Types of Data Entry Processes You Should Leave to Experts
Collecting, organizing, processing, and maintaining bulks of information are types of data entry work that are needed by businesses in today’s increasingly digital and data-driven world.
The average estimate shows the world is producing a staggering amount of at least 2 quintillion bytes of data a day.
In fact, research by business publication firm Raconteur shows that in 2020, the world has a whole universe of an accumulated 44 sextillion bytes of data – that’s 44 followed by 21 zeroes.
With the pandemic increasing the speed of digital transformation across industries, the same study estimates that the world will be producing 463 quintillion bytes of data a day.
The numbers are staggering, and many businesses are struggling to keep up with the changing times, dealing with huge amounts of data on their own.
But some businesses have found a solution by partnering with outsourcing providers in hiring people who specialize in data entry services.
Data entry is the process of transcribing written information into digital data or transforming existing digital data into another type of electronic data.
Current outsourcing models allow businesses to access secure infrastructures and qualified talent across the globe to handle bulks of seemingly impossible to handle data every day.
There are already tested practices in place for information-related work, and here are just a few types of data entry functions that may help your business keep up with the times.
Manual data entry
Plain data entry
The job is quite simple: just type the words from a PDF file into an MS Word document. But it is a huge help for companies that need to cull important data from tons of archived PDF files and put them in an editable format. You just need to find data entry specialists with excellent reading, comprehension, writing, and typing skills to make the most out of this role.
Basic typing job
Basic typing jobs involve looking for specific data from another document, which could be a PDF or Word file, and typing them into designated and duly labelled cells of an Excel Spreadsheet. It may sound so simple a task but having a data entry specialist focused on doing this can help a company build its own database that can be used for analysis and reports.
Word processing
The job of word processors, also known as typists, is to create letters, emails, and reports from an existing data source. This job may require more technical skills than your usual data entry specialist, such as literacy in graphs, charts, and tables. Startups that need a hand in generating reports for specific aspects of the business would benefit from outsourcing typists.
Data cleansing
For reports to reflect truthful and actionable information, the database must be accurate as well. And to keep the database error-free, there must be regular data cleansing or scrubbing. The job requires data entry specialists with a keen eye on details to spot erroneous data in a company’s existing database, which can be in an MS Word or Excel file.
Online data entry
Online form filling
Some companies need specific information collected into an organized archived. For this, they would hire a data entry specialist whose job is to search for specific information either in an existing company database or online, and put this information in an online form, such as Google Forms, which will automatically put all the data into a properly labelled storage.
Online job survey
When companies need feedback about their product from specific segments of the market, they would need people to fill out their surveys. So, they hire people to fill out various surveys related to different aspects of their products via online forms. Data from these surveys are automatically placed in excel sheets, ready for analysis.
Email processing
Processing emails can be time-consuming and detail-oriented, making it one of the highest paying data entry roles. The job requires a specialist to process hundreds of emails daily and put them on a properly labelled spreadsheet. This allows the users of that email to organize their mailbox and prioritize responses according to need and urgency.
Online data capturing
Online data capturing is an important aspect of intelligence gathering for businesses of all sizes. In this process, data entry specialists are tasked to capture data from various online publications, such as e-books and e-magazines, compile them following an agreed format and put them in specific storage. The task can be tedious and repetitive and is best given to experts.
Database updating
Updating existing databanks need the focus and expertise of data entry specialists. In this role, a specialist is tasked to update existing records of personal information, such as name, contact, and address, or create new ones. Companies that need to constantly update the records of their customers and partners will benefit most from this function.
Micro jobs
Copy-paste tasks
When a company decides to migrate bulks of information from one database to another, it usually requires someone to copy and paste words to an MS Word or Excel file. Businesses that want to work smart outsource data entry specialists to finish the job for them quickly. This allows the in-house staff to remain focused on their core tasks while the specialists do the repetitive data entry work.
Captcha entry
There are companies, most of them startups, that need to register customers on websites in bulk. By doing so, it needs to solve captcha puzzles, which is required by websites to make sure the user is not a bot. Captcha puzzles could be images or texts that can only be solved by humans, so these companies hire captcha entry specialists to do this repetitive task for them.
Captioning
Businesses that publish content online on a daily basis, such as news organizations, are the ones that typically need captioning services from data entry specialists. The job is to create headlines and captions for photos and videos that will be published online. The role requires a certain level of knowledge in media or publication writing.
