Data Entry Program

This Typing and Data Entry program has numerous
basics typing techniques. Click for typing details.

Click on one of the below topics for data entry details.
Data Entry Concepts
Numeric Pad
Random Exercises
Tricks of the Trade
Math Review - Think Digits
Basic Data Entry
Advanced Data Entry
Data Classification
Chart of Accounts
Data Entry Tips

Numeric Pad

The number pad (numeric pad) is introduced one digit at a time. Program instructions will guide you through the exercises. Individual exercises consist of:
	Keys 4, 5, 6 and Enter (This is home row)
	Key 7
	Key 1
	Key 0
	Key 8
	key 2
	Key 9
	Key 3
	Key .
	Keys + and -

Data Entry - Random Exercise

Practice is needed with the numeric pad to develop speed and accuracy.
Randomly generated exercises can be created to provide an unlimited number of exercises.

After skill is achieved, the learner is ready to tackle real-world data entry exercises.

Data Entry Tricks of the Trade

Let me tell you my secret. I have "small hands." I have trouble reaching my index finger down to press the "0" key.

So, what do I do? I use my thumb to press the "0"!
Crazy, isn't it? It helped me!

I also have trouble reaching my right-hand ring finger down to press the "." key. I often press the "3" key by mistake.

So, what do I do? I brace my wrist against the desk.
I keep my fingers curled. This gives me more stability when I reach my fingers down for the "." key.

If you are having difficulty reaching down for the "." key, try bracing your wrist (actually the lower portion of your right hand).

Trim your fingernails. Long fingernails increase errors!

Do your fingers "wander" and forget their assigned location?

Do what I do. Feel for the bump on the "5" key.

Most numeric key pads have a bump on the "5" key. This is the home key for your right hand index finger.

Math Review - Think and Type Digits

The objective of these exercises is to learn how to to analyze data and identify the numbers to be keyed. Then, finally enter the data.

Data entry is difficult because the keyboarder often must do more than just type data. He/she is asked to "mentally" process the data before keying.

In data entry you type the individual numbers (keystrokes) one at a time. Suppose you were asked to enter the total of "9" + "4".

Of course the total is "thirteen", and you might be tempted to immediately enter "thirteen".

That is a mistake. You need to slow it down to develop accuracy.

Repeat the answer "thirteen" to yourself as "1" and "3". Then key in the number "1". Finally, key in the number "3".

Concentrate! First develop the answer. Say the each digit quietly to yourself. Then key the digit. Speed will occur with practice.

Got it? Remember, in data entry think an individual number, then type an individual number. Do not think ahead or attempt to do more than one number at one time.

	Math Review
	Exercises Title	Instructions
	Word – Number Conversion I	Read the word, enter the number.
	Word – Number Conversion II	Read the word, enter the number.
	Addition - Two Numbers I	Develop the answer (sum).
	Addition - Two Numbers II	Develop the answer.
	Addition - Three Numbers I	Develop the answer.
	Addition - Three Numbers II	Develop the answer.
	Subtraction I	Develop the answer.
	Subtraction II	Develop the answer.
	Multiplication I	Develop the answer.
	Multiplication II	Develop the answer.
	Division	Develop the answer.
	Multiple Operations	Develop the answer.

Basic Data Entry

	Exercise Title	Instructions
	Zip Codes	Enter the zip code. Do not enter the dash.
	Phone Numbers	Enter phone numbers. Do not enter the dash, and ignore names.
	Social Security	Enter the Social Security number. Ignore names.
	Pet Costs	Enter the pet cost in numeric format. Do not type the dollar sign or comma.
	Electronic Equipment	Enter the price in numeric format. Do not type the dollar sign or comma.
	Moving Sale	Enter the selling price in numeric format.
	Sporting Goods I	Enter the selling price in numeric format.
	Sporting Goods II	Enter the selling price in numeric format.
	Car Sale	Enter the selling price in numeric format.
	Boat Sale	Enter the selling price in numeric format.
	House for Sale	Enter the selling price in numeric format.
	Tax Assessor	Enter the property evaluation in numeric format.
Simple? Yes but starting with the exercise on Pet Cost, there is a description of the transaction. What are you suppose to do with this information? Nothing! You have to learn to concentrate to correctly entering the required data. Ignore other information. Let's take a closer look at the transactions in the Pet Cost and Tax Assessor's exercise.


Exercises Title	Instructions
Pet Costs	Enter the pet cost in numeric format. Do not type the dollar sign. Do not type a comma.

