How to Create an App for Data Entry?
Every organization has to perform data entry at some point or the other. Whether it is a simple employee details spreadsheet or a complex inventory management system, someone has to feed data into a computer.
Till the 1980s, all data entry was manual entered in systems and stored in paper files. However, people came up with automated ways of doing the same task. Data entry software started becoming very popular by the early 2000s.
Previously in large corporations, some people were specifically hired for this task. Thus, data entry became a full-time job and a source of income for many individuals. More than 35,000 people are employed in data entry jobs in the US alone. It is widely used today in a variety of industries, including healthcare, finance, retail, and research.
In research, data entry is required at the point of data collection. In some scenarios, new data comes up every second. It needs to be updated on a computer in real-time. Researchers out in the field need to focus on collecting new data and then interpreting the existing data to find logical conclusions. The tiresome task of data entry must be left to a software or application.
Advantages of Automatic Data Entry
Manual data entry is one of the worst options for any business. It slows down growth considerably. Here are some advantages of performing data entry automatically using an app:
- Reduces Human Error
In many industries, such as healthcare, the smallest of errors can prove to be deadly. If human beings are used for manual data entry, imagine the consequences if a patient’s specific detail is incorrectly entered in the database. On the other hand, using an app to enter patient details can help in saving lives. Similarly, in warehousing and retailing, all the SKU’s in the inventory have specific locations and quantities. Errors can result in items being lost in the warehouse and wrong orders sent to the customers. You can lose a lot of customers this way. Automatic data entry will ensure that all the details are entered correctly and customers are retained.
- Speed and Efficiency
Humans do not work at a constant rate during their whole shift timings. There are specific times at which they are more productive and some when they are less. Furthermore, data entry is an extremely monotonous and unexciting task. People can quickly get distracted or lose interest in their work. The boredom causes a lack of motivation, which further reduces their productivity. Automatic data entry helps to speed up the whole process. A computer program works at a constant rate and does not take any breaks. Hence, it is more efficient. However, to ensure efficiency, the software for the data entry app must be compatible with a large volumes of data.
- One-time cost only
Manual data entry requires human intervention. We should take the cost of human resources into account. Employees must be given appropriate compensation and benefits each month so that they continue to work. Larger firms need many data entry specialists to work for them because of the enormous volume and complexity of the data they deal with. If all these costs are considered, automatic data entry using an app will be much cheaper. Yes, we know that app development can be expensive, especially one with complex features, but it is a one-time cost. One automated software can take on the workload of many employees.
- Accessibility
Imagine you need a vital piece of information that is entered in a specific paper file or computer. The person who has access to the cabinet or the computer is not available. There is no way you can access the data. This is another major drawback of manual data entry. On the other hand, once data has been entered on a spreadsheet through an app, it is also stored on a cloud storage server. This means that it can be accessed from any device if you have the login credentials. As the data is more accessible, you can easily share it with anyone online.
- Re-ordering
This one is specific to inventory control. Manual data entry in warehouses has many drawbacks. A person will need to check the inventory regularly to see if there is a shortage or surplus of any item. If anything is short, the person will need to report it and then send a re-order request to the supplier manually. The use of AI in supply chain and automatic data entry simplifies this process to a great extent. When the quantity of a particular product is short of the desired number of stock, the system generates a re-order request to the supplier automatically. This way, you will never be out of stock.
- Reporting and Analysis
Manual data entry is a time-consuming process. This means that the analysis of data is carried out at a slow pace. Till the time the business owner receives information, it’s often too late to take any actions. Strategies, goal setting, and future planning all depend on how current your data is. Why not have automated data entry, which will allow you to analyze the data in real-time? An app will create charts and graphs from the data collected, making it more visually aesthetic and appealing. You can save these to your device for future reference. Furthermore, incorporating observability over data pipelines in this process ensures continuous monitoring and optimization of data flow, enhancing the efficiency and accuracy of detailed reports, which are vital for informed decision-making.
- Identification of Problems
If you enter data using a data entry app, and there is a problem that needs to be solved, an alert is generated immediately. For example, imagine that a device is measuring the temperature of a particular room that has sensitive equipment in it. The data from the device is being fed directly into the software. If the temperature increases or decreases beyond certain limits, the software will send an email or SMS alert to the person responsible, allowing corrective action can be taken. This will not be possible if the temperature data is entered into a computer manually after long intervals.
Now that you are convinced that the best option is to get an app to do your data entry let’s look at how to create one.
How to Develop an App?
Let’s look at the general procedure for developing an app. Then we will talk about data entry apps in particular. Here are seven steps:
- Think of an app idea
Before developing an app, you need to have a clear idea in mind. Apps can be used for hundreds of different purposes and can be helpful in many situations. You need to have a goal in mind. You need to know what exactly you want from your app and what value it will add to your business. If you think of getting an app for data entry, you should know who the app is for and what benefits the users will gain from using your app.
- Conduct vigorous market research
After you have locked your app idea, another crucial part of the pre-development stage is market research. Most successful app owners spend months or sometimes years studying the market. They look for similar apps already existing in the market and look for features that they have. The ideal way to gain a competitive advantage is to make a list of improvements you would like to make on those features.
