data entry

Data entry is often done with a keyboard and at times also using a mouse,{{cite journal

|title=Carpal tunnel syndrome and the use of computer mouse and keyboard

|author=J. F. Thomsen |journal=BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders

|date=2008|volume=9

|issue=1

|page=134

|doi=10.1186/1471-2474-9-134

|doi-access=free

|pmid=18838001

|pmc=2569035

}} although a manually-fed scanner may be involved.{{cite book

|title=Professional Accounting Essays and Assignments

|url=https://books.google.com/books?isbn=1312069317 |isbn=978-1312069312

|author=Miracel Griff |date=2014}}

Historically, devices lacking any pre-processing capabilities were used.{{cite web

|title=Data Preprocessing Techniques for Data Mining

|url=http://iasri.res.in/ebook/win_school_aa/notes/Data_Preprocessing.pdf}}

File:Keypunching at Texas A&M2.jpg

Data entry using keypunches was related to the concept of batch processing – there was no immediate feedback.{{cite web

|title=Information Technology

|url=https://quizlet.com/79066089/information-technology-flash-cards}}{{cite web

|title=How hardware and software contribute to efficiency and effectiveness

|url=http://bpastudio.csudh.edu/fac/lpress/drafts/hardsoft1.doc

|access-date=2018-08-08

|archive-date=2012-03-21

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120321183536/http://bpastudio.csudh.edu/fac/lpress/drafts/hardsoft1.doc

|url-status=dead

}}

Computer keyboards and online data-entry provide the ability to give feedback to the data entry clerk doing the work.{{cite web|title=US6970158B2 - Computer keyboard providing an alert when typing|url=https://patents.google.com/patent/US6970158}}{{cite book|title=The Electronic supervisor : new technology, new tensions.| year=1987 | publisher=DIANE |url=https://books.google.com/books?isbn=1428922768 |isbn=978-1428922761}}

The addition of numeric keypads to computer keyboards{{cite web

|title=What Is Ten-Key Data Entry?

|url=https://careertrend.com/tenkey-data-entry-8793.html}} introduced quicker and often also less error-prone entry of numeric data.{{cite web

|url=https://www.lynda.com/Business-Skills-tutorials/Numeric-Data-Entry-Fundamentals/191961-2.html

|title=Learning Numeric Data Entry

|date=January 27, 2015

|access-date=August 8, 2018

|archive-date=October 23, 2020

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201023062012/https://www.lynda.com/Business-Skills-tutorials/Numeric-Data-Entry-Fundamentals/191961-2.html

|url-status=dead

}}

The use of a computer mouse, typically on a personal computer, opened up another option for doing data entry.{{cite magazine

|magazine=Journal of Ergonomics |date=2014

|url=https://www.Ergonomicsonline.org/open-access/an-ergonomic-comparison-of-data-entry-work-using-a-keyboard-vstouch-screen-input-device-while-standing-and-sitting-2165-7556.S4-007.php?aid=26010.

|title=An Ergonomic Comparison of Data Entry Work Using a Keyboard vs.Touch Screen Input Device While Standing and Sitting}}

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

Although most data entered into a computer are stored in a database, a significant amount is stored in a spreadsheet.{{cite web |date=December 1, 2003

|title=Comparing Databases and Spreadsheets for Storing Data

|url=https://nrimp.dfw.state.or.us/nrimp/feature/2003/12-2003.htm}} The use of spreadsheets instead of databases for data entry can be traced to the 1979 introduction of Visicalc,"... a few minutes of data entry. For example, a simple spreadsheet might hold payroll information with columns for ..." {{cite web

|url=https://www.britannica.com/technology/spreadsheet

|title=Spreadsheet|date=8 April 2024 }} and what some consider the wrong place{{cite magazine |magazine=PCmag.com |date=February 3, 2004

|url=https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0%2C2817%2C1435148%2C00.asp

|title=Spreadsheet Does Not = Database}} for storing computational data continues.{{cite web|url= https://excel.tv/why-spreadsheets-still-dominate-data-storage-despite-database-superiority/|title= Why Spreadsheets Still Dominate Data Storage Despite Database Superiority | website= excel.tv |date= 12 September 2024 }}

Format control(New Jersey's Kenilworth's zip code is 07033, for example, and not 7033, without the leading zero) and specialized data validation are reasons that have been cited for using database-oriented data entry software.{{cite web

|url=https://docs.kde.org/trunk5/en/calligra/kexi/database-and-spreadsheet.html

|title=Database and Spreadsheet

|access-date=2018-08-08

|archive-date=2018-08-08

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180808135853/https://docs.kde.org/trunk5/en/calligra/kexi/database-and-spreadsheet.html

|url-status=dead

}}"... and it's our old friend the database. ... allowing you to define the tables, data-entry screens" {{cite web

|title=7 spreadsheet problems... and how to solve them

|url=http://www.alphr.com}}

The search for assurance about the accuracy of the data entry process predates computer keyboards and online data entry."IBM 056 card verifier" {{cite book

|title=Card/tape writer |page=249

|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4QyfwJeoDPQC

|publisher=United States Department of the Army

|date=1977}}{{cite web |title=IBM 056 Card Verifier

|url=http://ibm-1401.info/IBM-056-22-6006-0-Card-Verifier-056.pdf}} IBM even went beyond their 056 Card Verifier and developed their quieter IBM 059 model.{{cite web

|url=http://ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/IBM-ProdAnn/029-059.pdf |title=IBM 059 Card Verifier}}

Modern techniques go beyond mere range checks, especially when the new data can be evaluated using probability about an event."In a situation where one can obtain probabilistic information about an event, it may also be possible to learn something about the reliability of that info." {{cite book

|chapter=Information about information

|author=S. Savari |title=Proceedings. 2001 IEEE International Symposium on Information Theory (IEEE Cat. No.01CH37252)

|pages=22

|date=2001|doi=10.1109/ISIT.2001.935885

|isbn=0-7803-7123-2

|s2cid=60979002 }}

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."found to be lacking in more than half of the respondents."

Common errors in data entry include transposition errors, misclassified data, duplicate data, and omitted data, which are similar to bookkeeping errors. Electronic data interchange (EDI) can help to avoid data entry errors.

• Two pass verification
• Quality control
• Clinical data management
• Data verification
• Data entry clerk
• Input (computer science)

{{reflist}}

Category:Data processing

Category:Data quality