An error checking test measures how quickly and accurately you can compare information and spot where it doesn't match. This guide explains what the test involves, works through a generic example, looks at why errors get missed, and offers practical advice for candidates and employers.

What an error checking test measures

In many jobs a small mistake has a large cost: the wrong item sent to a customer, a mistyped account reference, an incorrect quantity on an order. Warehouse, logistics, administrative, finance and data-entry roles all rely on people who check details quickly without letting errors slip through.

The Viewpoint Error Checking Test has 50 items in 10 minutes, arranged as 10 question sets of 5 questions. Candidates check consignment details against a pick manifest, using a key where marked. Any item may contain more than one error, or none at all, so candidates select every option that applies.

Because the test is short and fast-paced, it measures two things at once: speed (how many items you get through) and accuracy (how many of your answers are right). Both matter at work, and the balance between them is often the most revealing part of the result.

A worked example

The following is a generic illustration written for this article, not an item from the Viewpoint test.

A manifest line reads: Order 40718 · Product code BX-2290 · Qty 12 · Colour: Navy · Deliver to: Unit 4, Lowfield Road.

The consignment label reads: Order 40718 · Product code BX-2209 · Qty 12 · Colour: Navy · Deliver to: Unit 14, Lowfield Road.

Comparing field by field: the order number matches; the product code has two digits swapped (2290 against 2209); the quantity and colour match; and the unit number is different (4 against 14). So there are two errors, in the product code and the address.

Notice the kinds of error that were included. Swapped digits and an extra digit are exactly the mistakes people make when copying, and exactly the ones that are easy to miss when reading quickly.

Why careful people still miss errors

Missing an error is not usually carelessness. Reason's work on human error shows that slips happen when attention runs on autopilot during familiar tasks [1]. Our brains read for meaning and fill in what we expect to see, which is helpful when reading a novel but unhelpful when checking a code.

Good checkers tend to share a few habits:

• They compare one field at a time, rather than reading the whole line and forming an impression.

• They pay most attention to codes and numbers, where there are no meaningful words to help.

• They don't stop at the first error, because a line can contain more than one.

• They keep a steady pace instead of rushing at the end.

What research says

Perceptual speed and clerical checking tests have a long history in selection for administrative and operational jobs. In their UK meta-analysis, Bertua, Anderson and Salgado included perceptual tests among the ability measures they analysed and found that they predicted job performance and training outcomes [2]. As with all ability tests, the evidence supports using them as one strand of a selection process, not as the only one.

Using an error checking test well

For employers, the test suits roles where checking details is a core part of the job: pickers and packers, despatch, stock control, administrators, data-entry and processing staff. Look at both speed and accuracy. A candidate who answers fewer items with high accuracy may be well suited to work where errors are expensive, while someone very fast but less accurate may benefit from coaching on checking routines. Interpret the score in bands from Very Low to Very High alongside an interview.

For candidates, try the practice questions first so the format feels familiar. Work steadily and compare each field in turn. Remember that "no errors" is sometimes the right answer.

See the Error Checking Test page, our Symbol Checking Test for a non-verbal alternative, or compare all our ability tests.

Frequently asked questions

How long does the Viewpoint Error Checking Test take?

It has 50 items and a time limit of 10 minutes.

Can an item have more than one error?

Yes. An item can have one error, several or none, and candidates select all that apply.

Is speed or accuracy more important?

Both are reported. Working steadily and accurately usually gives a better result than rushing.

Which roles is it designed for?

Operational, warehouse, logistics and administrative roles where details must be checked quickly and correctly.

References

1. Reason, J. (1990). Human Error. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
2. Bertua, C., Anderson, N. & Salgado, J. F. (2005). The predictive validity of cognitive ability tests: a UK meta-analysis. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 78(3), 387–409.