Transcription errors are human data entry errors usually caused by typographical mistakes. These errors occur when employees are fatigued, not paying close attention, or accidently input the wrong figures or information. No matter what industry, data entry errors can cost organizations valuable time and resources rectifying mistakes with varying degrees of severity. 

Mistakes present unique challenges in different industries. While in commercial industries, human errors can cause unfulfilled or overfilled orders. In the health care industry, patient data mistakes can cost lives or lead to serious problems with insurance claims. Whenever employees are expected to input long streams of data for hours each day, there is an undeniable high risk for errors to occur. Organizations that depend on the reliability of their data are constantly seeking out new ways to eliminate human error.

Don't let human data entry errors hold your company back.

 

What are some ways to reduce the risk of human data entry errors?
A working environment can make or break the creative and productive flow of an office. Employees who feel constantly rushed to meet tight deadlines are more prone to type fast and not proofread, causing them to misspell, mistype or enter duplicate information without noticing their mistake. Even if workers aren't pushed to meet deadlines, manual data entry can be a mundane task that causes employees to not be diligent about preventing mistakes.

Simply encouraging employees to take plenty of breaks or playing soothing classical music in the office may help keep workers in a positive mood and not grow more careless as the day progresses. The area that employees work in should also be evaluated. While upgrading desk chairs, computers or other necessary office equipment may seem like a large expense at first, over time, if employees are more comfortable and supported during their work day, they will make less mistakes, leading to less problems for an organization. Companies that make less mistakes directly lead to more revenue and market respectability.

Taking it one step further with data automation software
While all of these methods are effective for reducing the risk of human error, none of them alone can eliminate the threat altogether like data automation software can. Instead of solely relying on employees to input crucial operational data from spreadsheets and other text sources, automation software does the work for them. This kind of technology can instantly upload information from a variety of sources into a single database, organizing structured, semi-structured and even unstructured data in a meaningful way.

From having all crucial work-related data in a central location, employees can easily access and analyze this information, leading to further workplace innovation and market growth. Organizations that are looking for a reliable way to structure their operational data should consider one of SiMX's Visual Data Discovery software tools and solutions. Compatible with a wide variety of paper and web formats, this software will input and present data in an easy-to-read format.