	Transaction	Correct Response
	Dachshund Pup, $425.99	425.99
	Cocker Spaniel, $375.82	375.82
	Cairn Terrier, female $1,798.49	1798.49
	Beagle, house broken, $495.81	495.81


Exercises Title	Instructions
Tax Assessor	Enter the property evaluation in numeric format.

	Transaction	Correct Response
	Advanced Management Co. $32,783.81	32783.81
	Agency Rental Co. $59,355.20	59355.20
	American Heart Assoc. $1,562,863.90	1562863.90
	American Legion $358,729.22	358729.22

Advanced Data Entry

The objective of this series of exercises is to provide practice in a wide-array of applications. We will be using Numeric Format . In addition there are a couple of exercises utilizing Rounding Rules .

	Exercises Title	Instructions
	Inventory Codes	Enter the codes.
	Employee - Hourly Rate	Enter the employee number. Then enter the hourly rate in numeric format.
	State Codes	Enter the two letter state code.
	Data Entry I	Enter the data.
	Data Entry II	Enter the data.
	Data Entry III	Enter the data in numeric format.
	Data Entry IV	Enter the data in numeric format.
	Rounding I	Enter the data in numeric format. All numbers are rounded to the hundredths (two digits to the right of the decimal).
	Rounding II	Enter the data in numeric format. All numbers are rounded to the hundredths (two digits to the right of the decimal).
	Large Numbers	Enter data in numeric format.
	Payroll I	Enter the social security number without dashes. Then enter the department number.
	Payroll II	Enter the social security number without dashes. Then enter the hourly pay in numeric format.


Exercises Title	Instructions
Payroll II	Enter the social security number without dashes. Then enter the hourly pay in numeric format.

	Transaction	Correct Response
	265-78-0126,35.5	26578012635.5
	513-68-2258,40.0	51368225840.0
	183-09-0348,35.5	18309034835.5
	246-90-3859,34.7	24690385934.7

Data Classification

Data classification involves assigning a code that describes the transaction.

This Data Classification section should be fun.
Just concentrate on:
1 identifying what has to be done;
2 quietly saying the digit to be entered, and
3 then keying the data, one digit at a time.
Accuracy is more important than speed.

The Data Classification topic contains twelve exercises of fifty transactions/exercise.

	Exercises Title	Instructions
	More Large Numbers	Enter the data in numeric format.
	Age Group Classification	Code the car buyers.
	Animal Classification I	Code the entries.
	Animal Classification II	Code the entries.
	Department Store Items	Code entries.
	Newspaper Ads I	Code the entries.
	Newspaper Ads II	Code the entries.
	Real Estate Ads	Code entries.
	Hardware Store Products	Enter the product code. Then enter the price in numeric format.
	House Sale by Area	Enter the area code.
	Location by Dwelling Code	Enter the location code. Then enter the dwelling code.
	Grocery Aisle Code	Enter the grocery aisle number. Enter the price in numeric format.

Take a closer look at the exercise entitled Age Group Classification. In this exercise, you are to code the age of car buyers.

Code	Age of Buyer
1	less than 25 years old
2	25 but less than 41 years
3	41 but less than 61 years
4	61 years or older

	Transaction	Correct Response
	18	1
	30	2
	75	4
	24	1

The exercise on Location and Dwelling Codes is more challanging.

Exercises Title	Instructions
Real Estate Sales	Enter the Location Code.
	1 Melbourne – Wickham Rd.; Green Lane; Cypress Way 2 Palm Bay - Flamingo Rd.; Crows Nest; Snake Way 3 Viera – Golf Drive; Sandy Rd.; Rainy Dr. Then enter the Dwelling Code 1 House 2 Condo 3 Trailer

	Transaction	Correct Response
	117 Green Lane; house	11
	11 Crows Nest; double-wide trailer	23
	22 Flamingo Rd.; house	21
	18 Golf Drive; house	31
	1104 Cypress Way; trailer	13
Simple? Only if you concentrate.

Chart of Accounts

A Chart of Accounts is a list of the accounts that a firm's accounting system tracks. Some accounts must be included in a firm's accounting system due to tax reporting requirements.

For example, in the U.S. the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) requires that travel, entertainment, advertising, and several other expenses be tracked in individual accounts. This places a large burden on the data entry person to assure data is correctly coded.

A Chart of Accounts is divided into categories, with each category having their own numbers. These include categories such as Assets (0-399); Revenues(400-499); Expenses (500-599), and Liabilities (600-699).

There is a trade-off between simplicity, and the ability to track detailed expenses. Keeping the number of accounts to a minimum has the advantage of making the accounting system simple.

