Data entry test for jobs: KPH scores, 10-key speed and how to get ready

Most tests have one or both of two parts. The alphanumeric part looks like a form: you copy names, addresses and phone numbers into fields. The 10-key part gives you columns of numbers to enter on the number pad, which is why it is common for accounting, payroll and billing roles.

Test providers build these differently, so ask the recruiter which provider they use and whether Backspace is allowed.

KPH is the number of keystrokes you would make in an hour at your test speed. A 5-minute test with 1,000 keystrokes works out to 12,000 KPH. Some tools count the Enter key as a keystroke because you press it between entries, so the same work can score differently on two tests.

To compare with a typing test, multiply WPM by 5 keystrokes per word and by 60 minutes. 40 WPM is 12,000 KPH and 60 WPM is 18,000 KPH. This only works for text. Numbers on a 10-key pad are a different skill, so a high WPM does not tell you your 10-key speed.

Reports usually show gross speed, net speed and accuracy. Net speed is what is left after errors are factored in, and providers use their own formula for this. Some report a percentile rank against other test takers as well.

One wrong digit in an invoice costs someone time later, so employers tend to read accuracy first. Slowing down enough to stop making errors will usually raise your net score.

There is no official standard. For 10-key work, job boards and test vendors commonly quote about 8,000 KPH as a typical speed for a trained clerk, and some postings ask for 10,000 KPH at 99% accuracy. An older Chron article grades 10-key results this way, but other tools use other scales:

For the alphanumeric part, take the 5-minute typing test once a day and convert your result to KPH. KeyboardGym counts only correct keystrokes, so the number is already close to a net figure.

KeyboardGym does not have a number pad drill. For the 10-key part, open a blank spreadsheet, type a column of mixed numbers with your right hand, press Enter after each one, and time yourself. Use the 4, 5 and 6 keys as your home row, with your middle finger on 5.