Book of Office Practice

8/10/2019 Book of Office Practice

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WEEK 1

LESSON 1

1 Introduction to office

1.0 Introduction to Office PracticeOffice Practice is concerned with planning, organizing, controlling and actuating office work and

performing it so as to achieve the desired objectives.

1.1 The Purpose of an Office practice course

Office practice course is designed to:

Bring together all the skills and knowledge acquired over the past ears of work andstud.

!o"ordinate commercial skills so that one will be well prepared for work in a business

office#eek emploment.

1.2 Office

$hat is an office%

&n office is generall understood to be a place where clerical work is performed and where all

kinds of paper work is done.

OR

&n office is a place where business is transacted or professional services are available.

OR

&n office is the place where the control mechanisms for an enterprise are located, where

records are initiated for communication and control and efficient operations of the enterprise.

1 2 1 Functions of an Office

'unctions performed b an office divided into two categories( Basic 'unctions

) &dministrative 'unctions


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1 2 2 asic or Routine Functions !"ea#in$ %ith infor&ation'

*he basic functions of an office include:

i Recei(e infor&ation through various was such as 'a+, telephone calls, letters of inquir,

quotations etc. *he information is received from both internal and e+ternal sources. nternal

sources include departments, divisions as sections. -+ternal sources include information from

customers, suppliers, visitors, government departments eg *a+ authorit, other organization etc.

ii Store )record infor&ation on computer disk, in file, account books, hours worked b

emploees, correspondences etc

N #ome records are required b law while others are kept to meet the needs of the

management in planning and controlling the business

iii *na#+,e infor&ationeg in accounts, sales figures, costing, personnel data etc

i( Supp#+ or disse&inate infor&ation to enquiries, customers, suppliers, distributors and

management

'igure: ( Infor&ation F#o% -hart

#tores information manuallor electronicall in computer/

0eceive nformation

&nalses information

Produces information

'a+

*elephone

#ales person

!omputer

1etter

Purchasing dpt

'inance dpt

#ales dptProduction dpt

!ustomers

#alespeople

2epartments

*a+ authorit

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1 2 3 *d&inistrati(e ana$e&ent function

(. &dministrative management functions include the following

3anagement functions which include planning, organizing, staffing, directing and controlling.

*hese are also referred as /asic functions of management.

). Retention of records.

Office records include correspondence, letters, invoices, orders, finance and cost records,

reports, minutes etc. *hese records have to be retained for future reference.

4. Safe$uardin$ assets.t is the function of an office to safeguard the assets of an organization eg

building, machiner, office equipment, furniture, lighting, air conditioning equipments,

tpewriters, calculating or accounting machines

5. For& desi$nin$ and contro#. #ince office work is mostl paper work, office forms are

e+tensivel used to perform the recording function of the office. & form is a standardized record

which is used to accumulate and transmit information for reference purposes. t is the task of the

3anagement to design standardized produce and control the forms to be used in the office as

well as the other departments of the organization.

6. Pu/#ic Re#ations Function. &n office has not onl to maintain cordial relations with other

departments in the organization but also with outsiders. t is therefore to perform publicrelations function as well. 7ood public relations enhance the reputation and goodness of the

organization.

8. Stationar+ and Supp#+. Office work requires the suppl of office stationar of suitable qualit

and in adequate quantit. t is the dut of the office to carefull procure and maintain an

adequate suppl of stationar items. #ince stationar is a ver costl item these das, it should

be bought at competitive prices in economic order quantities, reasonable levels of stock must be

maintained and made available at all times and it should be issued onl against authorized

requisitions and stored scientificall to avoid damage, loss or deteriorations.

