Growing Data Entry Business
It's no secret that data entry is a skill you can use to create your own sustainable income. While many people believe this to be too expensive or difficult to do, it doesn't have to be. When you start right with the basics, you'll learn just what it takes and how easy - even fun - it can be.
This article will take you through everything you need in order to get started before sharing all of the resources that are available online, including where and how much they cost. If you have any questions about data entry or are unsure about what program might work best for your needs, please feel free to contact us at DataEntryHelpers@gmail.com .
In the end, it comes down to figuring out what you want to do, learning what you need to know, and then getting started. Failure is always an option, but creating your own income is truly possible with a little thoughtfulness and the right tools.
Before We Start: The Main Things You'll Need for Data Entry Training
Software
Unless you are absolutely determined to do things regardless of desire or cost (which is not recommended), it's important that you start with a good data entry program. I recommend using programs from one of the major vendors such as Adestra , Contextures , TradeKey , or Keyword Tool . They're easy to learn and use, and they provide access to their own training courses as well as many online resources.
Flexible Hours
As you learn data entry, it's important that you have time to actually try the training. You'll need time to study, time to complete the tests, and time to figure things out on your own. Generally this means that you set aside a minimum of 3 hours per week for your self-imposed 'learning' hours. These three hours can be broken up into one or two sessions each day or just be one long session in a week. Whatever is easiest for you, but these three hours are a must.
Personal Computer
While it is possible to learn on a tablet or even a smartphone, I highly recommend finding a good home computer or laptop. You'll need to be able to access all of the training materials that you find online and you really need the extra power and storage that you'll find with a home computer.
Training Materials
While there are some good free resources available online, the best place to start is actually through paid courses. The data entry courses mentioned above come with plenty of support and quality materials, so this step isn't really optional.
Training Course
While you might be able to get by without ever taking a course, it's much more likely that you'll need one for some of the things you want to know. In addition to the main course, I recommend getting a few additional training modules or programs.
Online Training Courses
As mentioned above, there are plenty of options available online. The two I recommend most highly are Adestra's Learning Center and Contextures' Data Entry College . These courses have been designed with the beginner in mind, so they don't contain too much technical data and they focus on the skills and basic understanding that are most important. They're also very inexpensive, with enrollments as low as $9.99 per month .
Training Supplements
If you want more than what is available in the data entry courses, that's understandable. The best place to start is probably Contextures' Main Course , which has several modules that are based on the trades you want to perform. The good news is that these trade modules can be purchased individually for only $2.99 each or all together for just $10.00, so there's no excuse not to buy them now and 'save up' to buy the whole course later if you choose. Note: before investing in any training product, double check their pricing by visiting the store at www.contexturesdataentry.com .
Training Modules
While some people prefer to do things on their own, there's no denying that having supplemental training is a huge help. These programs are generally rather inexpensive, with most of them only costing around $5.00 each. You can find these at www.contexturesdataentry.com or through the links provided above in the section on training courses.
Other Resources Online
Obviously you'll want to make use of other online resources, including forums and articles from a variety of people and organizations. The best place to start is probably Google , as almost every question you might have can be answered simply by entering 'MS Excel data entry' (or whatever your need) into Google and hitting search. You'll have to sift through some bad advice and less-than-useful hits, but it's usually worth the effort.
Keyboard Speed
One of the most important skills for data entry is being able to type quickly and accurately. While you can use a large electronic keyboard if you wish, I far prefer to stick with a regular keyboard. If you're interested in using a standard keyboard, be sure that you can actually reach all of the keys without having to stretch or bend in any way. The easiest way is probably to use an ergonomic 'split' style keyboard (which you can find at www.logitech.com ).
The Best Data Entry Training Courses
Data Entry Training Course
Adestra's Learning Center (click through to this page, then to the CD version)
Price: $9.99/month; $99.00 per year This is one of my personal favorite data entry programs. They've designed a very easy-to-use training course with minimal technical data to muddle things up, but it also provides plenty of hands-on practice and is highly interactive. It was designed with beginning data entry students in mind, and it really shows in how easy it is to learn how to use the software.
Flexible Learning Hours
This course is designed to help you learn rather than master, so it's not recommended that you attempt to learn everything at once. Rather than a standard set of modules, each lesson is only one hour long and you can choose how much time you want to spend on the program at a time during the course. This means that it's always possible to 'catch up' if your schedule isn't allowing for full study sessions.
Personal Computer Required
This program uses Windows, so it's recommended that you have some form of Windows operating system installed on your computer.
Conclusion: If you want easy to understand training that has a minimum of technical data and focuses on the skills you'll actually need, Adestra's Learning Center is hard to beat.
When the Data Entry Course is Just Too Long
One of the biggest complaints with learning everything at once is that it can be overwhelming. While there are two courses above that cover everything you'll need to know, there are also several 'sub-courses' available that focus on one particular aspect at a time. If this sounds more appealing, then these three courses are definitely worth checking out: • Data Entry Basics Course – This course teaches you all of the basic skills for good data entry work (e.g., keyboard shortcuts, mouse skills, etc.