--- title: "Best Data Entry Software - 2026 Reviews & Pricing" description: "Find the best Data Entry Software for your organization. Compare top Data Entry Software systems with customer reviews, pricing, and free demos." source_url: "https://www.softwareadvice.com/data-entry/" page_type: "category" language: "en" --- [Home](https://www.softwareadvice.com/) / Data Entry Software Software Advice offers objective insights based on verified user reviews and independent product and market research. When our advisors match you to a software provider, we may earn a referral fee. # Best Data Entry Software of 2026 Updated November 3, 2026 On this page 1. FrontRunners 2. Popular Comparisons 3. Buyers Guide 4. Related Software Filter products 147 results ### Compare Products Showing 1 - 25 of 147 products #### Company Size - Self-Employed - 2-10 - 11-50 - 51-200 - 201-500 - 501-1000 - 1000+ #### Pricing Options - $$$$$ - $$$$$ - $$$$$ - $$$$$ - $$$$$ ### Compare Products Sort by **Sponsored**: Sorts listings by software vendors running active bidding campaigns, from the highest to lowest bid. Vendors who have paid for placement have a ‘Visit Website’ button, whereas unpaid vendors have a ‘Learn More’ button. **Reviews**: Sorts listings by the number of user reviews we have published, greatest to least. **Average Rating**: Sorts listings by overall star rating based on user reviews, highest to lowest. **Alphabetically (A-Z)**: Sorts listings by product name from A to Z. ### [Appenate](/inspection/appenate-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.7/5 - Reviews: 173 - Starting price: $20.00/month - Best for: Small businesses - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Submit inspection forms and safety audits rapidly with our adaptable, no-code mobile app builder. Equip field workers with AI-powered voice fill, offline data capture, and GIS [Read more](/inspection/appenate-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Custom Development: 5/5 - Deployment Management: 5/5 - Version Control: 5/5 - Contact Database: 5/5 [See all features](/inspection/appenate-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### S T A N D A R D - Price: $20.00/month - Create and run data-driven apps • All Screen Types • Standard Connectors • Unlimited Storage • ##### P R E M I U M - Price: $28.00/month - Enterprise features that mean business • All Screen Types • All Connectors • Unlimited Storage • [See full pricing details](/inspection/appenate-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Process Runner](/erp/process-runner-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.6/5 - Reviews: 28 - Free trial: Not available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Process Runner eliminates SAP's biggest pain point - getting data in and out quickly. By turning Excel into a direct line to SAP, business users skip manual copying, avoid IT [Read more](/erp/process-runner-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Third-Party Integrations: 5/5 - Data Storage Management: 5/5 - Task Scheduling: 5/5 - General Ledger: 5/5 [See all features](/erp/process-runner-profile/#key-features) --- ### [Intellimas](/master-data-management/intellimas-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.7/5 - Reviews: 27 - Starting price: $15.00/month - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Intellimas is an enterprise level, low code, web application builder. Build your own apps or allow us to build them for you. Intellimas has a multi-level spreadsheet view along [Read more](/master-data-management/intellimas-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Real-Time Data: 5/5 - Student Information/Records: 5/5 - Metadata Management: 5/5 - API: 5/5 [See all features](/master-data-management/intellimas-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Cloud - Price: $30.00/month - Prices based on volume. Read only and partner licenses are $10/user/month. No limitations on the ##### On Premise - Price: $15.00/month - Prices based on volume. Read only and partner licenses are $10/user/month. No limitations on the [See full pricing details](/master-data-management/intellimas-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [doForms](/workflow/doforms-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.4/5 - Reviews: 8 - Starting price: $9.95/month - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview doForms is a cloud-based form creation software designed to help small to large businesses in government, education, healthcare, and other industries gather, connect, and share any [Read more](/workflow/doforms-profile/) #### Pricing ##### Basic - Price: $9.95/month [See full pricing details](/workflow/doforms-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [FS.Net](/data-extraction/fs-net-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.5/5 - Reviews: 4 - Starting price: $2,179.00one time - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview FS.Net is a powerful reporting and analytics software suite designed to give manufacturers a comprehensive view of their entire operation. By bringing together Statistical Process [Read