Build a simple M&E system based on primary data

In this tutorial, we set up a simple database in ActivityInfo to support Monitoring & Evaluation for a education programme.

This tutorial will be based on using primary data - we will collect detailed information about our activities, outputs, and impact. and then calculate our indicators from this primary data.

Before you start

To complete this tutorial, you must be an account owner with the permission to add a new database. If you don’t have this permission in your organization, start a trial account instead.

Introduction

For this tutorial, we will use a Logical Framework from the tools4dev article How to write a Logical Framework.

For this tutorial, we will cover only the setup for two of the indicators:

Number of students completing a reading summer camp
Number of summer camps run

Add the database

Navigate to the Databases page, and click “Add Database.” If you don’t see an “Add Database” button, follow the steps in the Starting a free trial tutorial.

Enter “Reading programme” as the database name
Select “Blank database”
Click “Add database”

Add the Reading camps form

The summer camp form will collect details on the camps we run, and will include a list of the students attending each camp.

From the “Reading programme” database page:

Click “Add form”
Enter “Reading camps” as the form name

Add the Location name field

Click “Add a field”
Select “Text” from the field type list
Enter “Location” as the label
Check “Key” in settings
Click “Done”

Add the Start date field

Move your mouse cursor below the last field
Click the “+” button to add an additional field
Select “Date” from the field type list
Check “Required” in Settings
Enter “Start date” as the label
Click “Done”

Add the Students subform

Move your mouse cursor below the last field
Click the “+” button to add an additional field
Select “Subform” from the field type list
Enter “Students” as the field label
Click “Open subform”
When prompted, click “OK” to save the parent form

Edit the students subform

The students subform is a list of all the students that attend the summer camp.

Add the name field

Click “Add a field”
Select “Text” from the list of fields
Enter “Name” in the field label'
Check “Key” in the Settings list
Click “Done”

Add the Status field

Move your mouse cursor below the last field
Click the “+” button to add an additional field
Select “Single select” from the list of field types
Enter “Status” as the field label
Check “Required” in Settings
Enter “Completed” as the first option
Click “Add Option”
Enter “Dropped out” as the second option
Click “Done”

Add the completed count field

We’ll use a calculated field to help count the number of students that completed the course.

Move your mouse cursor below the last field
Click the “+” button to add an additional field
Select “Calculated” from the list of field types
Enter “Completed count” as the field label
Check “Hide from entry” in Settings
Enter IF(Status == 'Completed', 1, 0) in the Formula field
Click “Done”
Click “Save” to save the subform
Click “Save” again to save the Reading camps form

Import data

Now that you have your structure, you can record the summer reading camps and students directly from your laptop, or use ActivityInfo’s mobile app’s to collect data directly from the field.

For this tutorial, we will import data from a spreadsheet.