Section 2: Data Entry and Data Management

 

 

Section 2: Data Entry and Data Management

This section covers all the tasks that need to be conducted to enter the STEPS
surveillance data as recorded on the STEPS Instrument and check and correct
data errors.

This section is designed for use by those fulfilling the following roles:

• Data management team supervisor
• Data management staff
• STEPS site coordinator
• Data analyst

The chart below shows the main tasks and timelines covered this section.

Task Name
Enter data (1st and 2nd key entry)

Duration
8 wks

Check and clean data

Merge data

8 wks

1 day

Month 2

Month 3

Month 4

Month 5

Overview

Introduction

Intended
audience

Tasks and
timeframes

In this section

This section covers the following topics:

Topic

Supervising Data Entry
Data Entry
Checking and Correcting Inconsistent Data
Backup and Filing
Reporting
Creating the Final Dataset

See Page
4-2-2
4-2-7
4-2-11
4-2-14
4-2-15
4-2-16

Part 4: Conducting the Survey, Data Entry, Data Analysis, and Reporting and Disseminating Results
Section 2: Data Entry and Data Management

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Supervising Data Entry

Introduction

Members of the data management team may have different levels of skills,
experience and varying strengths and abilities. To ensure high standards in
this environment, the appointment of one person to lead the team and
supervise the work is necessary.

Core tasks

The core tasks of a data management team supervisor are listed in the table
below. General roles are identified in Part 1, Section 2.

Tasks
1
2
3

4

5
6

7
8
9

10

11

Description

Train data management team staff in daily operations.
Receive and log Instruments from data collection team.
Assign data entry staff to computers and Instrument components
for data entry.
Create folders with coversheets to track and manage entry of
Instrument data.
Distribute and manage folders on a daily basis.
Check and correct data entry anomalies and review consistency
reports.
Regularly liaise with data collection team supervisors.
Supervise human resources and hold regular team meetings.
Supervise technical requirements including:
• Daily backup of data on each computer.
• Regular virus scanning and virus software updates.
• Software support.
Provide regular progress and budget updates to the STEPS site
coordinator and / or the STEPS coordination committee.
Create final data set.

Note: Tasks 1-8 are further described below. Task 11 is described on page 4-
2-16 below.

Training

For more information on training data management staff, please see Part 3,
Section 6.

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Section 2: Data Entry and Data Management

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Supervising Data Entry, Continued

Receive and log
Instruments

At the end of each day, data collection team supervisors should supply all
completed instruments to the STEPS office. The data management team
supervisor should receive and log them as follows:

Log receipt of instruments on the data entry log.xls.

Step
1
2 Detach the first page of the Instrument.
3

Action

Cut the first page of the Instrument along the scissor mark and place
the following two parts in separate boxes or piles.
• Location and date
• Consent, interview language and name
Place the remaining parts of the Instrument in a separate box or pile.

4

Assign
computers and
staff

Set up the data entry computers and assign staff so that:

• The first two parts of the Instrument (first page cut in half) are entered into

location.rec and consent.rec.

• The interview tracking form information is entered into

interviewtracking.xls.

• The main Instrument data (ie Step 1, Step 2 and Step 3) are entered into

• Different data entry staff are assigned to conduct first key and second key

survey.rec.

entries.

Create folders
(or boxes)

For each data entry computer, prepare three folders (or boxes), each with a
coversheet (see coversheet template Part 6, Section 2) for Instrument sections
at different stages of data entry as follows:

Folder
1
2
3

For Instrument data that…

Is not yet entered.
Has been first key entered.
Has been second key entered.

Folder name
1st key
2nd key
Completed

Note: Once folders have been assigned to a computer for data entry, they
should remain with that computer.

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Part 4: Conducting the Survey, Data Entry, Data Analysis, and Reporting and Disseminating Results
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Supervising Data Entry, Continued

Distribute and
manage folders

Check and
correct
anomalies

Consistency
report

Follow the steps below to distribute and manage the folders on a daily basis.

Step
1

2
3

Action
Each morning give data entry staff their computer folders and a pile
of instruments to enter from your general folders/boxes.

Note: We suggest 30-40 Step 1, 2 and 3 (if applicable) per staff or
as many as can be realistically entered by one person in one day.
Log distribution of new Instruments in the data entry log.
At the end of each day collect all folders from each data entry staff,
check that the coversheet is attached and labelled and lock these
away.

Check and handle all data entry errors and corrections by:

• Making decisions on alterations to data entries where necessary
• Using the data entry tracking form (see in Part 6, Section 2) to record all

ambiguous or unclear data entry results, questions and problems

• Clearly annotating original forms for an audit trail
• Referring to data collection staff where necessary
• Creating a list of potential problems and frequently asked questions (FAQs)
• Working with data analyst (where appropriate) to systematically work

through data anomalies

Produce weekly consistency reports for each data entry computer and
reviewed to detect problematic data. Steps on producing a consistency report
are provided on page 4-2-11.