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9. Se#ection and purchase of office app#iances. Office work requires adequate equipment and

machines. 'urniture fi+tures, filling cabinets and drawers, tpewriters, duplicators, telephones,

intercommunication sstems, dictator phones, calculators, a censuring machine, computers etc.

t is the dut of the office manager to purchase the right tpe of machines, equipment or

furniture and also to maintain these in efficient working order

1 2 4 I&portance of an office

*he office act as

(. *n infor&ation -entre. *his is due to the fact that an office deals with information b

collecting information from different sources e+ternal and internal of an organization, arranges,

analses and disseminate them to different stake holders when required

). *n inter&ediar+. *his is done through connecting different departments with the outsiders and

insiders eg orders are received through the office and purchase orders are routed through office

4. * coordinator.!oordinates

5. * ser(ice -enter. *his is because its activities of coordinating the works of production,

distribution, finance and personnel are in the nature of services to all other departments and to

the business as a single unit

6. *n *d&inistrati(e Ner(e -entre. *his is because the office acts as the heart of business

activities in that it helps in making the decision about what to produce and sell, when to

purchase materials, what reports to prepare etc8. * -ontro# -entre. t is in the office where all the polit decisions are made and the activities of

all the organization are controlled and corrective action taken to ensure that the objectives of the

organization are achieved

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1. roup *ssi$n&ent

*he lecturer will divide the students in groups determined b the class size

*ssi$n&ent 1

roup %or

&sk students to go to different organizations tocollect different forms that are designed to cater

for different issues in offices. *he number of organizations will depend on the number of

groups. *he forms are to be filed and each individual will get a chance to pass thorough those

forms on hisher own time and compares them.. 3arks award will depend on number of forms

collected b individual groups

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LESSON 21.3 What is a /usiness4

s an legal activit which is carried out b a person or a group of people in order to generate profit for

their owners or provide services identif various business ou know/

1 4 1 Functions of a usiness

&n business has to carr out a range of functions. *he most important ones are:

'inance

Production

;uman 0esource

3arketing

&dministration

0esearch and development

1 Finance Function

*he main activities of the finance function are:

*o record all business transactions

3easure the financial performance of the business

!ontrol the finances and cash flow so that business stas solvent i.e. does not go bankrupt

*ake timel financial decisions b comparing the predicted performances with actual

performances

2 Production

*he function of production is to change inputs into outputs i.e. produce the goods and services

that are to be bought b customers.

Production includes assembling parts eg. to make televisions, manufacture furniture or

combining inputs to provide a service eg. films and plas in a theater.

Other activities of production function are:

3aintaining and improving qualit3aintaining and control of machiner and equipment

-nsuring adequate stocks of raw materials and finished goods

3eeting the specific needs of customers

!ontrolling production methods and planning the scale or amount of production

!ontrolling costs and working efficientl

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ethods of Production

'low production

*he technique is ver useful for producing standardized identical items when there is a large,

permanent and known market demand.

Batch"production*his method can be used when fi+ed amounts of standard items are required

3arketing research ?data collection, analsis and presentation

!ustomer care and service ?dealing with customer complaints and problems

#ales production and advertising which performs the following activities

Preparing sales budgets and forecasts

Providing support services to sales staff, credit clearance and credit control

#ales administration eg processing orders, and preparing quotations and invoices

dentifing and implementing the marketing mi+

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6 *d&inistration Function

*he purpose of the administrative sstem in a business is to create an ordered routine which

enables the business to function smoothl. t co"ordinates or brings together the various parts of

the business so that the all work towards the same goals.

7 Research and "e(e#op&ent !R8 "' Function

*he activities include:

2eveloping new products, material and processes

!reating new services

!hangingimproving e+isting products

'inding new uses for products

*esting products foe strength, qualit, safet etc.

!ollecting worldwide research which could be of help to the business

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1.7 *ssi$n&ent 2

roup Wor

( Pa a visit around our college ie !be and dentif different businesses found in the area.

) Aou as a businessperson discuss how ou will collect datainformation on our business in

order to improve it


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WEEK 2

LESSON ONE

Office Location

1.6 Office *cco&&odation)LocationOffice accommodation is a place where an office has to be established. t is a geographic

position of an office.

