What Is 10-Key Typing? Meaning, Technique, Resume Tips

10-key typing means entering numbers on the numeric keypad, the block of digits on the right of a full keyboard, without looking at the keys. "10-key by touch" says the same thing: your right hand rests on 4, 5 and 6 and finds every digit by feel. Speed is measured in keystrokes per hour (KPH). You can measure yours in a minute with the free 10-key typing test.

What 10-key means

The name comes from the ten digit keys, 0 to 9. On an adding machine they were the whole keyboard, which is why bookkeepers and cashiers learned to use them blind. Today the same block sits on the right of every full-size keyboard and on separate USB or Bluetooth keypads.

"10-key by touch" is the phrase you will see in job ads. It means you do not look down while typing numbers, the same idea as touch typing on the letter keys.

The technique

• Home position: index finger on 4, middle finger on 5, ring finger on 6. The 5 usually has a raised dot so you find it without looking.
• Columns: the index finger covers 1, 4, 7, the middle finger 2, 5, 8, the ring finger 3, 6, 9 and the decimal point.
• Thumb and little finger: the thumb takes 0, the little finger Enter and plus.
• Eyes on the source: your eyes stay on the receipt, the invoice or the screen, never on the keypad.

The printable numpad map shows the finger for every key.

How fast is good?

There is no universal standard, each employer sets its own bar. As a guide, TypeQuicker puts entry level for data entry at 8,000 to 10,000 KPH, proficient at 10,000 to 12,000 and expert at 12,000 to 15,000 and more. Accuracy matters at least as much: in data entry one wrong digit can cost more than a slow minute.

Net KPH counts only numbers that are entirely right, gross KPH counts every keystroke. Employers usually look at net speed and accuracy together.

10-key on a resume

If a job ad asks for "10-key experience", "10-key proficiency" or "10-key skills", put a measured number on your resume, not just the word:

• Skills line: "10-key by touch, 11,000 KPH at 98% accuracy"
• Where you used it: "entered 300 invoices a day into SAP", "daily cash reconciliation"
• Proof: take a test right before you apply and quote that score.

Only list a number you have actually reached. The 10-key test gives you net KPH and accuracy to quote.

Who needs it

Accounting and bookkeeping, payroll, banking, retail and cash desks, logistics and inventory, data entry and anywhere that numbers are typed all day. For the letter keys, the data entry typing test shows what employers test.

Frequently asked questions

What does 10-key by touch mean?

Typing numbers on the numeric keypad without looking at it, with a fixed finger for each key and the right hand resting on 4, 5 and 6.

Is 10-key the same as typing speed?

No. Typing speed is usually measured in words per minute on the letter keys. 10-key speed is measured in keystrokes per hour on the numeric keypad only.

What is a good 10-key speed?

Employers set their own bar. TypeQuicker names 8,000 to 10,000 KPH for entry level and 10,000 to 12,000 for proficient typists.

How long does it take to learn 10-key?

The finger positions take a few days. A steady speed takes a few weeks of short daily practice. A simple plan is in 10-key typing practice.

Sources

• Numeric keypad - Wikipedia, home position on 4, 5 and 6 and the raised mark on 5.
• What Is a Good Typing Speed for Data Entry? - TypeQuicker, 10-key speeds in keystrokes per hour.