- Make a list of features
What do you do after market research? You list down the features you would like in your own app. You don’t have to be very thorough at this stage. You can always add or remove features after you see how users respond to them. We will talk about specific features for data entry apps later in this blog. The cost of the app will depend on the type of features you would like and how complex they are.
- Come up with a marketing plan
It’s essential to market your app properly. You want people to leave outstanding reviews on the Play Store or App store, spreading positive word of mouth about your app. Marketing usually starts after the app is live, but you need to develop a plan in the pre-development stage. You can consider doing paid marketing on social media sites and taking help from App Store Optimization (ASO) services.
- Come up with a monetization plan
One of the most vital aspects of the pre-development stage is coming up with a monetization plan. You’re investing a massive amount of money into creating the app, hence, you need to make sure that you get a substantial return on your investment as well. You can earn money through various sources within the app. These include In-App Purchases, Subscriptions, Premium plans, and paid advertising. Advertisements can be in the form of banner ads, interstitial ads, native ads, and in-app video ads.
- Design your app
Come up with the wireframes for your app. Wireframes are two-dimensional skeletal outlines for the design of the app. They are similar to the blueprints that architects develop. Once you have the wireframes, start with the actual graphic design. The app must have an attractive User Interface (UI). This will help in retaining your users. For a data entry app, the design should be simple. It should allow users to enter the data smoothly and efficiently. If the data is read automatically, the app should present it to the user in an eye-catching way.
- Develop your app
Finally, you can start developing your app. There are multiple two main stages of development, the Alpha phase, and the Beta phase. We do not recommend that you develop the app yourself, as it is not an easy task. Hire a professional app development company and not freelancers. Freelancers will leave you hanging once the app is live, while a company will stand by your side until you start making ample profit. Contact us for more guidance.
Now let’s consider the features you must have in a typical data entry app.
Features in a Typical Data Entry App
Optical Character Recognition (OCR)
Optical Character Recognition (OCR) can be used to convert handwritten or printed text into machine-encoded text. This way, a person won’t have to type in the text manually. Paper documents can be scanned by the app. The OCR software will then convert text into a format that can be read by the computer. This way, forms can be pre-filled, and data entry employees can save a lot of time. Other advantages of OCR include higher productivity, cost reduction, higher accuracy, increased storage space, and more data security.
Furthermore, we can integrate barcode scanners with the application. This will be extremely useful in inventory control. When the user scans the barcode on any item, the data is entered automatically into the system. Its type, size, and new quantity are recorded, and the user can access the information at any time. The app can also have built-in templates for the data, which allows it to be sorted quickly and saves formatting time and cost. Also, there are many online tools that utilize this OCR technology and allow users to extract text from images with a single click.
Personalization
Data entry apps can allow their users a great deal of personalization. They can choose from a variety of built-in templates for their data. Users can also change the theme of the app. They can insert their own logo on each screen or selected ones. Moreover, fonts and text colors can also be customized. All these features attract users to the app because they feel more control over what they see. Allowing personalization is one of the easiest ways to satisfy users and give them a thrilling User Experience (UX).
Custom Actions
In addition to personalization, another unique feature that you can add to your data entry app is custom actions. Users can choose what they want to do with the data. This may seem to be a fundamental feature, but it’s another way to enhance their experience. They can share the data with whomever they wish. They can also set various alerts, which causes an alarm to go off if the data doesn’t meet their requirements. Along with the alarm, SMS and email alerts can also be sent automatically to the people responsible.
Graphical/Visual Representation
The best way to read information is through visual means. The data that is entered through the app can be given meaning when it is represented in graphical form. The app can generate different kinds of charts and graphs. Observing trends and patterns in the data becomes much easier this way. The app can observe these trends for you and create automatic reports at regular time intervals. Furthermore, the data can also be extracted into various formats, including Excel, CSV, and PDF.
Duplicate detection and Field Manipulation
Detecting and removing duplicate data can be an extremely tiresome task if done manually. But thankfully, your app can have this feature and do it for you. An algorithm can identify duplicate data entries in no time. It points them out to the user and deletes them. Moreover, data fields can be manipulated according to the user’s wishes. The user can add, delete, sort, or filter out data fields.
Macro recorder
An advanced feature that you should consider getting for your app is a macro recorder. If you enter data into a computer as a routine task, have you ever felt that it would be much easier if the keys you press and clicks you make are recorded? Well, macro recorders do just that! They record all your actions while you enter the data the first time. Then, the next time when you have to enter the same data, the macro recorder does it for you. Note that this feature is costly, and you should not include it in the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) for your application. You can add it after you know the general response to your app from the users.
The Bottom Line
You can develop your own app, but it is a costly and time-consuming process. To save your resources, you need to get it right. You need to have a top-notch idea and get the services of a professional app development company.
If you already have an idea for a data entry app, be sure to let us know here. We will advise you on what features you should have and how to earn money from your app. Of course, these will only be suggestions, and in the end, it’s entirely up to you.