Office accommodation depends on the office location

1.7 The Office ui#din$

*he office building should not onl be a proper size and shape, it should also be of such design as

to serve the requirements of the organization. *he management should tr to obtain such

premises, which fulfill its requirements in the best possible manner=B 3anagement will decide whether to own the office building or to rent it or lease it.

1 6 1 Factors in Se#ectin$ Location of an office

*he following are the different factors to consider when selecting the location of an office>

1. eo$raphica# and #oca# sittin$. These inc#udes

&vailabilit of transport

Pro+imit to the market nearness to market/

&vailabilit of banks and post office services&vailabilit of labour force &vailabilit of recreation facilities eg shops, restaurants,

social halls etc.

2. The si,e of the /ui#din$ ie the office

*he office should be reasonable to allow future e+pansion. *he ratio of the large to small rooms,

need to be considered

Per&anenc+ of the office9 f the office meant to be permanent, it is advisable to bu or build

rather than rent or lease a building.

5 En(iron&enta# factors !ph+sica# conditions/: *hese include things like fresh air, lighting, and

heating. Phsical conditions affect the nature of the work and the workers in the office. ;ence,

an office must be located in a good site to allow good ventilation, lighting etc

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6 Financia# consideration: *he capital outla and running costs must be taken into account.

7 Interna# structura# p#an

1.: Factors in Se#ectin$ office Pre&ises of an office /ui#din$

*he followings are factors one need to consider when selecting the office premises.

(. Safet+ of Records and Staff. *he office building should have the advantage of a fire proof

construction, fire escapes, automatic safet devices etc

). Worin$ conditions. *he office building must provide good and satisfactor working

conditions. 'acilities for water, lighting and ventilation should be available. *he building should

be free from dust, noise, fumes and obno+ious smells.

4. *dapta/i#it+ to proposed #a+out. t should be capable of being modified or altered so that

different sections of the office ma be properl housed in it.

5. Office Fittin$s. t should be adequatel provided with electricit, power, telephones, water

connections and other fittings.

6. Future E;pansion. t should offer enough scope for future e+pansion

1.< T+pes of office /ui#din$.

*hese ma be either

i Open office

ii Private Office

iii 1andscaping

1.= Office La+out1 9 1 "efinition

Office laout ma be defined as the arrangement of equipment within the available floor space

OR

&n office laout ma be described as the arrangement of different departments, equipment and men

within a given floor apace with a view to make optimum utilization of space and ensure ma+imum

efficienc of the office.

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OR

s the sketch showing both the location of office workers and the wa in which work moves from

person to person within the office laout.

1 9 2 T+pes of La+outs

*here are two main tpes of laouts. *hese are

*raditional or conventional/ laout

Open ?plan laouts

1 9 3 Traditiona# #a+outs

& traditional laout is a design consisting of constructed walls, doors and hardware that limit

communication and fle+ibilit but add securit.

1 9 4 Open >p#an #a+outs

&n open"plan laout is designed consisting of integrated panel sstems with electrical racewas and

optional task"ambient lighting. *he open"plan laout is a design of change, fle+ibilit, communication

and innovation.

Open"plan laouts are categorized with

i 3odified open"plan laouts

ii $ork centers

ii 1andscaped laouts

odified Open p#an

*his compromise between the traditional laout and the open"plan laout in which some walls are

replaced b glass

Wor center

&re areas consisting of an emploeeDs furniture, equipment, working surface and storage needs

surrounded b a privac panel%

Landscaped #a+out

*his is characterized b integrating straight and curved panels

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1 9 5 Princip#es of office #a+out

(. Princip#e of f#o% of %or?*he flow of work should be smooth and unhindered whether the

laout is in a straight line, a circle or E"shaped. *he movement of people and papers should be

to the minimum.

). Princip#e of free &o(e&ent and o/ser(ation: *he floor space should be as free as possible

from partitions, columns etc, so that there is free movement and observation.

