# Data entry: acceptable error rate

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/data-entry-acceptable-error-rate/107356>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 5, 2002, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/data-entry-acceptable-error-rate/107356 "2002-05-05T03:42:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Beruang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/77aa72/32.png) [@Beruang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beruang)\
**Post date:** [May 5, 2002, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/data-entry-acceptable-error-rate/107356/1 "2002-05-05T03:42:25Z")

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Is there a rule of thumb for how many errors a data entry peson should make? I mean, none of us are perfect – when human beings enter numbers into a computer, there are going to be some slip-ups. I accept that. But is there a percentage above which we have left the realm of random chance and entered the domain of just sloppy work?

(Some background, if it helps: I am membership chair of a sub-committe of a national organization. Every month, headquarters sends me two lists: one of all active members in my committee – currently hovering around 800 – and another showing everyone who has renewed or joined for the first time in the past month – usually about 80. I recently noticed that on that new/renew list, about 20% of the activity is mis-identified: people who are actually new are listed as renewed; people who are actually renewed are listed as new. This led me to look at the All Active Members list more closely. I found a lot of incorrect expiration dates. And since members are purged from the list based on expiration date, I also checked past lists. Sure enough, there were members who had been purged, based on faulty dates. I calculate between 4% and 5% of the expiration dates were entered incorrectly. Of course, the number could be higher – I’m basically looking for members who are _missing,_ as opposed to proofreading data on members still on the list.)

With thanks in advance for your help,

– Beruang

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**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\
**Post date:** [May 5, 2002, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/data-entry-acceptable-error-rate/107356/2 "2002-05-05T04:01:48Z")

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When I signed up with the temp agency they had me do a data entry test; anyone who made more than a certain number of errors would not be given data entry assignments. I don’t remember what the acceptable rate was (you might try calling a local agency and asking what their standard is), but the percentages you’re giving sound pretty bad to me.