Data entry is the process of taking information and typing it into a computer system. This allows the information to be saved in a central location where it can be read, modified, and used as necessary. Data entry can be done in most any type of business as part of the job. There are some jobs where all the person does is enter the information. Call centers all over the world have data entry clerks.

We have all seen those little subscription cards that are in all magazines. They get sent to a data entry clerk who enters the information into the computer system. Most data entry clerks have to be very fast when they type as well as accurate. The spelling of the person’s name and address need to be completely accurate. This can be hard to do because some people have handwriting that is almost impossible to read.

Those customer surveys that you fill out and send in with information on how satisfied you were with a product or service also go to a data entry clerk. The information that they compile from all of them are then used to determine the overall satisfaction of a given product or service. If the individual placed any comments on the survey then the data entry clerk needs to type them exactly how they were written. This way that information can be reviewed and evaluated as well.

To help make the data entry process even faster, some businesses incorporate a double verification process. The scan in the information submitted by the customer. A data entry clerk then quickly views the information and makes any changes to what the computer read. There are often mistakes because of different handwriting styles. For example a zero can look like the letter “0” and a fancy “T” can appear as an “F”.

Data entry involves being very accurate and alert to the job. The level or responsibility for getting correct data is very high. There is a high turn over rate in data entry though because it really isn’t a career. It also doesn’t generally pay more than minimum wage. Data entry clerks generally take the job as an entry level position to gain some work experience and even to improve their typing speed and accuracy.