4. Princip#e of effecti(e super(ision: *he laout should be such that it aids effective supervision.

5. Princip#e of f#e;i/i#it+: *he laout should allow changes in the future because a business is not

a static entit.

6. Princip#e of &ora#e and #o+a#t+: t is necessar to ensure the loalt of workers in large

organizations because working groups are social groups. & proper laout of the office can

certainl contribute to this aspect through a careful design.

8. Princip#e of /a#ance: 1aout should be balanced and pleasing in appearance. Balancing gives it

a sense of responsibilit. Pleasing appearance of the office attracts more customers and

improves the image of the enterprise

9. Princip#e of &a;i&u& uti#i,ation of #east cost: Office space has to be utilized to the

ma+imum so that mone costs are the lowest. ;owever, each staff has to be given adequate

working space because this increases efficienc and makes for a healthier staff.

@. Princip#e of e@uip&ent p#ace&ent: -quipment and filing cabinets should be placed close to

those using them. *he staff should be able to approach them without loss of time or

inconvenience.

. Princip#e of arran$e&ent: 2esks should be arranged in such a wa that the face each other

according to desired standard, plan so that it looks more efficient and eas to supervise.

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(C. Princip#e of $ood #i$htnin$> 1ightning should be studied. $ork requiring ver good light

should be sited near the windows. 2esks and other equipments should be located near users.

*he should be so that the light from the windows cast on the working place.

((. Princip#e of (enti#ation: Fentilation in laout plas a significant role. *he problem ofventilation is more comple+ where ou have mi+ed staff. 3en usuall prefer to be close to the

windows while women prefer the warmer temperature.

(). Princip#e of an$%a+s> *he number of gangwas space between desks/ should be adequate.

*his will depend on the number of desks and equipments involved.

1.10 I&portance of a $ood office #a+out*he following are the importance of having a good office laout

(. *o ensure proper utilization of the floor space.

). *o facilitate supervision

4. *o facilitate intercommunication

5. *o ensure better use of machines and equipment

6. *o ensure better comfort and morale to workers

8. *o ensure favourable impression on customers and visitors

9. *o ensure smooth work flow

*ssi$n&ent

Indi(idua# assi$n&ent

1!a' Aou are a/out to start a ne% /usiness that is food processin$ of a #ar$e @uantit+. What %i##

/e the different thin$sB %hich %i## inf#uence +our decision on %here to esta/#ish +our

/usiness4

!/' Wi## +ou #ease or construct +our o%n /ui#din$4 and %h+4

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Cuestion for discussion9

$hich location do ou think is the best from a business point of view, -digaDs or BenadictaDs% wh%

*cti(ities9

2ivide the class in groups

7ive the case to students, and allow them to read and answer the question

1et them select one member to present.

&llow onl two groups to present

1et the whole class contribute and add some points to the two presentations

!onclude the discussion b giving the answers.

1.11 T+pes of offices

Open offices Ds Pri(ate offices

1 11 1 Open offices

&n open office is referred to as a large room where all the departments, men and equipments are

housed under a single roof without partitions or walls separating them. *his means that several

sections or departments work together instead of working in separate partitioned offices or

rooms. -g at the bank, post office, staffroom etc/.

1 11 2 *d(anta$es

(. Econo&ica#. #ince unnecessar partitions and corridors are avoided, open offices make batter

utilization of the office space building.

). etter Li$htnin$ and (enti#ation. $ith the removal of unnecessar walls and partitions, open

offices allow a free flow of air and natural light which step up the efficienc of the office staff.

4. etter Super(ision. Open offices encourage better work through better supervision and easier

operation. Onl a few supervisors are required to supervise the staff.

5. etter -o&&unication. Open offices facilitate better interdepartmental communication. &

worker is not required to g to another room for consultation, advice or instruction.

6. F#e;i/i#it+. *here is a greater fle+ibilit in planning the laout of an open office which ensures amore effective placement of office machines and equipment. 'urther changes in the laout can

be affected without much difficult.

