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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.
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
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."
Although most data entered into a computer are stored in a database, a significant amount is stored in a spreadsheet.[17] The use of spreadsheets instead of databases for data entry can be traced to the 1979 introduction of 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]
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]
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