Data is one of the most important parts of your business. In order to have reliable data, you must maintain a high level of data accuracy. Unfortunately, this isn’t as easy as it may sound. With so much data coming in, it’s up to data entry specialists to perform their jobs quickly and diligently. One mistake can cause all of the data to be wrong.
Fortunately, businesses of all sizes rely on databases to keep their data safe and secure. However, the information going into the database needs to be correct. Below we share the most effective ways that you can improve database accuracy within your organization.
Identify Correct Data Sources
To improve the quality of incoming data, your business should identify where the data is coming from. All sources – internal and external – should be reliable. Otherwise, you could have incorrect data entering your database and skewing all of your numbers. Some of the most common places where data comes from are:
- Government organizations
- Research institutions
- Other businesses
- Self-reported data
Set Realistic Data Quality Goals
To keep improving data quality, it’s important to set realistic data quality goals. Management should understand where potential problems exist and how to resolve them. Generally speaking, data quality issues revolve around data capturing, data entry and effective coding. Management can then pass these goals down to their data entry specialists who can work on improving the issues.
Avoid Overloading Data Entry Specialists
For those who enter data into spreadsheets and databases, it’s easy to get fatigued. When a person isn’t sharp, it’s easier to make mistakes. This is why it’s important not to overload data entry specialists. These employees need time to be efficient and accurate. If there is a lot of data that needs to be entered, the work can split up among employees, or it can be spanned over the course of several weeks.
Double Check the Data Being Entered
Reviewing data is a smart practice that allows for mistakes to be caught. How does your business currently check for the data accuracy? Consider ways to streamline the process, such as by hiring a team of quality assurance professionals who can review your database. You can also use automated software tools that will generate error reports.
Maintain a Positive Work Environment
A healthy work environment results in more productivity and less errors. Maintain a positive work environment that includes regular break times, stress-relieving activities and manageable workloads. Data entry specialists have high expectations, and working under pressure doesn’t benefit this industry. This is when mistakes are made.
If you’re still having trouble with data quality, it may be your database solution and not your data entry specialists. Contact Arkware today to learn more about upgrading your database to something new.