Manual Data Entry Problems and Solutions

The aim of this article is to challenge the ops team and the HR department, who still rely on manual data entry. This practice is outdated and should be replaced with a better solution—namely, one that drives digital transformation. 

In today’s heavily digitalised world, businesses have mountains of data at their fingertips. In fact, we suffer from chronic data overload. This, in turn, urges us to ensure that data is collected, categorised, and stored correctly. It is absolutely vital to collect only the valuable insights that can guide you in decision-making.

Not long ago, capturing data involved employees entering figures into spreadsheets. However, this method is no longer sufficient; in fact, it has become positively harmful. Manual data entry presents several pitfalls that businesses need to consider, and we will discuss them in this article, along with actionable solutions to address the issue.

How Do You Avoid Manual Data Entry Errors?

There are several preventative measures to reduce the risk of manual data entry mistakes. These include:

• Use integrations to transfer data between tools;

• Use one source of truth;

• Train your team on data handling;

• Determine what data is most relevant to you;

• Stop collecting and tracking the rest;

• Keep your database tidy; 

• Understand and correctly determine data sources;

• Automate the process.

The final point is the one we will delve into today. Simply put, it already encompasses most of the counter-measures and connects them. But first, let’s clarify what makes it a superior approach.

Why Manual Data Entry is Bad for Business

The problem with entering data manually is far greater than simply being outdated. A few years ago, automating certain tasks was a novel approach; today, it is an absolute necessity. Failing to delegate tasks like data entry to machines can result in significant financial and productivity losses, as well as give your competitors an upper hand. Let’s explore this in more depth.

It’s a Slow Process…

Even if an employee is a keyboard whizz, manually inputting data is a time-consuming task. Given the amount of data businesses now rely on, it’s simply not feasible for employees to spend endless hours sifting through it to derive any value. Not when an automated system could handle it in a matter of seconds.

Additionally, every role involves a multitude of other tasks that require human judgment. Spending time on operations that could be automated results in overall decreased productivity. Moreover, it risks diverting your full attention from the decision-driven assignments that are often vital to the business.

...And an Expensive One

With that said, it’s important to remember that time is money. Tasks requiring a human touch, such as liaising with clients, are the ones worth paying for. Manual data insertion, a process that software can perform in much shorter time frames, is not.

Ultimately, wages are wasted on paying staff to sit at their desks keying in figures when they could be using their time for something more worthwhile. You won’t make money if your staff spends an hour typing numbers into a spreadsheet; however, you will make money if that hour is spent closing a deal.

Other Potential Issues

Unfortunately, the problems don’t end here. While manual entry reduces the efficiency and profitability of the process, it also brings more serious consequences. Namely, it affects your relationships with both clients and workers.

There’s a Big Risk of Human Error

Regardless of how skilled employees are at their jobs, there is always a risk of making mistakes. In the world of data, even a small discrepancy can significantly skew information and lead to serious repercussions. Errors may go undetected, resulting in a business basing decisions on incorrect information.

Mistakes can be very costly, especially when the data involves a business's finances. A small error could result in an important final figure being incorrect, which could negatively impact invoicing, budgets, and account balances. Identifying errors and correcting all subsequent information also consumes time and resources, and any delays or inaccuracies could harm client relationships.

It Could Disengage Your Team

Spending an entire day inputting numbers into a spreadsheet is not the most rewarding task. It is laborious at best and may demotivate your team, affecting their job satisfaction.

If not challenged with tasks that require critical thinking, solution-finding, and learning in a process, your staff may burn out quickly. They won’t feel valued or believe that their contributions matter. Most importantly, they will no longer feel the motivation to put in effort. Consequently, you will see a decline in their performance. Overall, it’s better to have a robot handle the data while your employees engage in more fulfilling tasks.

One Solution to All

The only way to eliminate the pitfalls of manual data entry is to automate the process. Investing in quality automation software will save you significant amounts of money. It will also enable your employees to spend their time on progress-driving tasks.

Pay and Bill Automation Software

Timesheet Portal records time and expenses, helping you pay workers and bill clients more efficiently. Whether you need a mid-office solution for your recruitment agency or you are managing projects, it’s guaranteed to simplify your life. Here’s how:

• Track time easily and set rules and overtime calculations, linking to rates to monitor internal costs and margins;

• Track client and internal expenses and mileage, record in different currencies, and send receipts directly from your phone;

• Automate customer invoices directly from the time and expenses system;

• Manage project expenditure and budgets, analyse employee productivity and utilisation across projects;

• Generate self-billing invoices for limited company contractors and manage holiday accrual, AWR and pay run exports for PAYE staff.

These are just a few features that Timesheet Portal has to offer. Along with our dedicated support team and valuable resources, your only regret will be not trying it out sooner. 

Summary

Digital transformation is not just a buzzword; it’s no longer simply the way forward. It is the present. Although it is associated with the latest technologies and complicated operations, in reality, it’s all about optimising your standard day-to-day tasks to reap greater benefits. Data entry is one of these tasks. Not only is manual keying tedious and boring, but it’s also prone to errors and wastes valuable time that could be better spent driving the growth of your business.

Therefore, it’s one of the areas where digital transformation is most effective. Automating data entry will expedite the process, reduce the risk of human error, and boost your team’s morale by allowing them to concentrate on fulfilling progress-oriented tasks.

Discover how to lead digital transformation in your company. It’s simpler than you think.