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Other ad(anta$es inc#ude

The cost of decorationB c#eanin$ and &aintenance is #o%er

The sharin$ of &achines and e@uip&ent

It &aes /etter %orin$ condition possi/#e

1 11 3 "isad(anta$es

*he following are the disadvantages of open offices

(. */sence of secrec+. Privac cannot be maintained in an open office for work is done in full

view of all the staff.

). -oncentration not possi/#e. Open offices are not suitable for work which requires

concentration of mind eg accounting and statistical work.

4. n/uisness#ie&ppearance. *oo man people working in the same room and moving about

their work make an open office untid, shabb and unbuisnesslike

5. Lo%erin$ of ora#e. &pparent regimentation and loss of individualalit, reduces sense of

belonging to a well defined group and apparent loss of status among senior staff tells on the

morale and efficienc of office workers.

6. Nois+. *he efficienc or the staff ma be impaired b the noise of ringing telephones and

clicking tpewriters etc

8. nhea#th+. & large open office is generall objected to on ground of health. nfectious diseasescan easil be passed from one person to another. eg accountants, cashiers, principle secretaries

and others/

1.12 Pri(ate offices)ce## offices

Private offices are small rooms or cubicles, which are, separated from similar other rooms in the

open office b full or half partition. *hese consist of several partitioned offices each

accommodating a limited number of emploees concerned with the same or related office

functions

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1 12 1 *d(anta$es

(. reater pri(ac+is ensured for confidential work and discussions

). *he promote a personnel atmosphere and land a sense prestige or importance to the concerned

staff.4. *he increase the efficienc+of workers b facilitating concentration of mind, which is possible

because of the absence of noise.

5. *he are more con$enia#and less regimented

6. *here is /etter (enti#ation and heatin$) coo#in$arrangements

8. *he are preferredon $round of hea#th

1 12 2 2isadvantages

(. necono&ica#. 'ew people can be accommodated. $hen an office is situated in a rented

building the cost of office operations increases considerabl.

). -ost#+ Operations. Private offices make supervision more difficult and costl. #upervision also

becomes less effective because the supervisor loose personal contact with the staff.

4. *d(erse#+ affects the f#o% of %or. B creating barriers and partitions private offices

adversel affect inter"communication and free flow of work

5. *ffects #i$htin$and ventilation. $alls and partitions adversel affects free ventilation and flow

of natural light6. Inf#e;i/#e. Private offices make the task of office laout more complicated and less fle+ible

7. Increases chances of corruption

1 12 3 Office Landscape

& landscaped office is an open office but with the following special features.

i &smmetrical la"out of the furniture usuall in groups facing in different directions.

ii & total concept involving such things as fitted carpets, soft lighting air conditioning , etc

iii *he inclusion of even managers desks inside the open office, which ma be with or without

screening

iv t ma even have areas where workers can stop work and rest and drink refreshments when the

want to.

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WEEK

LESSON 1

TOPI-

.0 Office Or$ani,ation

4.( *he 'orms of Ownership( Private enterprises Profit enterprises

) Public enterprises

4 =on ? profit Organizations

*hese forms of ownership influence how an organisation is run e.g.

i ts objectives

ii $ho makes decisions

iii $ho take profits

.1.1 Pri(ate enterprise

*his categor covers business, which are owned and operated with the objective of making

profit for the owners. Gind of private ownership are mentioned below

.1.2 So#e Trader

#ole trader is a business which is owned b one person.and if get a loss must compensate him

self/

.1. Partnership

& partnership is a business, which is owned between two to twent people the upper limit ma

var according to the law/

1 12 4 -o&pan+

& compan is business which has a separate legal identit to its owners i.e. it can own assets and

make contracts in its own name and continue to operate after the death of its owner.

1 12 5 -o operati(e& cooperative is a group of people who join together to organize trading and service activities

rather than rel on middlemen.

