Subject Filing

AOS 155

Chapter 8

Subject Filing

Alphabetically storing and retrieving records by their subject or topic

Used to keep all records on a single topic together

Good for internal subjects like “office equipment” or “inventory”

Subjects used for Filing

1. Most commonly used and easy to remember

2. Provide for synonyms and related subjects

3. May be combined with other methods

Advantages

Keeps related records togetherEasy to remember

Disadvantages

Choosing best titles can be difficult

Indexing and coding are more difficult

Consistency hard to maintain

Filers must be trained

Dictionary Arrangement

Low volume of records All files arranged alphabetically No subdivisions Special guides for convenience (high-use

files)

Encyclopedic Arrangement

Main subjects alphabetic Subdivisions under main subjects alphabetic Large volume of files/records

Encyclopedic Arrangement

Reports

Reports Annual

Reports Quarterly

Reports Sales

Sales - Central Region

Sales - Eastern Region

Indexes

Master Index – all subjects used as titles in order.

Relative Index – all subjects that might be requested.

Name Index – for correspondence filed in subject order.

Assignments due Monday

Application 8-1 Subject Index – prepare a master index for

your personal records. See ideas on pp. 219 -220.