Data entry seems like anyone can do it easily. But, when it comes to quality, it is no less than the biggest challenge. This is just because infallible details can change any decision and even, prove a milestone when you need to make a crucial strategy for realistic changes.
This is the biggest reason of all that the data-entry outsourcing services market is scaling up at a CAGR of 6.01% between 2022 and 2027. Its scalability is likely to continue growing its value by USD 185.56 million, as per report.
Considering the importance of the quality data entry, here are some effective tips for fast and quality data entry.
Tips for Fast and Quality Data Entry
1. Understand the Data
Randomly inputting entries can take you where a number of challenges interrupts you. So, think of it. Brainstorm, at first, before you start entering data. If you have a clear understanding of what you're going to do with that data, your rest of the journey won’t be hampered.
Now arises the question - what to think?
Well, you can start with planning out everything, as how many entries you have, which formats they should be in, what type of data you have, or is there any specific protocol to follow. Familiarize with these all things.
2. Use Keyboard Shortcuts
Another speed-maker can be the keyboard hack, which means that the sound knowledge of shortcut keys can significantly enhance your data recording speed. Continue to learn common shortcuts to copy, paste, undo, search, and even autofill the entries that are relevant for your database. You can explore such shortcuts over the internet.
This works well for those who don’t have a big database to record online. Or even data entry professionals can become specialists by introducing shortcuts in their inputting work.
3. Excel Skills
Another tip is related to upskilling, especially Excel data entry skills. No wonder that multiple organizations, BPOs, and KPos keep a major set of data into spreadsheets. These companies and organizations hire specialists that know how to choose the right formula, functions, and data manipulation techniques to streamline a data entry process. This skill can speed up your database recording in minimal time.
4. Data Validation
This validation process is actually the practice of examining the integrity, accuracy, and structure of databases. And, this is done before its usage for any specific business purpose, such as strategy making, business intelligence, or training a machine learning model.
The main idea behind utilizing this process is to leave no space for errors. This is how you can enter only accurate and relevant details in your files, which minimizes the chances of any mistakes.
5. Double-Check Accuracy
Checking the accuracy is one of the most difficult task. Like speed, accuracy is also crucial. Therefore, you must double-check your records to find out and correct errors if any found. Remember, correcting errors at the point of entry can be easier than later on.
6. Data Cleaning
Data cleansing or cleaning refers to removing errors, duplicity, inconsistencies, and oddities. This is not the one-time effort. You should remain all-time on when it comes to eliminating these types of errors, enriching databases, fixing formatting errors, and establishing consistency across the entire database. The clean records help in speedy decision-making.
7. Practice Numeric Keypad Entry
This is an excellent tweak for those who frequently practice numerical data recording. You can make it effortless while introducing a numeric keypad. It will not only make your task faster but also accurate.
8. Batch Processing
If you have ever heard of patch processing, it can make your task simpler and way easier. You just split the entire task into batch, provided that the whole database has similar types of data entries. It will help you in eliminating the load of switching between one or two or multiple sheets. Overall, you will see how your efficiency increases upon introducing this hack.
9. Learn Data Entry Software
Introducing a software for data recording is actually a next-level solution because the present scenario is named to software and applications. And it should be so because these data entry software are actually helpful in reducing efforts and introducing values within limited time period. So, it’s always good to familiarize yourself with these tools. Also, try to introduce them into your back-office operations for quickly managing your record effectively. In addition, you should familiarize your team with their specific features through training so that it can easily use them and improve efficiency.
10. Regular Breaks
Undoubtedly, data entry is so boring because you have to keep your eyes focused and hands working consistently. A little distraction can impact your efficiency. But, this is also a fact that consistently practicing entries can make you tired and mentally strained. To avoid such distress, you should prefer short breaks. Listen to music or just have fun in whatever you like to do instead of spending hours without any breaks. This is how you can avoid bad data and increase productivity.
