Report shows completing manual data reconciliation, cleaning, and review takes each data manager more than 12 hours per week, per study
BALTIMORE, Sept. 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- SCDM 2025 — Two-thirds of data managers and clinical research associates (CRAs) report that inefficiencies in manual data reconciliation, cleaning, and review will put clinical data quality at future risk. The Veeva Clinical Data Industry Research shows the main drivers adding time and effort in executing clinical trials are too many manual steps or data re-entry (68%), inefficient workflows (58%), and using multiple disconnected systems (59%). The findings highlight a need to automate the most inefficient data management processes for improved speed and productivity.
Each round of manual data review, cleaning, and reconciliation takes a data manager more than 12 hours per week, per study to complete. This is because nearly all respondents (97%) perform reconciliation outside of clinical systems or use a mix of systems to complete the process. The disconnected approaches increase the burden on clinical teams and the risk of poor data quality.
Key insights from the research on the state of clinical data management include:
- Automation is the number one priority for data managers. When asked how the data manager role will evolve over the next two years, 71% of respondents say they expect to be using more automation for data cleaning. Automated processes across technologies can shift effort from spreadsheets to strategic initiatives, like risk-based data management.
- CRAs want better documentation and tracking. The lack of connectivity across clinical systems requires CRAs to conduct manual validation of monitoring visits. Nearly half (44%) say improving documentation and tracking is their top priority.
- Complexity, resources, and resistance to change are barriers. The main challenges to efficiency include protocol complexity (58%), budget and resource constraints (57%), and resistance to change (48%). This shows an opportunity for clinical leaders to continue driving change for data managers and CRAs to work in new, more effective ways.
- Connected systems viewed as key to productivity. Most respondents (81%) believe connecting clinical systems would streamline study execution. The report shows 75% of data managers say their teams are in the process of modernizing compared to 57% of CRAs, yet many feel SOPs do not optimize use of available tools or align with real-world workflows, highlighting a gap that can prevent progress.
"The risk of poor data quality spans far beyond a monitoring visit or listing review, potentially impacting regulatory submission success. The research shows that the people executing studies need change and are asking for simpler processes and automation for more efficient clinical trials," said Manny Vazquez, senior director, Veeva Clinical Data strategy.
The Veeva Clinical Data Industry Research surveyed more than 85 data managers and CRAs across sponsors and clinical research organizations (CROs) who use various technologies and tools to execute clinical trials. The research examines productivity in Phase III trials, identifies root causes, and offers insights for advancement. To learn more, read the full report.
About Veeva Systems
Veeva (NYSE: VEEV) delivers the industry cloud for life sciences with software, data, and business consulting. Committed to innovation, product excellence, and customer success, Veeva serves more than 1,500 customers, ranging from the world's largest biopharmaceutical companies to emerging biotechs. As a Public Benefit Corporation, Veeva is committed to balancing the interests of all stakeholders, including customers, employees, shareholders, and the industries it serves. For more information, visit veeva.com.
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Contact:
Deivis Mercado
Veeva Systems
925-226-8821
deivis.mercado@veeva.com
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