1 12 6 Pu/#ic Enterprise

*he are owned b and operated on behalf on behalf of the government usuall because the are

viewed as to important to the well ? being of societ to be left to prate entrepreneurs.

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1 12 7 Non Profit Or$ani,ation

*he are societies, associations and clubs which e+ist to promote members interests rather than to

make profits

#port clubs

3ost religious organizations

1.1 Office or$anisation defined

Office organization can be defined in different was.

*##en define itas a process of identifing and grouping the work to be performed, defining and

delegating responsibilit and authorit and establishing relationships for the purpose of enabling people

to work most effectivel together in accomplishing objectives.

On the other hand, Oliverdefinedit as the process of combining the work, which individuals or groupshave to perform with facilities necessar for its e+ecution, that the duties performed provide the best

channels for the efficient, sstematic, positive and coordinated application of the available effort.

'urthermore, eor$e defined itas the arrangement of functions deemed necessar for attachment of

the objective and is an indication of the authorit and the responsibilit assigned to individuals charged

with the e+ecution of their respective functions.

*herefore organization include> defining and grouping the activities of an enterprise and

establishing the authorit and responsibilit relationship among them

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1.1.1.1 Princip#es of office Or$anisation

*he following are principles needed to be considered when organizing an office.

"efinin$ O/Gecti(es

n the process one need to be clear about the objectives of an organization and therefore precisel what

has to be achieved b different department or function

"i(ision of Wor

!onsidering the objectives what follows is to divide the work in such a wa that the objectives are

achieved in a sstematic manner.

Parit+ of *uthorit+ and Responsi/i#it+.

'or one given responsibilit to e+ercise it need to be given enough authorit to discharge it.

nit+ of -o&&and

*his means that, ever subordinate should be immediate responsible to one and not several supervisors.

One will get confused if there are man bosses.

Span of -ontro#

3an subordinate should be placed under one supervisor as man as heshe can effectivel supervise.*he number will depend on the nature of work to be done b the subordinate, capabilit of the

supervisor and other circumstances.

Nu&/er of #e(e#s of ana$e&ent

*he number of levels of management that is the hierarch steps should be reduced to minimum. *oo

man levels of management make both the upward and downward communication difficult

a#ance /et%een -entra#i,ation and "ecentra#i,ation

*o achieve the best results it is necessar to have a mi+ture of both

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E(endistribution of $ork

-ver subordinated should be assigned equal work. =o one should be over or under worked

La+in$ "o%n Tass and Functions

*he responsibilities and duties of ever individual should be clearl defined

F#e;i/i#it+

*he organizational structure should be fle+ible so that it can be capable of adopting changes.

-ontinuit+

*he structure of an organization should be in such a wa that it is able to maintain a continuous suppl

of required personnel and equipment.

Efficienc+

*his means that the goal of the organization should be achieved at a ver minimum cost. $orkers

should be motivated also to increase efficienc.

Si&p#icit+

&n enterprise should be organized in such a wa that ever emploee can easil follow the laid down

procedures and methods without difficult.

1.13 Structure and Or$ani,ation

1 14 1 Structure

*he structure of an organization refers to the arrangement of its functions and personnel. *his is

determined b the organization size, tpe of ownership and activities performed.

'igure ): *he management pramid

)4

Lower level supervisors supervise and, manage staff performing dailyactivities

Operating staff ? perform the basic activities of theorganization

*op management ? sets goods, policies and overall

control3iddle management ? make decisions on dail activities


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Note9

;owever, as a business grows, a more formal chain of command is needed, &s chain of

command means that staff are organized in hierarch authorit and responsibilities, as shown

above.

1 14 2 Or$ani,ation -hart

&n organisation chart is a document, which shows hierarchical structure of organisation.

t shows

Official lines of communication

2ivision of work

*he relationship of work groups each other

1ine of authorit and particular area of responsibilities

'igure 4:&n e+ample of an organization chart for small business.

