Keystrokes per hour complements WPM when records contain codes, punctuation and numeric strings that do not behave like normal prose.
Four practical assessment styles
Text records emphasize fictional names and dates, mixed mode blends invoice and product IDs with quantities, tabular mode preserves field boundaries, and numeric-heavy mode adds decimals and currency-style values. Each run composes several different records rather than repeating one row.
Accuracy is part of productive speed
In data entry, a transposed digit or missing decimal can change the meaning of a record. Keep leading zeros, separators, and field order exact. KPH stays prominent, but correct characters and overall accuracy show whether the pace produced usable output.
WPM versus KPH
WPM normalizes every five correct characters into a word, making prose easier to compare. KPH keeps the keystroke unit, so it better describes short fields and codes. The two measures are related but not interchangeable across different test material.
Read the guide to what KPH means in data entry for examples and limitations.