Employer’s Guide to Effective Data Entry Assessment Testing

Business leaders consider data entry an important company function because management cannot make informed decisions if data is not current and accurate. Employees from data entry clerks to senior executives must organize and manage alpha and numeric data.

When they hire data entry operators, HR teams use a data entry assessment and a 10 key data entry test to evaluate applicants’ ability to enter information accurately, create spreadsheets, use basic cell formatting functions (e.g., change fonts and numbers and change alignments and borders), use formulas and math calculation functions, and generate reports.

Types of Data Entry Assessment Tests

Data entry assessment tests help recruiters evaluate candidates’ average typing speed, keystrokes per minute, and typing accuracy. They measure words per minute (WPM), errors per minute, and adjusted words per minute (the difference between WPM and errors).

Many HR teams also use data entry typing tests to measure keystrokes-per-hour (KPH), or how fast applicants can type. KPH tests typically include a series of words, phrases, or numbers that candidates must type as quickly and accurately as possible. They can be used to evaluate progress over time or compare people’s typing speeds. They are designed to help new hires and current staff improve muscle memory and touch-typing abilities (typing without looking at the keyboard).

Which Industries Use Data Entry Assessment Tests for Hiring?

Organizations in virtually every industry use Excel and data entry assessment tests to identify and hire top candidates. Since industries have unique requirements, standard data entry assessment tests may not necessarily be the best solution to identify top candidates. So, leading assessment solutions like the eSkill Assessment Library offer 10 key data entry tests, various Excel assessments, and long and short typing tests such as the following:

• Medical Typing
• Legal Typing
• Financial Typing
• Contact Data Entry
• Call Center Typing
• Form-Fill Data Entry
• Government Typing
• Business Text Typing
• MS Office (all years and versions)
• MS Excel (all years and versions)
• Typing 10-Key Data Entry

These are some examples of jobs that require fast and accurate typing and data entry skills.

• Data entry clerks
• Medical transcriptionists
• Journalists and editors
• Copywriters
• Computer programmers
• Secretaries and administrative assistants
• Court reporters
• Paralegals and legal support staff
• Translators
• Customer service representatives
• Emergency dispatchers and 911 operators
• Accountants
• Financial analysts

Why You Need Data Entry Assessment Tests

HR teams used to rely on traditional recruiting tools such as resumes and interviews to hire new employees. Unfortunately, this is no longer possible because almost 80% of applicants lie on their resumes. If HR staff use data entry assessment tests, they can instantly see which applicants are qualified for a job instead of relying on claims that may be inaccurate.

These are some ways organizations use data entry assessment tests to hire and onboard new employees.

• Applicant Screening: Organizations often receive thousands of applications for a single job posting, and reviewing them individually is inefficient and costly. When applicants complete data entry assessment tests, HR professionals can instantly see which candidates have the required skills and experience.
• Customize Assessment Tests: Companies have specific needs, and job requirements differ, soone-size-fits-all data entry assessments may not be effective, which is why HR leaders need the ability to customize assessments to match job roles. The eSkill Talent Assessment Platform^TM allows them to use off-the-shelf tests or build assessments from scratch by selecting questions from multiple skills tests. For example, if an HR team for a law firm was hiring a data entry clerk, they could build a test using questions from the Data Entry Operator, Legal Typing, and Legal Terminology tests and add Excel-related questions from the MS Office® assessment.
• Mimic Job Situations: The best way to verify applicants can do a job is to give them tasks they will complete during a typical day and see how they perform. The eSkill Talent Assessment Platform^TM offers MS Office®, Chat, Multitasking, and Digital Literacy Simulations. So, if you are looking for a data entry clerk with excellent Excel skills and good time management abilities, you can build an assessment using questions from the Data Entry Operator and Typing Tests, add a Multitasking simulation, and add Excel questions from the MS Office simulation.
• Speed Up Onboarding: Training new hires on material they already know wastes time that they could spend learning their new job. HR teams can expedite onboarding by using the results of data entry assessment tests to identify areas new hires already know. Then they can skip those topics and concentrate training where the new hires need help.
• Reduce Hiring Mistakes: Hiring mistakes are expensive and hurt productivity and staff morale. According to CareerBuilder, the cost of a bad hire can range from $17,000 to $240,000, including recruiting expenses, staff disruption, loss of customer goodwill, incomplete projects, and potential litigation. Using data entry assessment tests helps HR teams minimize the risk of hiring mistakes because they can immediately identify qualified candidates and weed out those without the required experience.

Get Started with Data Entry Assessment Tests

For you as an HR professional, testing data entry skills will provide the measurable data you need to evaluate candidates accurately, efficiently, and fairly.

Do you want to learn how data entry assessment and 10 key data entry tests can help you improve recruiting and hiring outcomes? Contact us to request a demo.