This presentation highlights the most common challenges in automotive datalogging and offers proven, practical solutions drawn from real-world experience with customers and our own projects. We explore how proper setup of test systems and vehicle sensor initialization forms the foundation of reliable measurement. The session explains why data formats and compatibility choices significantly affect both time and cost, and how smart in-vehicle preprocessing – such as intelligent triggering and filtering – helps extract high-quality data efficiently. We also address strategies for efficient data offloading and secure, reliable transfer from the vehicle to the cloud, ensuring timely access to measurement results. In addition, we discuss how comprehensive field diagnostics can prevent system failures and ensure coherent, continuous data collection. Finally, we showcase a practical HIL simulation example that demonstrates how well-prepared data accelerates development and validation in real-world scenarios.