Manual Data Entry
Record paper observations and backfill missed data without starting a session, using two purpose-built surfaces.
Manual Data Entry
Add data to a client without running an active session. Manual entry is for the work that already happened on paper, in another room, or between scheduled sessions.
Note: This documentation refers to “clients” and “students” interchangeably. Your terminology setting determines which term appears in the app.
Two Surfaces, Two Use Cases
| Surface | Use it when | Open from |
|---|---|---|
| Record observation | Transcribe a paper observation across active behaviors and skills for one day | Client gear menu, or the floating + button on mobile |
| Add data | Add or backfill entries for a single tracker, on one day or many | Tracker gear menu (inside Skills, Behaviors, or a Program target) |
Both surfaces create manual tracker entries that appear with the rest of the client’s data.
Record Observation
Use Record observation when one observation window produced data for several trackers. It keeps the date, time window, observer, and optional note shared across the entries you fill in.
Choose Record observation, set the observation window, and fill only the trackers you actually observed. Blank rows are skipped. A typed 0 is saved as an explicit zero.
The save button counts the entries that will be written, which makes it easier to check your paper notes before you commit the batch.
Add Data
Use Add data when the missing data belongs to one tracker. It is built for quick backfill: one row per date, with the same date/time/value fields you would have captured live.
Open it from a tracker menu, add as many dated rows as you need, and save the batch when the count matches your notes. New rows step backward by date, which keeps week-of-paper backfill fast without turning it into spreadsheet work.
If a save fails partway through, only the rows that didn’t land are retried. Removing a row mid-save is safe.
Where Manual Entries Appear
Manual entries appear in the same graphs and report views as session data, using whichever graph range or report grouping you choose.
In tracker details, manual entries sit beside session entries in Individual records:
The row menu is where review and cleanup happen after the fact. On team accounts, the list also shows who recorded each entry, and the change log keeps the before-and-after detail needed for compliance review.
Reports and exports include manual data using the selected grouping, so it stays aligned with the same client timeline as session data.
Plan Availability
Manual data entry is included on Solo and Teams. Schools use Teams with education pricing. On the Free plan, you can try both surfaces on the Demo Client before upgrading.
What’s Next?
- Session History - View past sessions on a calendar
- Working with Graphs - See your data on the progress graph
- Generate a Report - Include manual entries in client reports
Need Help?
Questions about manual data entry? Email support@tallyflex.com for assistance.