Data entry, a person-based process, is "one of the important basic" tasks needed when no machine-readable version of the information for planned computer-based analysis or processing is readily available. Sometimes what is needed is "information about information can be greater than the value of the information itself." It can also involve filling in required information which is then "data-entered" from what was written on the research document, such as the growth in available items in a category. than Metadata, "information about data." Procedures Data entry is often done with a keyboard and at times also using a mouse, although a manually-fed scanner may be involved. Historically, devices lacking any pre-processing capabilities were used. Keypunching Data entry using keypunches was related to the concept of Batch processing - there was no immediate feedback. Computer keyboards Computer keyboards and online data-entry provide the ability to give feedback to the data entry clerk doing the work; Numeric keypads