How To Improve Your Data Entry

data entry hands typing keyboard

Data Entry Forms

For many individuals, Data Entry and Excel spreadsheets are a part of everyday work. You are one of these individuals you may want to consider a more efficient approach to your data entry. The two most common issues people face with data entry work are that it’s time-consuming and prone to errors. However, with the use of a data entry form, you can make your whole process faster and less prone to errors.

Data Entry forms make the work of entering cell after cell of data much more simple. Setting up a data entry form requires a bit of work as it is not a “ready to use” option available in excel.

Here are the steps to setting up a data entry form:

From your Quick Access Toolbar right click on any of the existing icons.

Click on ‘Customize Quick Access Toolbox’

customize quick access toolbar

In the ‘Excel options’ dialog box that will open, select the ‘All Commands’ option from the ‘Choose Commands From’ dropdown menu.

excel options all commands

From the list of commands select ‘Form’

excel options form

Click ‘Add” and then ‘OK’

You will now see a form icon in the Quick Access Toolbar

  • New – enters the data you have filled in and clears the form for the next entry
  • Delete – clears the data in the form
  • Restore – allows you to edit an existing entry and restore previous data
  • Find Prev and Find Next – lets you navigate backward and forwards through your entries
  • Criteria- allows you to find specific entries by one of the fields entered
  • Close – closes the form

Data entry forms can be very helpful when entering large amounts of data. These forms can speed up the process and cut down on possible errors.

Recording and Running A Macro

In addition to Data Entry forms, there are other ways to make your work more efficient through Excel macros. Let’s start by explaining what that term means. A macro is simply a collection of steps in Excel. If there are tasks that are done repeatedly you can simplify the process by creating a macro to achieve the work automatically.
Excel has the ability to record your steps and create macros from them. The steps that you record can then be played back to perform them over and over again as needed.

Here are the steps to creating a macro in excel:

First, you need to make sure you have the ‘Developer’ tab visible on your Ribbon.

On the top of your Excel page, right-click on any of the existing tabs  and select ‘Customize the Ribbon’

customize the ribbon

The Excel Options box will appear. On the right side, you will see a list of options, make sure the box labeled ‘Developer’ is checked.

customize the ribbon developer

Select OK on the bottom right corner. 

The Developer tab should now be visible on your ribbon.

Now record your Macro.
Select the Developer Tab and click ‘Record Macro’

A record macro box will appear. Fill out the name, shortcut key, location, and description, and click ok.
Once you click OK the macro will start recording right away.
Perform your steps and then click ‘Stop Recording’ to end the recording.

Running a macro you have created is quite simple and can be done even by those with no knowledge of VBA. Running a macro is as easy as just a click of a button.

First, click the insert area in the Developer tab
Select the button option and place it in the desired location on the worksheet.

A dialog box will appear for you to Assign Macro. Select the macro you want to be assigned and click ‘OK’
Now, this button will run the assigned macro whenever you click it.

Help With Automation

If you need further assistance with Excel Macros or Automation contact us at Right On Tech. We’re here to help you streamline the way you do business to help you grow.