It seems like in today's world you can't do anything without a computer, but upon closer look you'll find that it's the hardware components and input and output devices that make a computer useful. What determines how quickly a computer can find a file? How do I get a report from my PC to members of the next Board meeting? It is the hardware used with your computer that allows you to meet all your business needs using your computer. Data input is the collection of raw data that is used to find the necessary information. Data input is an important part of any business, but different companies have different needs when it comes to input devices. Below are some common business needs and the best data entry solution to solve them: Printed questionnaires: An optical sign recognition (OCR) would be the best solution because it will read the answers chosen by the participant and turn them into digital data. Telephone survey - A voice recognition device would be the best solution because it would allow telephone survey responses to be converted for digital use. Bank Checks - A Magnetic Ink Character Recognition Device (MICR) is the best answer for banks because it was developed by banks to read a special magnetic ink with relevant data to convert into digital information (Stair & Reynolds, 2006). Retail Labels: For retail labels, barcode scanners help you track inventory, pricing, and labeling. Long Documents: Optical data readers are the best solution to enable scanning of long documents into digital data. Once a company has the input they need in digital format, they need to have a tool that allows them to create a high-quality output of the collected information. There are many output devices, but it's important to have the correct one for the job. Below are some examples of output and the best way to get it: Laptop: The best way to get output from a handheld is through the built-in liquid crystal display (LCD) since there is no other built-in output capability. Color photography: A color photo should be printed on a high resolution photo printer, or if it is a very large photo, a color plotter would be a good option. Resumes: Since most resumes are printed at home, a personal inkjet printer is recommended. the road ahead.