Follow the steps below to review consistency reports.

Step
1
2

Action
Read and review consistency reports and highlight any anomalies.
Select one computer to begin investigating (e.g computer A)

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Supervising Data Entry, Continued

Consistency report (continued)

Step
3

Action
Using the data entry tracking form, retrieve and review all original
material.

If the error is…

From 1st keying.

From 2nd keying.

Then…
Get data entry staff to mark error on data
entry tracking form.
• Report back to data entry staff.
• Mark on data entry tracking form
• Correct error.
• Mark on data entry tracking form.
• Report back to data collection team

From data
collection and is on
the Instrument.

After investigation, return the original material to the appropriate
storage place.
Repeat steps 2-4 until the consistency reports from all computers
have been reviewed

supervisor.

4

5

Liaise with
data collection
team

Once data entry has started, you should have regular discussions with the
data collection team supervisors to provide feedback on:

Manage
human
resources

• Data quality
• Workflow and receipt of Instruments
• Issues and anomalies that may arise, etc.

See page 4-2-15 for further details on reporting back to the data collection
team supervisor.

Manage and support the data entry team to ensure :

• Good workflow
• High quality of data entry
• High level of cooperation between team members
• Daily tasks for each team member are varied so they are not sitting at a

machine all day

• Different data entry operators are scheduled for first and second key entry
• Performance issues are dealt with appropriately
• Confidentiality of all STEPS surveillance material is respected at all times
• Feedback is provided to Data management staff
• Sick leave and annual leave is appropriately covered

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Supervising Data Entry, Continued

Team
meetings

Schedule weekly meetings to discuss the data entry process and report results
to the data collection team. These meetings should be used to:

• Discuss problems with data entry team
• Collect and review data entry tracking forms
• Collect and review consistency reports
• Discuss progress with data entry team

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Data Entry

EpiData
templates

Introduction

STEPS survey data on the completed instruments is to be entered by trained
data entry staff into a series of predefined data entry templates using EpiData.

For Step 1, 2 and 3* you will need to use the following data entry templates:

• Location
• Consent
• Survey
• Biochemical

* If Step 3 results are recorded on different forms to the main STEPS
Instrument, then the biochemical template will need to be used. Otherwise,
biochemical results are entered into the main survey database.

Excel template The interview tracking form is entered into excel. The excel spreadsheet is

titled interviewtracking.xls, see 2-4-11 for downloading information.

Note: The excel spreadsheet should not be modified because it will be
imported into your database and used to calculate the non response weight for
your data. There are automated programs that will do this for you. If you
alter the excel spreadsheet you will not be able to use the programs.

Data entry is a systematic process that covers the following main stages:

Data entry
process

Description

Stage
1
2
3
4
5
6

Receiving, logging and tracking.
First key data entry.
Second key data entry.
Validation and error correction.
Backing up.
Storing and filing the Instruments.

Receiving,
logging and
tracking

The data management team supervisor will log all received Instruments on a
daily basis and distribute these in a folder with a coversheet to data entry
staff. See page 4-2-3 for further details.

Once you start entering data, you will need to keep the coversheet and data
entry tracking form (Excel spreadsheet) updated to track each stage of
completion and any errors or problems that arise.

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Data Entry, Continued

First key entry
in EpiData

Follow the steps below to first key data entry.

Action

Open the EpiData programme by double clicking the icon on the
desktop.
Click on “Enter Data”.
Open the appropriate EpiData template (e.g. Survey) from the
C:/STEPS/data folder.
Beginning with the Participant Identification Number (PID) at the
top of the STEPS Instrument, enter data into the database exactly
as it is written.

Note: Missing values are not allowed for the following items:

• PID (Participant Identification Number)
• I1 (District code)
• I3 (Centre/Village code)
• I5 (Date of completion of Instrument)
• C1 (Sex)
• C2 or C3 (Age)
Log all discrepancies, questions and problems (irregularities) that
you cannot resolve into the data entry tracking form. Include:
• PID number
• Code (general identifier for a question, e.g. T1, P5…)
• Comment

Step
1

2
3

4

5

7
8

6 When you have completed entering the data from your section of

the Instrument, move the paper copy to the “second key” folder
and update the data entry tracking form.
Continue entering the instruments and repeat steps 5-6.
At the end of the day, give the folders to the supervisor to lock up.

Note: Make sure you use the ‘TAB’ button to move between fields on the
data entry screen. This activates the check code.

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Part 4: Conducting the Survey, Data Entry, Data Analysis, and Reporting and Disseminating Results
Section 2: Data Entry and Data Management

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