Data formatting
Re-formatting & correction
Keeping bulks of files that contain information on customers and employees would always need re-formatting and correction once in a while for proper. But aligning paragraphs, checking indentations, and adjusting fonts is a job best fit for data entry specialists, who can finish the work in no time, thanks to their focus and expertise in this technical field.
Formatting and editing
The job of formatting and editing entails correcting spelling mistakes and grammar errors. Data entry specialists in this role need to make sure that all the documents adhere to the format of the company. Companies that publish research papers, white papers, and other similar documents are the ones that usually hire specialists to format and edit their work.
Data conversion
Image to text data entry
If you regularly need to convert a huge number of words in images or screenshots into an editable text format, there are data entry specialists who can do this for you. Many healthcare companies hire specialists to do this job since people in this line of work typically deal with much-needed information in an image format.
Audio to text data entry
Data entry specialists can help your company convert important records into readable and printable text. It can be audio from an important meeting with a client or partner, audio from a focused group discussion, audio from lectures or seminars, or an interview with an expert. Converting recorded audio into text will be beneficial for archiving and easy access when needed.
Transcription
Medical transcription
Data entry specialists with a good grasp of medical terminologies and shorthand writing can be very helpful for companies in the healthcare industry by doing medical transcription work. Not only will they lift the burden of doing this time-consuming task from the core staff, but specialists can also do the job quickly and efficiently because this is their area of expertise.
Medical coding
Another aspect of data entry in the healthcare industry is medical coding. This job requires specialists to convert bulks of healthcare diagnosis, procedures, and other medical services into alphanumeric codes for proper classification and archiving. Though this is a repetitive task, medical coding requires a person to have a certain level of familiarity with medical terms.
Data entry keying
Product catalogue data entry
Data entry specialists can help companies key in important details from licenses, cheques, and products into computer software. Product catalogue data entry would also be beneficial for retail companies that need people to key in product names, code numbers, prices, and expiry dates into their own online or offline digital catalogue.
Payroll data entry
Payroll data entry operators help core members of an accounting team by keying in details of employees into their system. This would remove this time-consuming and repetitive task from a payroll officer and just let him focus on the bigger aspects of processing the paychecks of the employees. Any company dealing with large teams can benefit from this role.
Data into web-based system
Some companies, especially those dealing with bulks of legal and insurance documents, would always need someone to manually cull relevant information from documents, such as names, registration numbers, and contact details, and put them into a more readable and organizable format. Data entry specialists are trained to have the patience and skill to do this repetitive task.
Clerical data processing
Medical data entry
Medical data entry clerks help hospitals and other medical facilities enter information into a spreadsheet or software. Specialists in this role are trained to enter patient notes, hospital records, and accident reports fast and accurately. It leaves the core team of medical facilities focused on their main tasks, while the specialists gather the needed information.
Municipal data entry
Similar to medical data entry, municipal data entry also involves entering important information into a spreadsheet or system. The difference is in the information involved as municipal data entry deals with birth records, legal documents, and other town records. Having an updated and accurate database will allow a government unit to serve the constituents efficiently.
READ MORE: 7 Skills That Every Data Clerk Should Have
Writing functions
Content writing
Some companies need to create content, such as articles and brochures, and publish them on a blog or website. Content writing is a data entry process that can help companies increase leads and spread awareness about their products or services to potential customers or partners. It is a high paying job that requires skills, knowledge, and experience.
Copywriting
Many people mistake copywriting as content writing when these two are entirely different functions. Content writing requires more depth and story-telling skills, while copywriting is in the more creative spectrum of writing – short, punchy, and utterly convincing. Copywriting will surely help a company communicate to their stakeholders effectively.
Outsourcing data entry
Learning all these data entry services is a good start in the journey of setting up a team to handle everyday company data.
The most important thing is to determine first the type of data entry function you need help with, the specific pain points it addresses, and your overall goal for hiring a specialist.
After that, the challenge is finding an outsourcing partner that can provide solutions tailored to address your concerns.
Many companies have found success in finding qualified talent with the help of outsourcing providers in the Philippines, including outsourced database management, outsourced data entry, and even outsourced data security.
Aside from talent, these companies have also saved resources since labor costs in the Philippines are way lower than in most western countries.
READ MORE: 7 Reasons Why Businesses Outsource in The Philippines
Outsourcing models in the Philippines also allow companies to access secure infrastructure and technology for their data entry staff.
With an efficient team of experts handling tedious data entry processes, your core team can focus on the higher value tasks for faster growth in an increasingly digital and data-driven world.