more](/data-extraction/fs-net-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Reporting/Analytics: 5/5 - Real-Time Reporting: 5/5 - Data Connectors: 5/5 - Customizable Reports: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Workflow Management: 3/5 - Multiple Data Sources: 4/5 - Search/Filter: 4/5 - OPC Data Collection: 4/5 [See all features](/data-extraction/fs-net-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### FSWorks - Price: $2,179.00one time - One-Time License Fee per Workstation [See full pricing details](/data-extraction/fs-net-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Cognito Forms](/form-builder/cognito-forms-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.8/5 - Reviews: 267 - Starting price: $0.00 - Best for: Real-Time Data - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Cognito Forms is a cloud-based software that enables businesses to design, publish and manage a variety of forms. The platform includes a drag-and-drop form builder, which allows [Read more](/form-builder/cognito-forms-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Alerts/Notifications: 5/5 - Response Validation: 5/5 - Data Security: 5/5 - Drag & Drop: 4.9/5 ##### Worst rated features - Conditional Logic: 4/5 - Dashboard Creation: 4/5 [See all features](/form-builder/cognito-forms-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Individual - Price: $0.00 - Create powerful forms for free. ##### Pro - Price: $19.00/month - 14-Day free trial. For 2 users. Additional $5 to add per user per month. Prices shown reflect annual ##### Team - Price: $39.00/month - 14-Day free trial. For 5 users. Additional $5 to add per user per month. Prices shown reflect annual [See full pricing details](/form-builder/cognito-forms-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [EBS Toolbox](/data-management-platforms/ebs-toolbox-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.8/5 - Reviews: 46 - Free trial: Not available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview If you're evaluating data-loading solutions for Oracle E-Business Suite, chances are Web ADI's rigid templates or DataLoad's brittle, upgrade-sensitive macros have already caused a [Read more](/data-management-platforms/ebs-toolbox-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - HR Management: 5/5 - Employee Profiles: 5/5 - Approval Process Control: 5/5 - Online Invoicing: 5/5 [See all features](/data-management-platforms/ebs-toolbox-profile/#key-features) --- ### [SaasAnt Transactions](/accounting/saasant-transactions-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.8/5 - Reviews: 271 - Starting price: $25.00/month - Best for: Value for money - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview SaasAnt Transactions, built for Quickbooks, is a data entry solution that helps businesses import, review, delete, and map daily transactions on a centralized platform. The history [Read more](/accounting/saasant-transactions-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Income & Balance Sheet: 5/5 - Accounting: 5/5 - Audit Trail: 5/5 - Customer Engagement: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Payroll Management: 3.8/5 [See all features](/accounting/saasant-transactions-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Launch - Price: $25.00/month - Free trial is available ##### Launch - 3 - Price: $30.00/month - Price starts from 3 computers [See full pricing details](/accounting/saasant-transactions-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Culverdocs](/inspection/culverdocs-profile/) - Overall rating: 5.0/5 - Reviews: 66 - Starting price: £20.00/month - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Culverdocs is a fully configurable, no-code platform that allows you to convert your existing paper-based documents into digital forms to transform how you collect, process, and [Read more](/inspection/culverdocs-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - API: 5/5 - Reporting/Analytics: 5/5 - Activity Dashboard: 5/5 - Customizable Branding: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Dispatch Management: 1/5 - Image Capture: 4/5 - Data Quality Control: 4/5 [See all features](/inspection/culverdocs-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Basic - Price: £20.00/month [See full pricing details](/inspection/culverdocs-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [PhraseExpander](/medical-transcription/phraseexpander-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.8/5 - Reviews: 136 - Starting price: $79.00one time - Best for: Ease of use - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview PhraseExpander is an on-premise data entry solution that helps healthcare professionals capture notes and share them with team members in real-time. The platform allows employees [Read more](/medical-transcription/phraseexpander-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Computer Assisted Coding: 5/5 - Customizable Macros: 5/5 - Decision Support: 5/5 - Charting: 5/5 [See all features](/medical-transcription/phraseexpander-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Standard - Price: $79.00one time - Great to get started with text expansion​. ##### Professional - Price: $179.00one time - All features. Ideal for teamwork. ##### Medical - Price: $279.00one time - Ideal for medical practices. [See full pricing details](/medical-transcription/phraseexpander-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Docparser](/data-extraction/docparser-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.8/5 - Reviews: 127 - Starting price: $0.00/month - Best for: Customer support - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Docparser is a cloud-based document data extraction solution that helps businesses of all sizes retrieve data from PDFs, Word docs & image files. By automating the document-based [Read more](/data-extraction/docparser-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Email Address Extraction: 5/5 - Phone Number Extraction: 5/5 - Data Aggregation and Publishing: 5/5 - Customer Database: 5/5 [See all features](/data-extraction/docparser-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Free - Price: $0.00/month - Free forvever with limited use. ##### Starter - Price: $39.00/month - Allows automation for individual needs. ##### Professional - Price: $74.00/month - This plan is meant for small teams. [See full pricing details](/data-extraction/docparser-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [DbVisualizer](/rdbms/dbvisualizer-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.8/5 - Reviews: 131 - Starting price: $0.00 - Best for: Features - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview DbVisualizer is a universal database tool that helps businesses monitor and analyze the performance of multiple databases through various operating systems including Windows, macOS [Read more](/rdbms/dbvisualizer-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Drag & Drop: 5/5 - Third-Party Integrations: 5/5 - Data Retrieval: 5/5 - Workflow Management: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Real-Time Monitoring: 4/5 - Full Text Search: 4/5 - Monitoring: 4/5 [See all features](/rdbms/dbvisualizer-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Free - Price: $0.00 - This plan is free of cost and offers a 21-day free trial. ##### Pro - Price: $199.00/year - The plan charges $89 from second year onwards. ##### Pro 2 - Price: $229.00/year - The plan charges $119 from second year onwards. [See full pricing details](/rdbms/dbvisualizer-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [HubSpot Data Hub](/bi/piesync-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.8/5 - Reviews: 264 - Starting price: $50.00/month - Best for: Value for money - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Operations Hub allows you to easily sync customer data and automate business processes. It supercharges your HubSpot CRM by synchronizing contacts, leads, and company data with [Read more](/bi/piesync-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Data Storage Management: 5/5 - Real-Time Data: 5/5 - CRM: 5/5 - Multiple Data Sources: 4.8/5 ##### Worst rated features - Shared Contacts: 3.5/5 - Data Retrieval: 3.7/5 - Workflow Management: 3.7/5 - Dashboard: 4/5 [See all features](/bi/piesync-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Starter - Price: $50.00/month - The plan is billed monthly. ##### Professional - Price: $800.00/month - The plan is billed monthly. ##### Enterprise - Price: $2,000.00/month - The plan is billed at $24,000/year. [See full pricing details](/bi/piesync-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Formaloo](/app-building/formaloo-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.7/5 - Reviews: 265 - Starting price: $0.00/month - Best for: Ease of use - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Formaloo is the world’s leading free form builder and no-code platform for creating powerful forms, surveys, dashboards, CRMs, and custom business apps, all without writing a [Read more](/app-building/formaloo-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Surveys & Feedback: 5/5 - File Sharing: 5/5 - Template Management: 5/5 - Progress Tracking: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Collaboration Tools: 2/5 - Voice Recognition: 3/5 [See all features](/app-building/formaloo-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Free - Price: $0.00/month ##### Pro - Price: $19.00/month ##### Business - Price: $29.00/month [See full pricing details](/app-building/formaloo-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Parseur](/data-extraction/parseur-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.8/5 - Reviews: 64 - Starting price: $0.00/month - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Parseur is a cloud-based email parser solution that helps businesses of all sizes extract text from emails. The platform automates entire data entry workflow, extract text from [Read more](/data-extraction/parseur-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Data Retrieval: 5/5 - Data Aggregation and Publishing: 5/5 - Web Forms: 5/5 - Inbox Management: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Metadata Management: 3/5 [See