Whether you are thinking about starting a freelance career as a data processor or if you are trying to understand how to best meet the needs of your business when it comes to data it may be helpful to learn some of the top data processing terms. Although the terms may seem simple, it is helpful to have a full understanding of what each means and how to best use the principles that apply to data processing.
The first top term is direct data entry which is the name of the method used when data is extracted directly out of a data system on a computer and used immediately. Unlike most data processing tasks, this term relates to data that is given to users directly and then processed at a later date.
Another popular term is data preparation which is the term for the process in which data is directly imputed into a computer for use later. For example, a type of common data preparation is scanning a document that you do not plan to interpret until later.
The next two terms usually are completed in a set: data capture and data verification. Data capture is the process of taking data and then putting in into a computer to be utilizes right away such as when the gas man reads your gas meter and translates the data into creating your bill.
However, in order for all of your results to be correct after data capture the process of data verification must be fully employed. This is the task that includes checking the data twice once it is transferred to make sure that everything is correct and that nothing was left in transmission.
Two additional methods that are usually confused are archiving and backup processes. While both require you to store data, a backup is an additional copy of data that is created and archived while archiving usually refers to placing the first set of data in a safe storage space for an extended amount of time. Backups and archives can both refer to soft and hard ways to store data such as a printed copy or a CD copy.