UNSD-UNESCAP Regional Workshop on Census Data Processing: Contemporary technologies for data capture, methodology and practice of data editing, documentation and archiving Bangkok, Thailand, September 2008 Manual Data Capture – Key Entry

UNSD-UNESCAP Regional Workshop on Census Data Processing: Contemporary technologies for data capture, methodology and practice of data editing, documentation and archiving Bangkok, Thailand, September 2008 Forms To Data File Data Capture Key Entry data capture

UNSD-UNESCAP Regional Workshop on Census Data Processing: Contemporary technologies for data capture, methodology and practice of data editing, documentation and archiving Bangkok, Thailand, September 2008 Key Entry – Main characteristics  Computer-assisted keyboard data entry usually uses personal computer data entry programs with built-in logical controls.  Some of the tasks accomplished by the programs are: Verifying that EA codes are valid and copying them automatically from one record to the next; Assigning a number to each person in a household automatically and to each household within an EA; Switching record types automatically if required; Checking that variable values are always within pre-determined ranges; Skipping fields if the logic indicates doing so; Supporting keyboard verification of the information entered earlier; Generating summary statistics for the operator and the batch.

UNSD-UNESCAP Regional Workshop on Census Data Processing: Contemporary technologies for data capture, methodology and practice of data editing, documentation and archiving Bangkok, Thailand, September 2008 Key Entry – Main characteristics  Coding complex classifications (occupation, industry, education) can be included in a computer-assisted keyboard data entry application,  Or a clerical process prior to keying to assign the classification class to be key entered.  In order not to delay the data capture task, data entry applications should limit checking to problems that are: Either very serious (for example, wrong EA code), Or likely to be caused by a simple misread or key entry mistake. More sophisticated checking is deferred until the editing stage.

UNSD-UNESCAP Regional Workshop on Census Data Processing: Contemporary technologies for data capture, methodology and practice of data editing, documentation and archiving Bangkok, Thailand, September 2008 Key Entry – Main characteristics  This method requires relatively simple software systems (if complex coding not included)  Requires many more staff than automated data capture method  More elapsed time to complete.

UNSD-UNESCAP Regional Workshop on Census Data Processing: Contemporary technologies for data capture, methodology and practice of data editing, documentation and archiving Bangkok, Thailand, September 2008 Key Entry – Elements for decision  Decision to use manual entry versus automated entry may take into account: Timetable requirements Relativities between staff and hardware costs. Possibility to implement more sophisticated technology  Where staff costs are low and computing infrastructure is moderate, keyed entry may be the optimal method.

UNSD-UNESCAP Regional Workshop on Census Data Processing: Contemporary technologies for data capture, methodology and practice of data editing, documentation and archiving Bangkok, Thailand, September 2008 Key Entry – Software  Basic key entry programmes: Used in-house or outsourced  Software packages: CsPro...  User specific applications: Developed in-house or outsourced

UNSD-UNESCAP Regional Workshop on Census Data Processing: Contemporary technologies for data capture, methodology and practice of data editing, documentation and archiving Bangkok, Thailand, September 2008 Thank You