Design of Data Entry

Design of Data Entry

1. Input - Design of data entry

   • Making sure that data is entered accurately and efficently is very important.
   • The design will need to tak einto account: what form the data takes (text, picture, sound, video, etc), how much data there is, how often it is input and what devices are available.

2. Data Capture Devices

   • Automatic data capture devices such as bar-code readers can be useful when there is alot of data to be entered as they are often quicker than manual data entry and may have bulit-in error checking.
   • Another example would be a webcam that automatically starts to reccord when movement is sensed, for example recording for a video diary of an animal or bird.
   • Large quantities of manual data entry can also cause RSI in operators, and would be a reason for considering OCR or voice recognition software.
   • In many cases keying the data in manually may be the only practical choice, and in this case, other methods must be found to reduce data-entry errors as much as possible.

3. Validation

   • Validation is a method of checking data to try and reduce the number of errors in data being entered.
   • It tests the validation rule and gives the user an error message if the data does not pass the test.
   • A presence check is the simplest form of validation. It makes sure that some data has been entered.
   • A range check checks that the data is within a certain range of letters or numbers.
   • A format check checks the data that follws the correct pattern.
   • A length check makes sure that the correct number of characters has been entered.
   • A list or look up check makes sure that two fields are always entered correctly each time they are entered into a reccord.
   • A check digit is used to make sure long numbers, such as those generated by bar-codes, are entered correctly.

4. Verification

   • Checks the data by proofreading it against the application form filled in by the customer.
   • It is a good way of avoiding transcription errors, errors made by the user not entering the data exactly as it was written on the form.

5. Data capture forms

   • Computer-based forms can have bult in validation, and can be quicker than writing out the data and then entering in manually.
   • Paper-based forms can be filled in anywhere and entered into the computer at a conenient time, perhaps by a data-entry operator rather than the employee who filled them in.

6. Designing a Computer-based-data-entry form

   • Make it obvious where the data needs to be entered, perhaps by using boxes or by the use of colour.
   • Give the user some idea of how much data you are expecting by varying the size of the box approximately.
   • Where alimited number of choices are available use featureslike drop-down boxes, tick boxes or radio buttons.
   • On a form you can often control the way the user moves through the fields, so think about the order in which you expect the data to be entered.
   • Build in validation so that the chances of the data being entered worngly are reduced.
   • E-mail addresses and passwords ay need to be entered twice for verification.