Data Entry Terminology

1. Data Entry
2. Data
3. Batch
4. Operator
5. Key Only
6. Key Verify
7. Key Depression
8. Cards/Columns
9. File Specs

Data Entry  (Back to top )

• The process of keying information from paper documents into a computer by data entry operators, sometimes referred to as Data Capture .
• Documents could be Questionnaires, Invoices, Name & Address Coupons, Product Catalogues.

Data (Back to top)

• The information being keyed from the document.

Batch (Back to top)

• A bundle of documents that are keyed by an operator.
• Each batch is given a unique number (Batch Number), which becomes part of the file name.
• Ideally batches should take no longer than 30mins to key, thereby giving the operators breaks from keying at regular intervals.

Operator (Back to top)

• The person who keys the data from the document.

Key Only (Back to top )

• Data is keyed by one operator from the document. 
• At the point of keying data can be restricted to a pre defined list of acceptable values e.g. Gender can only be 'M' or 'F'.
• After keying data can be checked (Edited) through bespoke programs to further increase accuracy.
• Accuracy Rates would be in the region of 99%, although this would depend on the quality and complexity of the document being keyed.
• Key only is normally good enough for non financial data e.g. Questionnaires, Names and Addresses where occasional errors will not cause major problems

Key Verify (Back to top )

• After the data has been keyed, a different operator keys the data again (Verifies) and comparisons are made between their data and the data keyed by the 1st operator.
• The 2nd operator is stopped each time there is a mismatch between the 2 sets of data and corrects either their data or that keyed by the 1st operator.
• Accuracy Rates would be in the region of 99.99%.
• Verified data is used on data where accuracy is vital e.g. financial data.
• Verified data would cost somewhere in the region twice that of keyed only data.
• It is possible to have Partial Verification where only some of the data is verified e.g. ID Numbers. 

Key Depression (Back to top )

• Each time the operator presses any key on the keyboard this registers as one key depression, this includes all the control keys e.g Tab, Enter, Shift etc.

Cards/Columns (Back to top)

• Cards/Columns date back to when data entry first started, i.e. before we all had a PC on our desk, when data was keyed onto Punched Cards. 
• Data was stored on the Card by punching holes in it.
• A card had a grid of  12 Rows x 80 Columns, a hole could appear in any cell within the grid.
• The holes within each of the 80 Columns represent 1 keyed Character, therefore allowing a maximum of 80 Characters per Card, to key  PRECISION DATAPREP SERVICES would require 27 Columns.
• To key all the information from a document would often require a set of Cards, each card within the set would have a Card Number to help identify it.
• Although some people still refer to Cards, the term more commonly used now is a Record.
• As the physical restriction of the Card no longer applies, Records can contain more than 80 characters, all though through habit some people still don't go above 80 Columns when creating File Specs.

File Specs (Back to top )

• A File Specification is a document that details the Cards and Columns where data from a document is to be keyed.