Meaning & use
data input
Last updated
Meanings
noununcountable
The act or process of putting information into a computer or system.
Grammar: Uncountable; no plural form. Often used after 'of' or before 'device'.
Patterns
- data input into something
- data input for something
The data input for the new system took several hours.
Errors in data input can lead to incorrect reports.
We need to improve the speed of data input.
nouncountable or uncountable
The information that is entered into a computer or system.
Grammar: Can be countable (a data input) or uncountable (data input). Often used in technical contexts.
Patterns
- a data input
- the data input
The data input from the sensors is analyzed in real time.
Each data input must be validated before processing.
The program accepts multiple data inputs.
Common combinations
- data input device
- A keyboard is a common data input device.
- data input error
- The report was wrong due to a data input error.
- data input process
- The data input process is automated.
- manual data input
- Manual data input is slow and prone to mistakes.
Synonyms and how they differ
- data entry
- Often refers to the job or activity of typing data, while 'data input' focuses on the technical process or the data itself.
- input
- A broader term that can mean any type of information or resource put into a system, not just data.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: data input or data entry?
data input vs data entry
'Data entry' is the job or action of typing data, while 'data input' can also refer to the data itself or the technical process.
Practice
The company improved its ______ by using automated scanners.
Choose one answer.
'Data input' fits because scanners are used to put information into a system. 'Data output' is the opposite, 'data entry' is the job of typing, and 'data processing' is what happens after input.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “data input”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.