About/Data Entry Guidelines

Data Entry Guidelines

Protecting client confidentiality when logging your supervised hours.

What NOVERI Is — and What It Is Not

NOVERI is a practicum hours management tool that helps psychology trainees track, submit, and verify their supervised clinical hours. It records what type of work you did, how long you did it, and who supervised you.

NOVERI is not a clinical record system, a case management tool, or a place to store client information. It should never contain any data that could identify a client, patient, or research participant.

Never enter any information that could — directly or indirectly — identify a client.

What You Should and Should Not Enter

What to enter

Session type (Direct / Indirect)
Activity category (e.g. Individual Session, Group Session)
Population group (e.g. Adults, Children & Adolescents)
Duration in minutes
Generic, non-identifying session descriptions
Therapeutic modality used (e.g. "CBT-based anxiety work")
Setting type (e.g. "Inpatient ward", "Community clinic")

What never to enter

Client names or initials
Dates of birth or ages that could identify someone
NHS numbers, hospital numbers, or case IDs
Addresses, postcodes, or phone numbers
Diagnoses combined with identifying details
Case reference numbers from clinical systems
Any information that, alone or combined, could identify a person

The Notes Field — Use With Care

The notes field is optional and designed for brief, non-identifying descriptions of what you did. It helps you and your supervisor recall the session when reviewing entries later.

Good examples

"Adult, anxiety-related work, CBT formulation session"
"Group session — psychoeducation on coping strategies"
"Neuropsychological assessment — standardised battery"
"MDT meeting — care planning discussion"

Bad examples

"Session with John Smith about his OCD"
"Assessment for patient DOB 14/03/1985"
"NHS 4857293847 — follow-up"
"Mrs P at 42 Elm Road, anxiety review"

Why This Matters

Professional obligations

Psychology codes of ethics (BPS, HCPC, APA, EuroPsy) require that client confidentiality is maintained in all records. NOVERI entries are not clinical records, but identifying data entered here would still constitute a breach.

Data protection law

Under UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, personal data about identifiable individuals requires a lawful basis, appropriate safeguards, and data minimisation. NOVERI is designed so that no personal client data needs to enter the system at all.

Your training programme

Most training programmes have explicit policies about where client-identifiable information may be stored. Cloud-based hours trackers are typically not approved for this purpose.

Client trust

Clients consent to treatment — not to having their details entered into practicum tracking tools. Keeping NOVERI free of identifying data respects that boundary.

What To Do If You Have Entered Identifying Information

Edit the entry immediately. Go to Entries, find the entry, expand it, and click Edit. Remove or replace any identifying details with a generic description.
If the entry has been submitted or verified, contact your supervisor and ask them to query the entry so it is returned to you for editing.
If you cannot edit the entry, contact us at support@noveri.app and we will help you remove the data.
Consider whether you need to report the incident to your training programme's data protection officer, in line with your programme's policies.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my supervisor see what I write in the notes field?

Yes. When you submit entries for verification, your supervisor can see all fields including notes. Write as if your supervisor, your programme, and an auditor will read it — because they might.

Is it OK to use client initials?

No. Initials combined with other details (date, setting, diagnosis) can be enough to identify someone. Use generic descriptions instead.

What about research participants?

The same rules apply. Do not enter participant IDs, study codes that link back to individuals, or any identifying details. Describe the work generically (e.g. "Research interview — qualitative study").

Does NOVERI scan my entries for personal data?

No. NOVERI does not automatically scan or filter your entries. It is your responsibility to ensure that no identifying information is entered.

Who can see my entries?

You, your linked supervisor(s), and — if required — NOVERI support staff for technical assistance. Entries are not shared with anyone else.

What if my programme requires me to record client identifiers?

Use your programme's approved clinical record system for that purpose. NOVERI is for tracking hours and activity types only — not clinical details.

Quick Reference

Do	Don't
Record the activity type and duration	Include client names or initials
Use generic population descriptions	Enter dates of birth or NHS numbers
Note the therapeutic modality	Include addresses or contact details
Describe the setting type	Copy text from clinical records
Keep notes brief and professional	Enter anything that could identify a client

Questions or Concerns

If you have questions about data entry practices, believe you may have entered identifying information, or need help editing an entry, please contact us at support@noveri.app or visit our support page.