Data entry

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
This article is about a person-based process. For other uses, see Data entry (disambiguation).

Data entry is the process of digitizing data by entering it into a computer system for organization and management purposes. It is a person-based process[1] and is "one of the important basic"[2] tasks needed when no machine-readable version of the information is readily available for planned computer-based analysis or processing.[3]

Sometimes what is needed is "information about information (that) can be greater than the value of the information itself."[4] It can also involve filling in required information which is then "data-entered" from what was written on the research document, such as the growth in available items in a category.[4]: 68  This is a higher level of abstraction[5] than metadata, "information about data."[6] Common errors in data entry include transposition errors, misclassified data, duplicate data, and omitted data, which are similar to bookkeeping errors.

Procedures

Data entry is often done with a keyboard and at times also using a mouse,[7] although a manually-fed scanner may be involved.[8]

Historically, devices lacking any pre-processing capabilities were used.[9]

Keypunching

The woman at left is at an IBM 056 Card Verifier; to her right is a woman sitting at an IBM 026 Keypunch

Data entry using keypunches was related to the concept of batch processing – there was no immediate feedback.[10][11]

Computer keyboards

Computer keyboards and online data-entry provide the ability to give feedback to the data entry clerk doing the work.[12][13]

Numeric keypads

The addition of numeric keypads to computer keyboards[14] introduced quicker and often also less error-prone entry of numeric data.[15]

Computer mouse

The use of a computer mouse, typically on a personal computer, opened up another option for doing data entry.[16]

Touch screens

Touch screens introduced even more options, including the ability to stand and do data entry,[16] especially given "a proper height of work surface when performing data entry."

Spreadsheets

Although most data entered into a computer are stored in a database, a significant amount is stored in a spreadsheet.

Visicalc,[18] and what some consider the wrong place[19] for storing computational data continues.[20]

Format control[21] and specialized data validation are reasons that have been cited for using database-oriented data entry software.[22][23]

Data managements

The search for assurance about the accuracy of the data entry process predates computer keyboards and online data entry.[24][25] IBM even went beyond their 056 Card Verifier and developed their quieter IBM 059 model.[26]

Modern techniques go beyond mere range checks, especially when the new data can be evaluated using probability about an event.[27]

Assessment

In one study, a medical school tested its second year students and found their data entry skills – needed if they are to do small-scale unfunded research as part of their training – were below what the school considered acceptable, creating potential barriers.[2][28]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Data entry ... Person based jobs" "Work from home".
  2. ^
    PMID 25374857
    .
  3. ^ "A Primer on Machine Readability for Online Documents and Data". Archived from the original on 2021-03-20. Retrieved 2018-08-08.
  4. ^
    ISBN 978-0-679-43919-6
    .
  5. ^ EH McKinney (June 1, 2010). "Information about information: a taxonomy of views".
  6. ^ "metadata".
  7. ^ J. F. Thomsen (2008). "Carpal tunnel syndrome and the use of computer mouse and keyboard".
  8. ISBN 978-1312069312
    .
  9. ^ "Data Preprocessing Techniques for Data Mining" (PDF).
  10. ^ "Information Technology".
  11. ^ "How hardware and software contribute to efficiency and effectiveness". Archived from the original on 2012-03-21. Retrieved 2018-08-08.
  12. ^ "US6970158B2 - Computer keyboard providing an alert when typing".
  13. ISBN 978-1428922761
    .
  14. ^ "What Is Ten-Key Data Entry?".
  15. ^ "Learning Numeric Data Entry". January 27, 2015. Archived from the original on October 23, 2020. Retrieved August 8, 2018.
  16. ^ a b "An Ergonomic Comparison of Data Entry Work Using a Keyboard vs.Touch Screen Input Device While Standing and Sitting". Journal of Ergonomics. 2014.
  17. ^ "Comparing Databases and Spreadsheets for Storing Data". December 1, 2003.
  18. ^ "... a few minutes of data entry. For example, a simple spreadsheet might hold payroll information with columns for ..." "Spreadsheet".
  19. ^ "Spreadsheet Does Not = Database". PCmag.com. February 3, 2004.
  20. ^ D. Birch (2018). "The Future of Spreadsheets in the Big Data Era".[permanent dead link]
  21. ^ (New Jersey's Kenilworth's zip code is 07033, for example, and not 7033, without the leading zero)
  22. ^ "Database and Spreadsheet". Archived from the original on 2018-08-08. Retrieved 2018-08-08.
  23. ^ "... and it's our old friend the database. ... allowing you to define the tables, data-entry screens" "7 spreadsheet problems... and how to solve them".
  24. ^ "IBM 056 card verifier" Card/tape writer. United States Department of the Army. 1977. p. 249.
  25. ^ "IBM 056 Card Verifier" (PDF).
  26. ^ "IBM 059 Card Verifier" (PDF).
  27. S2CID 60979002
    .
  28. ^ "found to be lacking in more than half of the respondents."
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