Every firm generates a lot of data in the course of its functioning. Such data can be of a variety of types: Records of transactions, list of orders by serial number, transaction statistics, and a host of other things. These facts and figures are recorded on a daily, monthly or even (sometimes) yearly basis. They are most commonly maintained in the form of sheets, spreadsheets and charts; with the aim of reverting to these for reference in case the need arises. It’s difficult for a firm to take informed decisions unless a data-based record is maintained, regarding the details of each and every contract and transaction that were participated in by the firm. Without data entry, a firm would be lost. However, all said and done, it cannot be denied that maintaining a database and updating it from time to time, is an extremely boring and tedious task. Recording data under various heads in the database is an arduous and un-stimulating task. For one, it has no use for the intellectual capability (thereby being almost in the same category as strictly physical work). It also prevents a huge part of the firm’s staff from directing their energies towards more productive work. Therefore, the need for outsourcing to a data entry company inevitably arises.

Outsourcing the data entry work offers a lot of benefits to a company.

• Firstly, it would save the client from wasting his or her time, such as what has been previously mentioned.

• Secondly, owing to the expertise of the staff in a data entry company and the large number of people who are employed in it, there is a greater concentration of efficiency and time management devoted to the data that is to be recorded. Thus, not only does this result in an increase in quality of the data arrangement (as regards the indexing, heading-giving, categorising and charting), but it also marks betterment of the work turnaround rate. Contrast this to hiring data entry experts with an organisation— first of all, manual data entry would be extremely expensive for a firm to bear; and due to this, there would only be a limited number of people that the firm would be able to hire.

• Going for outsourcing would solve a two-fold problem that would arise, in case any firm decided to do all the data entry work by themselves. It would greatly increase the firm’s monthly expenses. So, it would be safe to say that it would be a loss rather than gain on the firm’s part, if it hires people for the sole purpose of data entry. And that is not even considering the yearly bonuses and leaves that would have to be granted to extra staff. Combining all of that together, it sounds not too good an idea.