all features](/data-extraction/parseur-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Free - Price: $0.00/month ##### Micro - Price: $39.00/month - 100 pages / month ##### Pro - Price: $399.00/month - 10,000 pages / month [See full pricing details](/data-extraction/parseur-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Jotform](/market-research/jotform-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.7/5 - Reviews: 2,934 - Starting price: $0.00/month - Best for: Enterprise businesses - Free trial: Not available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Jotform is a cloud-based form automation solution that enables users to publish online forms and record customer responses. It helps users to generate leads, collect order [Read more](/market-research/jotform-profile/) ##### What users love - Quick, flexible form building - User-friendly and intuitive interface - Extensive branding and design options ##### To take in mind - Expensive plans and feature limits - Slow and limited support channels - Email delivery and notification issues #### Features ##### Best rated features - Job Management: 5/5 - Text Editing: 5/5 - Proposal Generation: 5/5 - Booking Management: 5/5 [See all features](/market-research/jotform-profile/#key-features) --- ### [PaperSurvey](/survey/papersurvey-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.8/5 - Reviews: 30 - Starting price: $20.00/month - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview PaperSurvey is a cloud-based survey management software that helps organizations create, collect, print, scan, and upload surveys from a unified platform. It lets staff members [Read more](/survey/papersurvey-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Electronic Forms: 5/5 - Data Quality Control: 5/5 - Forms Creation & Design: 5/5 - Feedback Management: 5/5 [See all features](/survey/papersurvey-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Standard - Price: $20.00/month - The pricing excludes VAT. ##### Enterprise - Price: $50.00/month - The pricing excludes VAT. ##### Enterprise Plus - Price: $125.00/month - The pricing excludes VAT. [See full pricing details](/survey/papersurvey-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [GoSpotCheck by FORM](/trade-promotion-management/gospotcheck-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.8/5 - Reviews: 25 - Starting price: $35.00/month - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview GoSpotCheck by FORM is a mobile market execution platform built for mid-size to large enterprises and Fortune 500 companies across retail, consumer goods, food and beverage, and [Read more](/trade-promotion-management/gospotcheck-profile/) #### Pricing ##### Basic - Price: $35.00/month [See full pricing details](/trade-promotion-management/gospotcheck-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [ASSIST](/product/521985-ASSIST/) - Overall rating: 4.9/5 - Reviews: 15 - Starting price: $8.00/month - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview ASSIST is a document management solution that helps businesses manage their finance and cash flow. ASSIST's key features include automated data extraction, multilingual [Read more](/product/521985-ASSIST/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Access Controls/Permissions: 5/5 - Image Capture: 4.9/5 - Data Retrieval: 4.9/5 - Optical Character Recognition: 4.9/5 [See all features](/product/521985-ASSIST/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Free - Price: Custom - Pricing available upon request - - Document Classification - Automatic extraction of document details - E-invoice - Approval Matrix - ##### Standard Plan - 50 Pages Monthly - Price: $8.00/month - - Document Classification - Automatic extraction of document details - E-invoice - Approval Matrix - ##### Premium Plan - 1000 Pages Monthly - Price: $16.00/month - - Document Classification - Automatic extraction of document details - E-invoice - Approval Matrix - [See full pricing details](/product/521985-ASSIST/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Doxis AI.dp](/accounting/klippa-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.8/5 - Reviews: 31 - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Doxis AI.dp is a cloud-based Intelligent Document Processing solution. This advanced technology uses Optical Character Recognition (OCR) to extract data, convert, classify, and [Read more](/accounting/klippa-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Auto Extraction: 5/5 - Document Conversion: 5/5 - Third-Party Integrations: 5/5 - Workflow Configuration: 5/5 [See all features](/accounting/klippa-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Custom - Price: Custom - Pricing available upon request [See full pricing details](/accounting/klippa-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [VLX](/project-management/visualogyx-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.9/5 - Reviews: 16 - Starting price: $19.00/month - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview VLX is a platform that helps teams conduct digital inspections, verifications, and audits. An intuitive