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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Data Entry Agent

💰 $28,000 - $45,000 (annually, USD)

AdministrationData EntryOperationsCustomer ServiceRemote

🎯 Role Definition

A Data Entry Agent is responsible for accurately capturing, updating and maintaining critical business information into databases, spreadsheets, CRM systems and internal platforms. This role emphasizes precision, consistency, and speed while following data governance and confidentiality standards. The ideal candidate consistently delivers high data quality, supports cross-functional teams with timely information, and helps transform raw input into reliable records for operations, reporting and customer service.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Administrative Assistant or Office Clerk with data handling duties
  • Customer Service Representative who managed CRM updates and order entry
  • Virtual Assistant or Remote Administrative Support with data processing experience

Advancement To:

  • Senior Data Entry Specialist / Team Lead (overseeing a small team)
  • Data Quality Analyst or Data Steward (focus on governance and validation)
  • Operations Coordinator / Business Operations Analyst
  • Data Administrator or Database Support Specialist

Lateral Moves:

  • Records Clerk / Document Control Specialist
  • Billing and Accounts Receivable Specialist
  • Inventory Coordinator

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Accurately enter and update customer, product and transaction information into company databases, CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce), or spreadsheet templates while meeting daily volume and quality targets.
  • Verify, validate and reconcile incoming data against source documents (invoices, forms, emails, PDFs) to ensure completeness and correctness before final submission.
  • Perform routine data cleansing tasks such as removing duplicates, standardizing formats, correcting typos, and normalizing fields to maintain database integrity and searchability.
  • Transcribe handwritten or scanned documents into digital records using OCR tools and manual verification to ensure high fidelity of captured data.
  • Review incoming batches of records for missing fields, inconsistent values or formatting errors, flagging complex issues for supervisor review and documenting corrections.
  • Maintain and update master lists, reference tables and lookup values (e.g., product codes, customer IDs) to ensure downstream systems and reports use consistent identifiers.
  • Process high volumes of transactional entries (orders, claims, registrations) while tracking accuracy rates and meeting SLA turnaround times for same-day or next-day processing.
  • Create, maintain and follow standardized data entry templates, naming conventions and filing structures to support team efficiency and auditing.
  • Use spreadsheet functions (VLOOKUP, INDEX/MATCH, pivot tables, conditional formatting) to prepare, reconcile and summarize datasets for stakeholders.
  • Export, import and transform CSV, XLSX and XML files for batch uploads and integrations, ensuring correct delimiter, encoding and field mapping.
  • Document data entry procedures, change logs and exception handling steps to support training, audits and continuous improvement efforts.
  • Collaborate with IT or data teams to help troubleshoot upload failures, mapping issues, or database errors and test fixes in a staging environment.
  • Monitor data quality metrics (error rate, completeness %, processing time) and actively participate in root cause analysis to reduce recurring input errors.
  • Handle confidential and sensitive data in compliance with company privacy policies and applicable regulations (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA where relevant).
  • Respond to ad-hoc data requests from internal teams (sales, billing, operations), generating exports, filtered lists and basic summary reports as needed.
  • Maintain consistent typing speed and accuracy by practicing keyboard efficiency, meeting or exceeding target WPM and accuracy thresholds defined by the team.
  • Perform routine backups, archiving and document retention tasks for electronic records to preserve audit trails and restore points.
  • Provide quality control checks on colleague-entered records, offering constructive feedback and training tips to improve team performance.
  • Manage multi-channel data inputs (email, web forms, fax, EDI) by routing, prioritizing and completing entries according to processing rules.
  • Assist with the onboarding of new data sources or vendors by validating sample data, mapping fields and establishing acceptance criteria.
  • Escalate and document ambiguous or high-risk data items to supervisors, ensuring a clear audit trail and timely resolution.
  • Maintain a clean and organized digital workspace (folders, naming conventions) to facilitate rapid retrieval and handoff of data responsibilities.
  • Participate in periodic data audits and compliance reviews, providing supporting documentation and correcting historical inaccuracies as directed.
  • Provide input on process automation opportunities—suggesting macros, templates or low-code automations to reduce manual keystrokes and error rates.
  • Track and report daily productivity metrics, including records processed, exceptions raised, and time per entry, to help managers forecast resourcing needs.
  • Support remote and hybrid work workflows by using secure VPNs, endpoint protection and company-approved collaboration tools for data work.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis.
  • Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap.
  • Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements.
  • Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering team.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • High-accuracy data entry and data capture techniques with a proven track record of low error rates.
  • Typing speed of 50+ WPM (preferred 60+ WPM) with consistent accuracy across repetitive tasks.
  • Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including VLOOKUP/INDEX-MATCH, pivot tables, data validation and conditional formatting.
  • Comfortable using Google Sheets and cloud-based collaboration features (filters, protected ranges, sharing permissions).
  • Experience with CRM platforms (Salesforce, HubSpot, Zoho) for contact and transaction data updates.
  • Familiarity with basic SQL queries for quick lookups and simple joins when extracting verification datasets.
  • Knowledge of data import/export formats (CSV, TSV, XLSX, XML) and field mapping procedures for batch uploads.
  • Hands-on experience with OCR/scanning tools and validation workflows for digitizing paper records.
  • Data cleansing and deduplication techniques using built-in tools or third-party software (OpenRefine, Trifacta, etc.).
  • Basic understanding of data privacy and security best practices, including handling PII and access controls.
  • Experience with document management systems or ERPs (e.g., NetSuite, SAP basics) is a plus.
  • Familiarity with macros, simple scripting (Excel VBA or Google Apps Script) or RPA concepts to suggest process improvements.
  • Ability to use ticketing or task management tools (Jira, Asana, Zendesk) to track exceptions and follow-ups.

Soft Skills

  • Exceptional attention to detail and a rigorous approach to accuracy and consistency.
  • Strong time management and ability to prioritize high-volume workloads under tight deadlines.
  • Clear written and verbal communication for documenting issues and coordinating with cross-functional teams.
  • Problem-solving mindset: able to identify patterns causing errors and suggest corrective actions.
  • High levels of confidentiality and professionalism when handling sensitive information.
  • Adaptability to changing processes, new tools and evolving business rules.
  • Team-oriented attitude with willingness to peer-review and train colleagues.
  • Dependability and strong work ethic, especially in remote or independent work settings.
  • Customer service orientation when interacting with internal stakeholders and external partners.
  • Continuous learning approach to adopt new data tools and automation opportunities.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma or GED; equivalent combination of education and experience considered.

Preferred Education:

  • Associate degree or vocational certificate in Business Administration, Information Management, Data Management, or a related field.
  • Short courses or certifications in Microsoft Excel, data entry accuracy, or CRM tools are advantageous.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Business Administration
  • Information Management / Records Management
  • Computer Science (introductory)
  • Accounting or Finance (transactional data familiarity)
  • Office Administration

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 0–3 years of clerical or data entry experience for entry-level roles; 2–5 years for mid-level positions.

Preferred:

  • 1–2 years minimum experience with structured data entry, CRM updates or order processing.
  • Demonstrated experience meeting productivity targets and maintaining high accuracy.
  • Prior exposure to regulated data environments (healthcare, finance) is a plus.
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