USE CASE
CommCare for Monitoring and Evaluation
Organizations implementing field programs face significant challenges in collecting reliable data, maintaining data quality, and generating timely reports to demonstrate impact to stakeholders.
Whether your organization refers to it as M&E, MEL, MEAL, or MERL, CommCare offers comprehensive monitoring and evaluation tools that transform data collection, analysis, and reporting, enabling teams to capture high-quality data, streamline workflows, and gain actionable insights.
Monitoring and Evaluation Tools for Data Driven Decision Making
Build web and mobile apps using our no-code app builder, with validation, skip logic, and complex calculations
Ensure accurate data collection through instant validation, progress tracking, and field team oversight
Generate compelling reports for stakeholders, and integrate with dashboards in Power BI or Tableau
Monitoring and Evaluation Excellence: From Collection to Insights
How Foundation for Community Work Uses CommCare
Customers using CommCare for Monitoring and Evaluation
“Integration with other systems like Power BI has enabled our teams to achieve near unprecedented levels of real-time reporting and analytics, significantly improving our ability to monitor progress and make timely, data-driven decisions across programs.”
“We chose CommCare for its flexibility to customize forms, its ability to have advanced case management for different types of clients, and its offline capability in the field.”
“CommCare not only enables us to collect data but it allows us to have meaningful interaction with the data we generate. Its interoperability with other platforms ensures real time data collection, collation, analysis, reporting and data usage which is key in decision making to inform program management.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes CommCare different from other monitoring and evaluation tools?
CommCare goes beyond basic data collection to power complete M&E systems. While most tools focus on surveys or simple forms, CommCare enables sophisticated longitudinal tracking, complex conditional logic, and real-time data validation—all without coding. The platform works seamlessly offline in remote settings, and scales from pilot projects to national programs. Most importantly, CommCare connects the entire M&E workflow: field staff collect data, supervisors monitor quality in real-time, and program managers access live dashboards—all within one integrated system. With over 100 peer-reviewed studies proving impact and use in 130+ countries, CommCare delivers proven results.
Can CommCare handle complex indicator frameworks?
Yes, CommCare excels at managing complex indicator frameworks. You can design custom calculations, aggregations, and validations directly in the platform, ensuring your data aligns with program logframes and donor requirements. CommCare’s flexible form design allows you to capture all necessary data points while minimizing the burden on field staff.
How does CommCare work in areas with limited connectivity?
CommCare is designed with an offline-first approach. Field staff can download their assigned forms and cases, collect data without internet connectivity, and maintain full functionality offline. Data automatically syncs with the server when connectivity is available, making CommCare ideal for programs operating in remote or resource-constrained environments.
Can CommCare integrate with our existing reporting tools?
Yes, CommCare offers robust integration capabilities with popular data visualization tools. You can link your CommCare data with Excel dashboards and refresh it automatically on a custom schedule. CommCare also maintains a seamless data connection with both Tableau and PowerBI via a 1-click OData integration. You can also export data to SQL databases using the Data Export Tool.
How does CommCare help maintain data quality?
CommCare includes multiple data quality features: form validation rules prevent common errors, skip logic ensures only relevant questions appear, constraints restrict inappropriate values, and required fields prevent incomplete submissions. CommCare also offers data cleaning tools and quality checks to ensure your dataset remains reliable.
Is CommCare suitable for multi-country or multi-program M&E?
Yes, CommCare is specifically designed to support complex, multi-location M&E needs. The platform includes project spaces that can be linked for enterprise-wide deployment, with standardized forms and indicators that can be adapted for local contexts. Role-based permissions ensure appropriate access controls across locations and program teams.
How secure is our program data in CommCare?
CommCare maintains the highest security standards. Your data is always encrypted and stored in a HIPAA-, GDPR-, and SOC2-compliant environment. You can further tighten security with role-based data access, data de-identification, two-factor authentication, and more.
Can we customize CommCare to match our organization's M&E frameworks?
Absolutely. CommCare is designed to adapt to your existing M&E frameworks, not the other way around. Our no-code platform lets you build custom data collection forms that capture your exact indicators, create automated calculations for your specific metrics, and generate reports in the formats your stakeholders expect. Whether you’re following Results Framework logic models, Theory of Change approaches, or donor-specific requirements, CommCare can be configured to match your methodology without any coding required. You maintain full control over your M&E approach while gaining the power of digital data collection and real-time insights.
What kind of support does Dimagi provide for M&E teams?
Dimagi offers various support options for M&E teams, from self-service resources to comprehensive implementation partnerships. We also provide comprehensive documentation, online courses, and a community forum to help your team become self-sufficient in building and managing CommCare applications.
How can I get started with CommCare for our M&E needs?
You can sign up for a free CommCare account to explore the platform and begin designing your M&E application using the no-code builder. However, to access advanced features essential for comprehensive M&E systems—such as data security compliance, role-based access controls, and integration capabilities—you’ll need to upgrade to one of our paid plans. Visit our CommCare Pricing page to compare available plans and select the one that best fits your organization’s requirements.
Ready to Learn More?
Monitoring and Evaluation Tools for Any Setting
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Free M&E Playbook and Implementation Guide
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