Data Entry Process

Making the data and you look good

Different clients need different levels of quality.Some of our most demanding clients need the best possible output. For this group of client we have devised a method which ensures that the output is the "best quality possible in the entire world". Although we have a full ISO 9001:2000 certified process manual which enables us to achieve this, the main methods which make this possible are discussed here. These are:

Proper training of staff
Putting the right edits/checks in the software
Following the 12 operator quality process

These are described in the following sections. Clients who do not have such stringent quality requirements can ask for a lower quality output which is accomplished by using shorter training and employing fewer than the given 12 stage quality processes.

Training

Proper training of the operators is must to ensure that the operators understand the job properly and there is no misunderstanding on their part.

The training consists of the following stages:

Verbal training using white board: This is a class room setting where the trainer gets all the operators to understand the job in terms of fields and how to enter them in a class room setting. Operators are encouraged to ask questions and the whole class learns the job details here.
Entry by supervisor with operators looking over how entry is being done: After the class room training, the supervisors do the entry with groups of operators standing behind them to see how the job has to be entered. Special job tricks are pointed out during this phase.
100 question objective test: A 100 question computerized objective test is created which must be taken and passed with 100% result before the operator can start working on the job. The test consists of image snippets showing the field and then a question with a choice of 4 answers. The operator must take the test again and again till he passes it with 100% right answers.
Dry run with 1 supervisor behind a group of 8 operators: Here a group of operators start working on dummy images/documents with a supervisor standing behind them. Operators can ask questions as they key and supervisor can point out mistakes as the operators key the job.
Live run with 100% audit: For the first few batches, 100% of the work is audited to ensure that the operator has no misunderstanding about the job.
Normal live run

RIGHT EDITS/CHECKS EMBEDDED IN THE SOFTWARE

The following edits besides many others are put for each field keyed:

All data type checks such as Numeric, Alpha Numeric, Date
Algorithmic checks such as credit card number check digit check
All database validation checks such as if car name is Ford the company name must be GM
Future data prevention check, in this check, an operator cannot key a date which is beyond today’s date
Email format check
Web address format check
And many others…

12 OPERATOR QUALITY PROCESSES

Even after the operators have been trained and there is no misunderstanding with regard to how to key the job, there is a possibility of human error (keying error) or interpretation or just plain incorrect data on the document (e.g. wrong zip code for a given city). These errors must be cleaned out. For this a fool proof 12 stage process is put in place which is manned by different operators. This process is shown below and then explained after that:

First Operator: The input document is entered by this operator.
Second Operator: The input document is entered again in parallel to the entry being done by the first operator.
Third Operator: A compare program compares the output of the First Operator with that of the Second Operator electronically and flags the differences. These differences are displayed to this operator who can then do the appropriate correction.
Fourth Operator: A program checks if any one of the first three operators has entered the field but the other two have left it empty. It is possible that the information is written on a different part of the image and must be searched thoroughly all over the image. The operator can then do the appropriate entry for such hard to locate data.
Fifth Operator: There are fields which should have a certain format. E.g. in the Email field, domain endings should be from a standard set such as .com, or the prefix should not have more than one dot, and the @ sign should be there. Similarly if there is a Phone and a Fax, then the first 3 characters of the phone and fax number should match. If there are any such standard inconsistencies they are flagged and shown to this operator. This operator can then make the appropriate changes if required or accept the data as keyed
Sixth Operator: Fields can be pre-specified to go through a Spell Suggestor Software. There is a huge database that we have for types of words including human names in different countries. All words which do not match are flagged and displayed to an operator. This operator can then make changes if needed or accept what was keyed based on his judgment.
Seventh Operator: A program checks Cities/States against Zip Codes from database. All inconsistencies are flagged and displayed to this operator who can then make the appropriate changes.
Eighth Operator: Certain jobs require additional algorithm based checks, e.g. Credit Card Numbers. These checks are run programmatically against the keyed data and inconsistencies are flagged. These are displayed to this operator who can change them if necessary.
Ninth Operator: Since many changes have been made from operator 3 onward, it is possible that some of the changes may have violated the basic formats that were programmed. A program checks the database validations, format, size validations again at this stage and displays variations to this operator who can change them, if needed.
Tenth Person: This is a manual process. The data is printed and given to proof readers to mark for data they think is not correct. Marked data can be modified in the output.
Eleventh Operator: This is the audit process. 5% of each batch keyed is randomly selected and presented before this audit operator. Operators are given feedback by calling them and showing them the work being corrected. If there is more than a certain level of errors, the whole batch must be rekeyed from start.
Twelfth Supervisor Level Operator: 5% work of each Audit operator is checked to ensure the audit operators are doing a good job.