Numeric Keypad and 10-Key Typing Skills
Data entry, accounting, and fast number input rely on 10-key typing. What it is, why it matters, and how to train it.
Cheetah Typing Team
The Cheetah Typing team writes practical, research-backed guides to help you type faster and more accurately.
While most typing advice focuses on letters, a whole skill exists for numbers: 10-key typing on the numeric keypad. It is measured in keystrokes per hour and is essential for data entry, accounting, and finance roles.
The touch method for numbers
Rest your index finger on 4, middle on 5, and ring on 6, with your thumb on 0. Reach up and down for the other rows without looking. Like letter touch typing, it becomes automatic with practice.
How to train it
Drill sequences of numbers daily for a few minutes. Speed comes from keeping your eyes on the source document, not the pad. Within weeks you can clear several thousand keystrokes per hour.
Put this into practice
Take a free typing test or jump into a lesson to apply what you just read.