design empowers users worldwide to conduct inspections and audits for [Read more](/project-management/visualogyx-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Customizable Fields: 5/5 - Work Order Management: 5/5 - Reporting/Analytics: 5/5 - Failed Inspection Tracking: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Subcontractor Management: 3/5 - Calendar Management: 3/5 - Training Management: 4/5 - Barcode/Ticket Scanning: 4/5 [See all features](/project-management/visualogyx-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Professional Plan - Price: $19.00/month - Our Professional Plan empowers teams to enhance their productivity with an intuitive and robust ##### Enterprise - Price: Custom - Pricing available upon request - Our Enterprise Plan is designed for all industries, providing integrations, staff training, priority [See full pricing details](/project-management/visualogyx-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Covve App](/crm/covve-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.8/5 - Reviews: 40 - Starting price: $12.99/month - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Covve Personal CRM is your personal assistant app, reminding you to keep in touch with clients and personal contacts. Ranked #1 personal CRM in the US app stores, it is used by [Read more](/crm/covve-profile/) #### Pricing ##### Basic - Price: $12.99/month [See full pricing details](/crm/covve-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [AIDA](/ocr/aida-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.8/5 - Reviews: 30 - Starting price: €3.25/month - Free trial: Not available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview AIDA: Revolutionize Your Document Management with AI-Powered Data Extraction and Automation AIDA is a groundbreaking intelligent document process solution, designed to simplify [Read more](/ocr/aida-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Full Text Search: 5/5 - Archiving & Retention: 5/5 - Data Capture and Transfer: 5/5 - Task Management: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - API: 4/5 - Document Imaging: 4/5 - Data Retrieval: 4/5 [See all features](/ocr/aida-profile/#key-features) --- 1 [2](https://www.softwareadvice.com/data-entry/?__ai_markdown=true&page=2)[3](https://www.softwareadvice.com/data-entry/?__ai_markdown=true&page=3)[4](https://www.softwareadvice.com/data-entry/?__ai_markdown=true&page=4)[5](https://www.softwareadvice.com/data-entry/?__ai_markdown=true&page=5)[6](https://www.softwareadvice.com/data-entry/?__ai_markdown=true&page=6) ## Popular Comparisons [ Typeform vs Jotform ](https://www.softwareadvice.com/market-research/jotform-profile/vs/typeform/)[ Microsoft Power Automate vs UiPath ](https://www.softwareadvice.com/robotic-process-automation/microsoft-power-automate-profile/vs/uipath/)[ Amazon RDS vs MongoDB ](https://www.softwareadvice.com/database-management-systems/amazon-rds-profile/vs/mongodb/)[ Mitti (by SafetyCulture) vs TrueContext ](https://www.softwareadvice.com/cmms/iauditor-profile/vs/prontoforms/)[ Formaloo vs Cognito Forms ](https://www.softwareadvice.com/form-builder/cognito-forms-profile/vs/formaloo/)[ Dext vs AutoEntry ](https://www.softwareadvice.com/accounting/autoentry-profile/vs/receipt-bank/) ## Your Guide to Top Data Entry Software, April 2023 Software Advice uses reviews from real software users to highlight the top-rated Data Entry products in North America. [Learn how products are chosen](https://www.softwareadvice.com/legal-page/frontrunners-methodology/) #### Explore FrontRunners - [PhraseExpander](https://www.softwareadvice.com/medical-transcription/phraseexpander-profile/) - [Forms On Fire](https://www.softwareadvice.com/inspection/forms-on-fire-profile/) - [TrueContext](https://www.softwareadvice.com/field-service/prontoforms-profile/) - [Lucy](https://www.softwareadvice.com/product/119923-Lucy/) - [Ninox](https://www.softwareadvice.com/app-development/ninox-profile/) - [Conexiom](https://www.softwareadvice.com/robotic-process-automation/conexiom-profile/) - [Jotform](https://www.softwareadvice.com/market-research/jotform-profile/) - [ABAdesk](https://www.softwareadvice.com/mental-health/abadesk-profile/) - [UiPath](https://www.softwareadvice.com/automation-testing/uipath-profile/) - [Typeform](https://www.softwareadvice.com/hr/typeform-profile/) - [Zoho Forms](https://www.softwareadvice.com/data-collection/zoho-forms-profile/) - [GoCanvas](https://www.softwareadvice.com/product/4144-Canvas-Mobile-Forms/) - [Dext](https://www.softwareadvice.com/accounting/receipt-bank-profile/) - [AutoEntry](https://www.softwareadvice.com/accounting/autoentry-profile/) “Usability” includes user ratings for Functionality and Ease of Use. “Customer Satisfaction” includes user ratings for Customer Support, Likelihood to Recommend and Value for Money. Reviews analysis period: The reviews analysis period spans two years and ends the 15th of the month prior to publication. Though computers and software have, on the whole, been a boon to the business world, they come with certain drawbacks. One of the most grueling of those is data entry. Data entry refers