Data Entry Interview Questions and Answers - Part 2

8. Why would a company hire a data and analytical outsourcing company to manage its data?

Answer:

Outsourcing helps in improving the efficiency. Data and analytical outsourcing companies provide data entry, data conversion, research and many more services to manage data and reduce data management burden.

The advantages of outsourcing are

i. Increases and improves data quality.
ii. Gains insights from industry specialist.
iii. Helps to gain operational control.
iv. Reduces overhead cost.
v. Helps to incorporate better data management facilities.
vi. Helps to focus on core business values.

9. What is data capturing and data mining?

Answer:

i. Data Capturing: It is collecting data from various sources in different formats and making it usable by converting it in a readable format, with the help of various software programs. When the data is handwritten, manual data entry is used.

ii. Data Mining: Data mining is a process in which useful information is extracted from the captured data which can be used for forecasting and to make other business decisions.

10. To ensure data accuracy, what are the important things to take care of?

Answer:

Data entry is a very delicate task and a small mistake in the data can make the entire data unusable. Here are a few tips to ensure accuracy in data entry:

i. Don't trade accuracy with speed: Speed is important but not at the cost of the correctness of data. Make sure you are speedy enough to get the work done in the given deadline but don't compromise on the correctness.

ii. Check and review the data: Check and review your data in parts as it is easier than checking the entire data at once. It helps you to rectify the errors then and there, if any. Also, proofread the data to ensure accuracy.

iii. Use the available software tools and resources: There are a number of tools to complete the task quickly and efficiently. Also, there are various tools which help in reviewing the data. Ensuring an efficient use of these tools is a good way to boost data accuracy.

iv. Understand the importance of data quality: Accuracy is a mindset. To ensure accuracy, you need to know the importance of data. Once you are aware of the consequences of inaccurate data you will maintain the quality.

v. Maintain work environment: While working with data requires good concentration and absolute consciousness. Make sure your working environment is absolutely free from disturbances and distractions.

11. What things would you consider while hiring a data entry provider?

Answer:

While hiring a data entry provider you need to consider a few things:

i. Ensure that your business data is secured, so that it can't be exploited by the data entry executive. Before hiring, make sure you check the employee record with the previous employer.
ii. Don't get carried away by low salary data entry executive as quality and accuracy of work matters.
iii. Ensure that the company who you are outsourcing is trusted and has a good track record.
iv. Make sure the company you outsourced to follows regular audit policy to check accuracy.

12. What are the most common data entry errors?

Answer:

Any mistake in data can actually play a havoc, if not resolved on time. Some of the errors that are very common are:

i. Inputting error: Inputting error is when you put inaccurate information. Adding or subtracting a number or putting a wrong decimal point are very small mistakes but often cause dearly to business.

ii. Data formatting errors: Sometimes incorrect formatting can cause correct information to be input in the wrong place. Sometimes it also happens that once you try to filter unused columns or fields the formatting changes which make a lot of changes in the data.

iii. Human errors: Factors like fatigue, emotional aspects, the speed at which the data is input, time management, etc affect the way at which the data is input.

A small mistake can affect the entire database and also it will be a very time-consuming affair to find and rectify the mistake later. You need keep a check on the data and rectify the mistakes at a very early stage.

13. What factors determine the data quality?

Answer:

Data quality needs to be high so that you can depend on fact-based choices rather than instinct to achieve organizational goals. Some of the factors that determine data quality are:

i. Accuracy: Extremely important for the data to be usable

ii. Completeness: There should not be a gap between what you were supposed to collect and what you have collected. This can be achieved by having mandatory fields which cannot be skipped.

iii. Consistency: The data must be collected in the assigned format.

iv. Validity: Data validity shows if the data is reliable and is correct and useful. Data validity is determined by whether the data is measuring what it was supposed to measure.

v. Timeliness: The data should be received on time for it to be used efficiently.