I think the way you do it, John, is good. It's a general reminder to
everyone. It's easy to forget some of the details if you don't come across
them very often. I've often looked at these 'general instructions' and
thought "Whoops! Better remember that. Keep this one" J
Dawn M
From: ryerson_index-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:ryerson_index-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of John Graham
Sent: Sunday, 1 January 2017 2:59 PM
To: kay .; ryerson_index@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [ryerson_index] Re: Indexing Errors
(subject changed to reflect the content)
Kay,
This is one I can't win, whichever way I go.
For years I used to email indexers individually - volumes were much smaller
then. While most took the advice onboard, we had some indexers who resigned
because they thought I was picking on them. One even said it was too much
like being in school - and this was an indexer who continued to make the
same mistakes day after day, despite my annotated comments on his work. Of
course I get stroppy in those circumstances, who wouldn't?
So I changed tack, and now rarely contact individual indexers about errors.
Firstly, with the current volume, it would be too time-consuming. If it
takes me 20 secs to identify and fix an error, it would take me at least 5
minutes to identify the indexer; hunt around for their email address;
realise they're a new indexer and I don't have it; send an email to Pauline
to get the email address; format an email with the incorrect data and an
explanation of what's wrong; then field the reply. When there are 30 or 40
errors in a daily run, you can see how impossible it is to comment
individually. It is much quicker for me to comment at intervals in bulk to
the list - that way, all indexers are aware of the types of errors coming
through, and I hope would be more conscious of possible errors when entering
future data. I never name individual indexers, so no-one need think they are
being picked on. Your errors are between you, me and the gatepost <g>
If anyone knows of a better way of doing things, I'm all ears!
John
John,
Regards your 2017 resolutions :
Seems a bit of confusion for some with yours and Doug's bantering. Would
it not be better to advise the person making the mistake with a 'correct'
entry as an example or would this be too personal?
Sometimes it takes a sledge hammer and cryptic hints don't always find their
mark; I would rather you point out to ME what I was doing wrong so I could
correct it.
This of course assumes it would not take too much time as where we are all
sitting we cannot see the volume of errors.
Please be kind
Kay Brooke
