• Good command on spelling, punctuation and grammar skills in English are a pre requirement for a Data Entry worker.
• Skills in keyboarding, word processing, spreadsheets and database management would also be advantageous and this can be taken up in high school, or business school, community colleges, etc.
• Experience of administrative work along with Data Entry work is a definite help when looking for a job.
• Should have reading writing and good communication skills.
• Usage of office equipment such as scanners, fax machines, copiers etc, would be advantageous.
• Fast and accurate typing skills are also necessary for some jobs in Data Entry.
• Analytical skills are a requirement if data has to be collated from various sources.
• Ability to work as a team with other co-workers.

Perusing the computers in today’s world we come across various websites while searching for variety of points of interest that we have. In the composition of some of these websites the Data Entry people also play a major part. The role of a Data Entry worker differs according to the workplace that they are employed in and also what they are to feed into the computers. The duties of a Data Entry worker are important as they enter a day-to-day or weekly or monthly or periodic statistical or performance data and what they are assigned to type is a rough and skeletal copy which they have to convert to an accurate and well formatted one. The broad duties and responsibilities of a Data Entry worker are enumerated below.

• To type text and enter variety of data such as list of names, items, numbers and other data as assigned to them.
• Complete forms as per the details given to them.
• To edit data when there is a change in the information provided.
• Check and proofread the veracity of new data and correct it when required.
• Manipulate and edit information that is given to them and enter it flawlessly.
• Reformat data as per the requirement of the departments and customers.
• Make use of the machines to convert data onto magnetic tapes or disks for entry into computer systems.
• Make use of the non keyboard forms of Data Entry such as scanners and electronically transmitted files.
• Data Entry workers also are required to operate the computer peripheral equipment including printers and tape readers. They also perform the duty of a tape librarian and perform other clerical duties.
• Data Entry workers who work as typists also perform other official duties such as answering the telephone, take care of stationery distribution, filing and record keeping, operating photocopiers and other office machines.
• They not only prepare mailing lists but sometimes also print, attach it to envelopes and forward it to the mailing department, if there is one or frank it themselves and have them posted.
•  They are responsible for the computer and other office equipment that they use    and should maintain them.
•  Ensure that whatever data that is assigned for work and stored has to be kept confidential and private.
• Takes the help of software developers and programmers for troubleshooting any database problems that creep up.
• Generates statistical and data reports whenever requested for distribution to various departments or regional offices.
  • Takes care of any other duties assigned to them.

• The qualification for a Data Entry worker is not high as only a high school certificate is necessary to be eligible with a good percentile in English and mathematics.
• The language that they would be working in has to be one of the courses that they opt for in their high school curriculum as a proficiency in it is very much required.
• Knowledge of Data Entry software such as Microsoft Word, Excel spreadsheets and Microsoft Office would be a distinct advantage for someone who wants to become a Data Entry worker.

As such a license is not required to work as Data Entry worker. And so it is with certification too, but if you have certification then it demonstrates to your employer regarding your skills and abilities in a certain field. The type of certification that could be obtained by a Data Entry worker is enumerated below.

• Certification in the usage of Microsoft office could be a big help as almost all the data that is entered makes use of this software.
• Certification in tying also is necessary as typing skill is one of the requirements that a probable employer would be on the lookout for.

Computers are used in the modern world by almost all the companies, whether small firms or big corporations. The information that pertains to the company has to be transcribed into a computer data base and for this Data Entry workers are used. These Data Entry workers use their skills of hand and eye coordination to type in a huge amount of information into a computer or computer system (having servers). Some use their skills of letter writing, preparing reports, mailing labels and other text material. These workers go under various nomenclatures such as word processors, typists, Data Entry keyers and also by the not so common work titles such as electronic data processors, keypunch technicians and transcribers. They may have other duties along with entering of data which could be operating of various office machines and performing administrative duties.

