Using Microsoft Excel® to Build a Customized Partial-Interval Data Collection System

Using data to inform treatment decisions is a hallmark of behavior analysis. However, collecting the type of data that behavior analysts often require can be a labor-intensive and time-consuming task. Electronic data collection systems have been identified as a tool to alleviate some of the issues related to data collection, but many obstacles still exist. Current limitations of electronic data collection systems include cost, adaptability, ease of use, and compliance with privacy and security guidelines. The purpose of this article is to offer practitioners an alternative to buying an electronic data collection system by providing a task analysis on how to build customized electronic data collection systems using Microsoft Excel®. This task analysis is written for individuals with limited or no experience working with Excel® but may also be of utility to individuals fluent in Excel®. This task analysis is organized into three sections: (a) creating a basic electronic data collection table with dropdown menus and autofill features, (b) creating a timestamp for all data entered, and (c) creating automatically graphing displays of data.