A 10 key test measures how quickly and accurately you can enter numbers using the numeric keypad on the right-hand side of a full-size keyboard — not the number row above the letters. It is the standard screening test for data entry, accounts payable, medical billing, payroll and bank teller roles.
Almost always KPH, keystrokes per hour. Typing speed for prose is measured in words per minute, but numeric data entry is measured in raw keystrokes over an hour, because that maps more directly to how much work gets processed. The two are the same measurement expressed differently: one "word" is five keystrokes, and an hour is sixty minutes, so KPH = WPM × 300. This page shows KPH first and WPM underneath it, so you can quote whichever a given application asks for.
As a rough guide, 8,000 KPH is a common entry-level requirement, 10,000–12,000 KPH is solid professional speed, and above 15,000 KPH is fast. Accuracy usually matters more than raw speed for these roles — a mistyped figure costs far more to find and fix than a slightly slower operator costs to employ, so most employers screen on accuracy first and speed second.
Anchor your middle finger on the 5 key — it has a raised bump for exactly this reason — with your index on 4 and ring finger on 6. Your thumb handles 0, your little finger handles Enter, and your hand should not move from that position. As with letter typing, the gain comes from not looking down, and that only happens if you keep the anchor.
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