to the process of transferring numbers and figures from printed pages or other sources into your computer system. This can be a tedious, time-consuming task for your employees, and it is one that is particularly error-prone. Multiple hours of work are lost every day to data entry, when they could be better spent by your employees on the issues more central to your business. This is why data entry software is among the most useful types of systems for your company to purchase and implement. A great deal of different types of software suites, for important office necessities such as [customer relationship management (CRM)](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/) and [project management](https://www.softwareadvice.com/project-management/), will have data entry features and functions. But if your company is too small to utilize those systems, if you have important data outside the purview of those areas or if your business relies on data entry as one of its chief concerns, you might require independent or specialized data entry software. **This Buyer's Guide will help you determine if you require data entry software, what features you might find most useful in that software and what you should ask of vendors when you are looking to purchase.** Here's what we'll cover in order to help you make this important decision: [What Is Data Entry Software?](#WhatIsDataEntrySoftware) [Common Features of Data Entry Software](#CommonFeaturesofDataEntrySoftware) [What Type of Buyer Are You?](#WhatTypeofBuyerAreYou) [Key Considerations](#KeyConsiderations) ## What Is Data Entry Software? Almost everyone is familiar with the most commonly used system that could technically be classified as "data entry software"—Microsoft Excel. In addition to allowing you to create charts, calculate data and build interactive dashboards, Excel's user-friendly spreadsheets serve as a data entry solution for a wide variety of businesses. However, using spreadsheets for your data entry is far from ideal. The amount of time it takes to enter each bit of information by hand can make things extremely tedious and can lead to a large number of errors. In addition, each spreadsheet is stored on one person's computer, and can't be accessed by multiple employees across the company. In many ways, using spreadsheets to enter data is little better than keeping that information in a hard-bound notebook. More advanced data entry software deals with the problems you'll encounter with simple spreadsheets. Tools within the software can automate some of the most tedious, error-prone tasks. However, different data entry systems will speak to different methods of handling information and thus will automate those tasks in different ways. You'll want to find a system that is right for your business processes, particularly in regards to your business type. A large amount of data entry software systems specifically address the needs of particular industries. There are different types of data entry software tools for fields such as [medicine](https://www.softwareadvice.com/category/4527-medical/), [accounting](https://www.softwareadvice.com/accounting/) and [insurance](https://www.softwareadvice.com/insurance/), for example, each of which offers specialized features relevant to that specific type of business and its needs. Regardless of the industry, though, all data entry software shares a few key features in common, which we'll discuss in the following section. ## Common Features of Data Entry Software | Feature | Description | | --- | --- | | Electronic forms | Almost all dedicated data entry software will allow you to create custom forms that will ask for the key data you need to have entered into the system. Autofill features can make filling out these forms easier and less repetitive, while they can also be set to check for obvious or common errors. The software will then take the data entered into these forms and convert it into more complicated, classified formats for better storage and analysis. | | Data classification | Once data is entered into your system, it needs to be organized in a way that makes it effective and efficient to use. Data classification tools will do this for you, taking the data that you enter and converting it into a format that will be more beneficial for your future use and analysis. | | Data extraction | Sometimes you aren't just manually entering data, but rather need to take unstructured or poorly structured data sources and turn them into something usable. Data extraction tools can help you with this, by taking that unstructured data and further processing and classifying it so that you can use it in your business. | | Data cleaning | Data cleaning takes an existing set of data (a table, record set, database etc.) and scans through it to search for certain specified errors, inconsistencies and blank spots. | | Data validation | Data validation is a process performed at the time of data entry, ensuring that the data will not need to be cleaned at a later date by validating it as it is initially entered. In practice, this means tools in the system will make sure that you are avoiding