Some accounts, such as expenses may be coded into more detailed categories. For example, Office expenses might be account code 510 while travel expenses might be account code 550.

The account descriptions must be concise, and there should be room in your numbering system to add future accounts.

What makes the data entry task difficult is that the data entry person is frequently responsible for assigning the appropriate code prior to entering the data into the accounting system.

Have you heard of G I G O? GIGO is an acronym for Garbage In, Garbage Out. If the data is not correctly coded following the chart of accounts, or if the transaction is incorrectly entered, the accounting system is of little value.

The data entry person is a key link in developing a high quality accounting system.

Chart of Accounts - Exercises

	Exercises Title	Instructions
	Department Budget	Enter the department number. Enter the budget in numeric format.

	Office Expenses	Enter account code for office expenses "44". Enter expenses in numeric format.

	Utility Expenses	Enter the account code for office expenses "78". Enter the department number. Enter expenses in numeric format.

	Travel Code I	Code the entries.

	Travel Code II	Code the entries.
	Travel Codes and Expenses	Enter the travel code. Enter expenses in numeric format.
	Advertising Codes	Code the entries.
	Advertising Expenses	Enter the ad code. Enter expenses in numeric format.
	Mixed Travel & Ad	Code the entries.
	Travel & Ad Expenses	Code the entries. Enter the expenses in numeric format.
	Department Purchase	Enter the department code. Enter purchases in numeric format

	Recoding	Recode Dept."30" as "33". Enter Dept. code. Enter purchase price in numeric format.

Exercises Title	Instructions

Office Expenses	The account code for office expenses is 44. Enter the account code. Then enter the office expense in numeric format.

	Transaction	Correct Response
	$857.69	44857.69
	$38.89	4438.89
	$70.27	4470.27

Recoding

Dept. "30" is recoded as "33". Enter the two digit department code. Then enter the purchase in numeric format.

	Transaction	Correct Response
	21 50" Wide screen Plasma HDTV, $4,145.95	214145.95
	30 Motion detection system, $7,890.12	337890.12
	24 52" Plasma GDTV monitor High Res., $6,367.95	246367.95
	30 Digital Cable-Ready LCD HDTV, $7,843.25	337843.25
	30 Face recognition system, $74,934.25	3374934.25

There is no doubt about it! These are difficult exercises because the data is not organized in an easy-to-read format.

Don't worry. The Little Professor will guide you in developing speed and accuracy in keying complex data entry transactions.

Rounding Rules

We will be rounding in dollars and cents format. That is, we will be rounding to the hundredths place.
If the digit to the right of the rounded digit is less than 5, leave the digit the same.
If the digit to the right of the rounded digit is 5 or more, increase the rounded digit by one.
All digits to the right of the rounded digit are discarded.
Thus:
33.894 is 33.89
33.895 is 33.90
33.995 is 34.00
A number shown without a decimal, such as “35” is entered as “35” without a decimal or trailing zeros.

Numeric Format

Business financial data is often entered in numeric format. When entering data in numeric format, do not type the dollar sign or comma.
Thus:
$1,333.894 is entered as 1333.89
$1,333.895 is entered as 1333.90
$1,333.995 is entered as 1334.00

Data Entry - Typing Tips

Key the exercises in order. Learn the correct key reaches for the numeric pad before proceeding with the other data entry topics.

Organized work area. The area where data entry is performed, should be free of clutter, and should be without distractions.

Keep nails trimmed. Fingernails should be very small. You simply cannot enter data with long fingernails.

Practice makes perfect. Concentrate on accuracy. Speed occurs with practice.

More practice needed? Retype the exercises until satisfied with your typing skills.

Your job is to learn. Only go to the next key pad exercise when you are comfortable.

Strike. Use a quick stroke to strike and bounce off keys.

Faster! After you learn the basic keystrokes, type faster than comfortable.

Use the correct finger. Return your finger to the assigned number key pad location.

Concentrate! If your mind wanders, you will the data entry errors.

Interruptions! When coding data, any distraction can result in errors.

Don't talk. You cannot concentrate if you are talking.

Clean data entry documents. If you cannot clearly read the source documents, data entry errors will occur.

Don't understand - do not key. If you do not fully understand how the data is keyed, do not proceed. People will remember that you made an error, not that they gave poor data entry instructions.

Practice! You can learn the numeric pad by keying the numeric exercises!

Accuracy! Concentrate on data entry accuracy. Speed will improve with practice.

GIGO! Garbage In, Garbage Out! The accuracy of an information system is only as accurate as the data entered into the system.