Data Management and Reporting
Rebuilding Case Record Continuity from Intake to Closure
Most caseworkers stored case histories and mail correspondence in personal email accounts and local folders, meaning case knowledge disappeared whenever staff departed. For instance, only 09 fraud cases held complete records in SharePoint between 2021 and 2023 despite an existing global policy requiring central storage. I led the field-level rollout of SharePoint-based case management, embedding it into SOPs and training. By June 2026, fraud 94 cases were fully documented and accessible in the central system. The practice was welcomed and upheld for all other client case files in other protection sectors.
- Cases documented by June 2026
- 0
- Growth in documented cases
- 09→94
Cases documented by June 2026
Growth in documented cases
The Context
A global SharePoint policy existed but was not implemented at field level, leaving most case records fragmented across personal devices and email threads with no central point of access.
The Challenge
Case history, progress notes and decisions routinely left the organisation when staff departed, creating accountability gaps and making it difficult to hand over active cases or respond to audit requests.
The Strategic Approach
How It Was Solved
Diagnostic phase
met with all line managers to confirm SharePoint folders were activated with the correct access rights, and reviewed existing case submissions for completeness.
Embedding phase
built the SharePoint requirement into the case processing SOP and required every case submission email to include line managers in copy along with a direct SharePoint link.
Reinforcement phase
delivered a series of trainings incorporating the SharePoint requirement into the standard case processing induction.
Measurable Results
- Access to all case links was restricted on a need-to-know basis across every case.
- Case submission emails now carry a mandatory SharePoint link for every new case.
- Documented fraud cases, as an example, increased from 09 between 2021 and 2023 to 94 by June 2026.
Broader Impact
- Created a chronological, auditable record of every action taken on a case.
- Improved confidentiality by restricting access to named recipients only.
- Strengthened individual accountability among caseworkers for the cases they manage.
- Closed a policy implementation gap between global guidance and field practice.
A policy that exists globally but is not embedded in local workflow and training is not really implemented. Closing that gap required both a system change and a habit change.
This case shows how a simple, enforced workflow change can convert an existing but unused policy into a functioning system of record. The result was continuity of case knowledge that no longer depends on any single member of staff.
Tools Used in This Case
SharePoint
used to build and maintain the central case documentation repository with access-controlled folders.
Microsoft Office
used to draft the revised case processing SOP and training materials.
OneDrive
used alongside SharePoint to manage interim case files during the migration period.
proGres (internal UNHCR case database)
records the entire data of each client, including any case related action initiated, and tracks every action taken by caseworkers and reviewers. Accessible to UNHCR Global teams and audited regularly to ensure adherence to data protection and case processing policies.
Competencies Evidenced
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