common data entry errors so that your data is fully correct and useful for you. | | Scanning | Some businesses need to store visual information as much as they do text-based information. For those companies, specific data entry systems will allow you to scan in images to be stored with the rest of your data. In addition, some advanced software can scan in spreadsheets and other physical data sets and convert/classify them into usable data in your system. | --- _The mobile data collection page in_ [Repsly](https://www.softwareadvice.com/field-service/repsly-profile/) ## What Type of Buyer Are You? It's hard to think of a business that doesn't require some amount of data entry as a part of its day-to-day operations. As such, this means that there as many types of data entry software buyers as there are types of businesses. However, regardless of your specific business field, you will likely have different needs based on the size of your business, thus falling into one of the following categories: - **Small business (fewer than 20 employees).** Small businesses such as yours rely on employees with very specialized roles. As such, you may find that not all of your staff are engaged in daily data entry. In addition, you may rely less on data analysis than larger companies. The most important data entry software features for a business of this size will be electronic forms and data classification, in order to streamline data entry and ensure that when data is entered into the system, it is structured and stored in a meaningful manner. - **Midsize business (20-100 employees).** Larger companies deal with larger amounts of data. Thus, if your company is midsized, you will need the basic electronic forms and data classification that smaller businesses require, but you will also likely find yourself in need of data extraction, cleaning and validation tools, so that you can ensure the accuracy of your data and use it for accurate analysis and predictions. - **Large business (more than 100 employees).** At this size, your company will be dealing with a very large amount of data. You will want industry-specific data entry software that speaks to your market's particular needs, and might even require specified data entry systems for each unique department of your company, either as a stand-alone solution or part of a larger suite of business software. ## Key Considerations Other factors to take into consideration when picking the best data entry software for your business may include: - **Industry specialization.** As we've discussed several times in this Buyer's Guide, data entry software systems are typically specialized for specific industries. You will want to seek out a vendor that is geared toward your particular field, so that you can purchase software that is specific to your needs. If you are a medical practice, for example, you won't find much use for data entry software that's optimized for law firms. This will be your top concern when choosing the right vendor and software system for your business. - **Integration with other systems.** No matter how quickly and efficiently you're able to enter it into your computer, your data will be useless if you're not able to do something productive with it. This means that you want to be very sure that you'll be able to transfer the data you've entered into your other business software so that you can analyze it and make use of it. It's crucial that you check with vendors about whether their software will integrate with what you're already using (or plan to purchase) for other aspects of your business. - **Mobile access.** For many businesses and teams, data is collected while on-the-go, whether that's on a business trip or just a one-time meeting away from the office. That information is vital, though, and needs to be in your computer system as soon as possible. If your company frequently finds this to be the case, you'll want to be sure that you purchase data entry software that allows you to easily capture and/or enter data from smartphones or tablets. - **Cloud-based software versus on-premise software.** As recently as a couple of years ago, most software was bought to be housed by businesses on-premises. What this meant was that, after you purchased software, you had to have the space and the IT resources and knowledge to house the hardware for that system at your workplace. This was both costly and inconvenient. Fortunately, most software today is hosted via the cloud, and the hardware is housed by the vendor while the software itself is shared with you over the internet. Some enterprise-level businesses and software packages still utilize on-premise housing, for the sake of speed and processing power, but for small or midsize businesses it is generally much more convenient (and far less costly in time, money and IT resources) to host your software via the cloud. ### Related Data Entry Software - [Database Software](https://www.softwareadvice.com/database-management-systems/) - [ETL Software](https://www.softwareadvice.com/bi/etl-software-comparison/) - [Forms Automation Software](https://www.softwareadvice.com/forms-automation/)