Data entry outsourcing is contracting with outside consultants, software houses or service bureaus to perform systems analysis, programming, and data center operations. In the U.S. in 2003, the term took on extra meaning, often referring to jobs being given to people in companies located in India and other countries. The main reason behind outsourcing is the availability of qualified and experienced computer operators at low cost.

Data entry outsourcing is limited to all types of data entry operations e.g. data conversion, document and image processing, catalog processing services, image enhancement, image editing and photo manipulation services, etc.

The need for data entry is constant for some organizations for making day to day decisions. In such cases data entry is a regular and continuous requirement. The types of companies for which this is the case are financial institutions, hospitals, lawyers, court houses, oil companies, transportation companies, Ivy League colleges, pharmaceutical companies, universities, publishing companies etc. For some other organizations data entry may be just a temporary requirement. Accurate and easily accessible data is a necessity for all.

Accumulated data is a powerful management resource. Since data entry outsourcing at lower cost is available, the latent potential of the information accumulated in data which was dumped earlier is being usefully exploited by the organization where data entry is just a temporary requirement.

The combination of digitization of media and the rush to outsource has resulted in a wide range of customers from the UK, USA, France, Norway and more than 20 other countries coming to India, China etc for data entry outsourcing.

Most of the time-consuming data entry jobs are being done by outsourcing. For example, catalog management, which involves handling and maintaining paper catalogs, is not just time consuming, but also expensive. By converting your product catalogs to online and digital catalogs, making changes, and updating your product catalog becomes as easy as the click of a button once data entry has been completed.