Every re-key is a chance to be wrong. Three re-keys and you have three numbers, and the meeting becomes a debate about whose spreadsheet is right instead of what to do next.
Price it the boring way
Count the touches. Multiply by minutes, loaded rate and annual volume. Then add the rework caused by the error rate, and the cost of decisions delayed while two people reconcile.
| Touch | Minutes | Loaded rate | Annual cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Field ticket → spreadsheet | 3 | $48 | $49,900 |
| Spreadsheet → ERP | 2 | $62 | $43,000 |
| ERP → billing packet | 1 | $74 | $25,600 |
| Rework from errors (2%) | - | - | $14,300 |
$132k
Typical annual cost, one workflow
1–3%
Error rate per manual entry
3x
Versions of the same number in circulation
Which touch to kill first
- Highest volume, not highest irritation. Frequency beats friction.
- The touch closest to the source - fix capture and downstream noise drops.
- Anything feeding a report an executive reads. Trust compounds.
“We stopped arguing about whose number was right the week we stopped having two numbers.”
Controller, specialty trade contractor
Frequently asked
- How do I calculate the cost of double data entry?
- Multiply the number of touches by minutes per touch, the loaded hourly rate of the person doing it, and annual record volume. Add rework from a 1–3% error rate and the cost of delayed decisions during reconciliation.
- Is an integration always cheaper than re-keying?
- Not always, but the comparison is rarely close once you include error rework and reconciliation time. Compare the integration's total first-year cost against the full annual re-key cost, not just the labor line.