11. Hiring an Expert
You can hire a data entry specialist or if you run a big company and your tasks are indeed big, prefer hiring an outsourcing company. The reasons are obvious that you will have a proficient company by your side that has a proper team of data recording experts. Its hands-on experience can never let you down. In the nutshell, you can leverage their expertise in these ways:
- You can mount your savings. Just hire and compare its cost with the money you spend on an in-house team and its complementary expenses. It will be more cost-effective. Just leverage their expertise without paying out the overhead costs associated with its hiring and training in-house employees.
- You can focus on core areas and competencies. Hiring a trusted vendor for recording and data management can leave you with sufficient time to spend on strategic innovation and streamlining core functions, nurturing growth strategies, and scaling up.
- The Third-party support can allow you to access the skilled talent, which specializes in their domains. This alternative helps you to provide access to a pool of skilled professionals, which are actually experts.
- Businesses can have opportunities to scale up through outsourcing. You can easily scale up or down the demand on the basis of your changing requirements without hiring and firing your in-house team.
- Outsourcing can help you meet your end goal within a faster turnaround time. This is simply because you would have a dedicated team to work on your assignments, which does work corresponding to your goals.
To leverage these advantages, you can hire an outsourcing company.
Steps to Hire an Outsourcing Company
- Define Your Requirements
You should clearly outline what you actually require. This requirement can be specified as the defined volume, type of data, desired accuracy, and any other unique requirement.
- Research Potential Providers
Now that you know what you look for, search for the best alternatives. The best can be the one with a proven track record in data recording solutions. You can check out their reviews, ask from your trusted partners for referrals, and also, consider their experience if it’s in the similar projects.
- Check Expertise and Technology
Once discovered how trustworthy your potential service provider is, ensure that it has the requisite expertise and up-to-date technology for data inputting. This technology can be like deploying a relevant software and data security updates.
- Discuss Service Level Agreements (SLAs)
The previous point will make it transparent if you can move to this step. Once satisfied, you can sit around the table to describe expectations in terms of service levels, turnaround times, and quality standards. It is stated in a well-drafted SLA, which is actually an agreement between your outsourcer and you. It reads your expectations and the outsourcing company's deliverables.
- Data Security Measures
Security to your data is crucial because it can be sensitive and may prove a game changer. So, you should not skip this step. Ask your outsourcing partner to prioritize robust data security measures in place. Also, you should examine which security protocols it follows, sign confidentiality agreements, and look into its compliance with data protection regulations.
- Cost Structure
This is actually critical to understand the pricing model. This is because this model can be fixed, hourly charges, or the combination of both. Now, you need to see if it matches your budget or return values for your money. So, choose the one that live up to your expectations.
- Communication Channels
Now half of the battle is won. You need to finalize effective communication channels that you are using. Keep your communication open and transparent so the collaboration between offshore team and your company is smooth. Discuss reporting mechanism for transparency of “what’s happening” and “what is yet to achieve”. Also, reset when to report. It can be weekly, monthly, and yearly reporting.
- Trial Period
Trial period is a span wherein you just measure the performance of your outsourcing partner. This performance analysis can be treated as a sampling, which helps in assessing its capabilities firsthand. Once satisfied, you can sign a commitment letter of a long-term partnership.
- Legal Contracts
Legal contracts refer to legitimating the agreement. It all starts with the drafting of a comprehensive contract, which states all terms and conditions clearly. It also mentions deliverables, timeframes, payment terms and conditions, any other protocol related to the termination or modification of the agreement.
- Continuous Monitoring
Once the contract has been signed, your battle does not end. Instead, it starts with regular monitoring of the performance of your data recording outsourcing partner. Send feedback, disclosing the issue (if there seems any) so that the partnership can reach out to its peak and continues.
Conclusion
These all steps will help you to sail across the difficulty of hiring an outsourcing company for data input solutions. It eventually contributes to the overall efficiency and success of your business. Above that, it has a team that knows all shortcuts, and the latest methods to quickly record data online.