Data Entry Tips & Tricks to Improve Your Accuracy
Being a data entry specialist is not easy, though many people think so. Encoding massive amounts of data in mostly short periods of time is not an easy task. Accuracy needs to be at 99.9% from start to finish.
Businesses today run on data, mountains of it, and will continue to run on more data as it grows. That’s where data entry is necessary and crucial because it involves a business’ bottom line.
There are many ways accuracy in encoding data can be improved, here some tips and tricks that can help you become a better data entry specialist.
Practice Makes Perfect!
Although nobody in this world is perfect, practicing gets us closer to perfection and that’s what important in data entry. There are free typing tests available online where you can test your speed and accuracy, you can practice there all day if you want. But if that bores you, there are also speed typing games you can download on your smart phone or tablet.
Avoiding Transcription & Transposition Errors
Data entry specialists type fast and faster when they’re in the mood, and when speed reaches its critical point they hit the wrong keys. Some encoders notice their typing mistake while others do not, this leads to transcription or transposition error.
Transcription errors happens you input wrong data. It can be due to tiredness or dizziness that’s why it’s very important that you take breaks after typing for too long. Some transcription errors also come from optical character recognition (OCR) programs. It’s when a PDF file or any paper document is scanned and converted into an editable DOC format. It will be wise to have a copy of the actual PDF file or scanned paper document to double check your work for errors.
On the other hand, transposition errors occur when you mistakenly switch characters’ places. For instance, you are typing ‘children’ but mistakenly switched two characters and ended up with ‘chlidren’. Transposition errors commonly occur when you’re typing numbers, ‘54312’ can easily end up as ‘54321’ if you’re not paying enough attention.
Although it may be easy to check for spelling errors and duplicate words, it’s incredibly hard when double checking for numbers. To avoid making transcription and transposition errors, do not rush. You may be required to type fast, but not rushed. Find a comfortable speed and continue working on it.
Advanced Software Features
Have you tried the automated error reports? It’s a data entry feature that checks for errors in numbers you’ve typed. For example, on your five digit fields, one has an extra number on it, the automated error reports sees this and will alert you. There are other useful advanced features on your data entry software, make the most out of it!
Manage Your Workload
Taking a break from typing is a good way to relax your muscles for a while, but taking too much of it will eat time. You will then rush to finish your workload as scheduled, which could lead to multiple errors. Data entry specialists must also have good time management skills in order to be efficient.
There will also be times that you think you’ve work too fast that you’ve finished all your workload and then ask for more from your boss. This can be a great way to make an impression in the office or sink your ship to the deepest darkest abyss. Adding more to your workload can make you too tired to type, thus leading to errors. Make sure you have enough energy before asking for more.
Review Your Own Work
Take time to review and proofread your own work, this is one of the key aspects of accuracy in data entry. Schedule a review every hour or two, or whenever is most comfortable with you, just don’t forget to do it. A coworker might be able to see some errors you didn’t notice, so don’t be shy to ask for their help.
Always remember, in data entry a keen attention to details is very important not just the speed. A single key stroke can lead to multiple errors and loss of profit for the company.