Typists and word processors at the start of their careers make use of the keyboard to type out reports, letters, mailers, mailing labels and any other text material entrusted to them for typing.  With a few years of experience these typists or word processors are entrusted with slightly more intelligent, needing higher accuracy and using of individual judgements. They are assigned more technical work, type and prepare analytical and statistical statements, compile and rearrange data from various sources into cohesive and comprehensible statements and tables. The centralized typing pools or word processing teams work on transcriptions and typing for several departments.

Data Entry keyers make use of personal computers or computers systems attached to servers for the whole company. Their basic jobs include inputting list of items, numbers or other data such as names of clients and their relevant data, membership lists with details, medical records or any other kind of forms in which data has to be put in on a computer. The existing data is also reformatted by them, new data is rechecked for accuracy, and edit current information as required. They use character recognition systems, scanners, electronically transmitted files to help in their day to day work. These workers generally work from an office but sometimes they can work at odd hours when there is not much demand on the processing work from remote places such as their homes.

The Data Entry workers are also called out to perform other duties such as stationery in charge, operate office equipments such as fax, printers, tape readers, photocopiers, scanners, and perform other clerical and administrative duties.

The salary and earnings are categories which are driven by more than one factor. Salary and earnings tend to differ according to the number of years experience, the industry that work in, the employer type that hire them, the skills and specialty they bring to the table etc. A couple of factors that make salary and earnings differ are given below

• Years of Experience

• Experience of less than one year the salary range is between $ 21,930 and $ 40,765 and the hourly wage range is between $ 7.82 and $ 14.59.
• Experience between one to four years the salary range is between $ 17,522 and $ 34,174 and the hourly wage range is between $ 8.41 and $ 14.65
• Experience between five to nine years the salary range is between $ 19,805 and $ 40,411 and the hourly wage range is between $ 9.55 and $ 15.84.
• Experience between ten to nineteen years the salary range is between $ 21,113 and $ 39,274 and the hourly wage range is between $ 9.88 and $ 17.16.
• Experience of more than twenty years the salary range is between $ 21,483 and $ 45,483 and the hourly wage range is between $9.15 and $ 17.86.

• Employer Type

• When performing Data Entry jobs in a company they earn an annual salary in the range between $ 20,125 and $ 39,379 and hourly wage rate range between $ 8.62 and $ 15.08.
• When performing Data Entry jobs in a Government – Federal they earn an annual salary in the range between $ 19,260 and $ 39,453 and hourly wage rate range between $ 10.18 and $ 17.29.
• When performing Data Entry jobs in a government – state and local they earn an annual salary in the range between $ 19,357 and $ 42,282 and hourly wage rate range between $ 8.91 and $ 19.24.
• When performing Data Entry jobs in a Non – Profit Organization they earn an annual salary in the range between $ 23,668 and $ 38,107 and hourly wage rate range between $ 8.24 and $ 15.83.
• When performing Data Entry jobs in a School or School District they earn an annual salary in the range between $ 15,835 and $ 38,774 and hourly wage rate range between $ 8.47 and $ 17.54.
• When performing Data Entry jobs in a Private Practice or Firm they earn an annual salary in the range between $ 22,785 and $ 43,278 and hourly wage rate range between $ 9.06 and $ 14.88.
• When performing Data Entry jobs in a Hospital he earns an annual salary in the range between $ 22,260 and 39,443 and hourly wage rate range between $ 8.65 and $ 16.29.
• When performing Data Entry jobs in other organization they earn an annual salary in the range between $ 19,578 and $ 96,958 and hourly wage rate range between $ 8.93 and $ 16.53.
• When performing Data Entry jobs in college or university they earn an annual salary in the range between $ 14,497 and $ 37,782 and hourly wage rate range between $ 7.28 and $ 18.55.
• When performing Data Entry jobs on contract they earn an annual salary in the range between $ 24,000 and $ 35,000 and hourly wage rate range between $ 8.79 and $ 16.81.

This is a field which is dominated more by females than males and the ratio of females to males is 82% to 18%. The females tend to earn an annual salary range between $ 18,165 and $ 38,549 and the males earn in the range between $ 21,965 and $ 42,800.