Data is becoming an increasingly important part of our professional and personal lives. Many large companies are searching for ways to leverage data collection and analysis to achieve a competitive advantage.
Accurate data logging can inform business intelligence insights that drive decision-making at some of the world’s largest organizations. On the other hand, incorrectly gathered or analyzed data can lead to costly mistakes.
Even industries historically governed by creative instincts and intuition, such as marketing, have become more data-centered. Big data tools have allowed marketers to gather and analyze highly technical data related to their target markets and consumer behavior at large.
However, it’s not just the marketing industry that is leveraging data to achieve new levels of growth and innovation.
Data collection and analysis have become an integral part of building reliable supply chains. Gathering this information is particularly important for essential sectors such as healthcare and agriculture.
These industries rely on temperature-controlled supply chains or cold chain storage to get their products to consumers. These industries must collect environmental data such as temperature, differential pressure, and humidity at regular intervals to meet quality assurance requirements.
Data loggers are the tools of choice for such industries to do just that. In short, data loggers are small electronic devices that record and store environmental data at particular time intervals. Given the importance of data integrity and analysis, many companies are eager to acquire reliable data loggers.
However, it can be challenging to know what to consider when purchasing a data logger, so let’s look at some of the most important factors to consider when buying these powerful tools.
Use Case and Monitoring Capabilities
When purchasing data loggers, the first thing to consider is the specific information you need to track. In particular, management must consider what sort of data must be collected and the time intervals used. This information will determine what kinds of data loggers should be purchased.
Some data loggers, for example, function as ambient temperature monitors and only record temperature data. Others can collect other kinds of environmental data such as humidity or pressure, and in specific circumstances, these more sophisticated data loggers are necessary. According to Dickson, data loggers can also detect whether the door to a container or storage facility is open or closed, which could help some businesses ensure the proper storage of temperature or light-sensitive products.
Businesses also must consider the storage capacity they will need from their data loggers. Data loggers have internal memory to store the data they collect. Workers will need to export this data to a computer or hard drive. Managers must consider how frequently workers can export this essential data to external sources.
Internet Connectivity
Other data loggers automatically export or transfer data to a computer or hard drive through the internet. It’s important to note that these data loggers require an internet connection and that the device they are exporting data to must also have a connection to the internet.
There are some cybersecurity vulnerabilities present with this type of data logger that companies should take seriously and work to mitigate by helping to facilitate safe internet usage and taking appropriate security measures.
It’s important not to shrug off the need for robust cybersecurity efforts for data loggers or IoT devices that maintain an internet connection.
Upholding high levels of security is especially true when you consider the large-scale vulnerabilities of government and private actors to hackers and other tech-savvy bad actors. This piece by the New York Times explains in detail why companies often ignore cybersecurity.
However, an internet-connected data logger comes with some clear benefits. Internet connectivity makes internal storage less of a concern since data can be transferred by the device automatically. Some data loggers can even leverage an internet connection to report real-time environmental data to an external interface.
Managers can keep an eye on the condition of a storage facility in real-time and receive immediate updates or alerts if, for example, a storage facility has a sudden dip or increase in temperature. All of these potential features of data loggers must be taken into account when considering which to buy.
Property managers, for example, might see the ability to get real-time data on the existence of hazardous gasses or pollutants immediately as an absolute necessity to keep tenants safe. Such individuals and businesses should buy a data logger capable of taking those measurements and reporting that data through an internet connection.
Data Analysis Software
Often companies use data loggers in conjunction with data analysis software to recognize patterns and draw conclusions from datasets. Managers should consider whether the data logger they buy is compatible with the data analysis software they plan to use to parse that data.
Data analysis software is a key tool to turn raw data into actionable business insights. The healthcare industry is already using data to improve patient outcomes, with patient monitoring equipment alone producing 2.3 trillion gigabytes of data per day. Similarly, insights from data can aid businesses in understanding the problems they can help solve for their customers, a vital part of the entrepreneurial journey.
For example, a data logger must be capable of exporting the data it collects in the correct format required by the data analysis software. Some data loggers come with specific software for analyzing the data supplied. To ensure that the accompanying software meets their needs, buyers should do extensive research.
Just as significant as collecting accurate data is drawing the correct conclusions. In many cases, businesses will need specific software to format the information correctly for review by regulators.
Failure to comply with regulators’ data integrity and reporting requirements can result in steep fines and penalties for companies. That’s why it can be a good idea to get the perspectives of compliance professionals and data science teams when deciding what kind of data logger makes the most sense for your organization.
To wrap up, when purchasing a data logger, keep its internet capabilities, its software compatibilities, and its purposes in mind. These are some of the most important factors to consider and reflect on the cost, ease of use, and customer support options.
