is always available in case of an emergency. With SalesLogs, you can set up regular backups so that your data is always safe and accessible. 

While spreadsheets are widely used for data management in many organisations, they can pose a risk to data security, especially in automotive dealerships where the risks of uncontrolled data changes can be significant. Uncontrolled data changes can lead to errors in calculations, loss of data integrity, and potential security breaches.

SalesLogs software can help increase data security in car dealerships by offering access controls, version control, data validation, encryption, and regular backups. By implementing these features, car dealership principals can be confident that their data is secure and protected from potential security breaches, errors, and inconsistencies.