2epartmental 'unction

)5

Owner #ecretar

Purchasing officePurchasing goods

Geep stock records

#ales 3anager;andle sales

#upervises sale

assistants

&ccount 3anager2oes book ? keeping

!alculate salaries

#upervises account clerks

#hareholder

Board of 2irectors

3anaging 2irectors -+ecutive &ssistant

Production

3anager

'inance

3anager

3arketing

3anager

Personnel

3anager

0esearch

3anager


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Fi$ure 39 *n e+ample of an organization chart for large public !ompan

1.16 *ssi$n&ent 3

Indi(idua# assi$n&ent

1 i(en the fo##o%in$ t+pes of /usinesses c#assif+ the& into different $roups of /usiness

o%nerships +ou no%.

T*W* !edia Wo&en *ssociation'

onite ott#ers

/e+a ce&ent

"arerSa#aa& Stoc E;chan$e

a&a nti#ie ! * /usiness of food usua##+ done /+ %o&en'

TR* !Tan,ania Re(enue *uthorit+'

IPP Ltd

-harcoa# trader

TT-L

*,a& Tan,ania Li&ited

T*L* ! Wo&en #e$a# association'

W*W*T* ! *n association of catho#ic %o&en'

Indi(idua# shop

Doda co& Tanania #i&ied

achin$a !street (endors'

SPE-I*L OLAPI-S !*n *ssociation for O#+&pic $a&es for peop#e %ith &enta#

retardation'

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LESSON 2

1.16 Organization structure of cbe

&ssign among the groups of the class two of them to go and stud the organisation structure of

!be and come and present it in class while the lecturer and the rest of the class comparing the

presentations and then allow the class to criticise the presentations. *here after the lecturer will

make a conclusion

Fi$ure9 6&n Organisation #tructure of !ollege Of Business -ducation

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1 16 1 *ssi$n&ent 6

roup %or

#tud the following organization structure then answer the questions below

Fi$ure 69 *n e;a&p#e of an or$ani,ation structure of a certain or$ani,ation

1 16 2 Cuestions

'rom a given chart answer the following questions

(. $hat is the name of the person to whom *.Bamtula is directl responsible

). *he name of the person in charge of stationer

4. 2r &ntidius wishes to have a conference concerning telephone and receptionist services. =ame

the supervisors he would call to the meeting%

5. 3hando has a compliant on the mailroom services. f the complaint is processed through the

proper lines of authorit indicate the route b listing names and positions it would follow.

Persona# Secretar+

enera# *d&inistration Officer)anager2r &ntidius '

Supe(isor.

B. 3edard

Super(isor


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6. $hat information is not shown b the chart%

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WEEK 3

LESSON 1

.7 Location of "epart&ents in an Office

*his refers to how the various office departments are located within an office building. *he

guide lines for this purpose are:

i 2epartments which deal with the public like the reception and the mail office must be close to

the entrance.

ii 2epartments with heav machiner and equipment should be kept on the ground floor.

iii 2epartments which require concentration and much thinking like planning department or

managing 2irectorDs office should be kept a bit far so as to allow them work in a more quite

atmosphere

iv 2epartments which serve other departments should be located centrall eg the tping pool,

records room etc.

v 2epartments should be located in such a wa that toilets, wash basins, cloak rooms and other

facilities are within eas reach to all departments

vi 2epartments which require e+tra light eg the drawing department should be located near

windows

vii 2epartments which work close together should be located within eas reach eg sales and credit

control departments should be ver close to each other.

.7.1 The t+pin$ poo#

2efinition: & tping pool is a single room in which the tpists of the organization work together.

& tping pool is desirable in the case of an office in which man e+ecutives work.

& tping pool supervisor is appointed to allocate, coordinate, and supervise the work of the pool

tpists. *he place should be properl housed and should have adequate communication links

with the rest of the organization to improve on its efficienc. t would be proper to carr out a

cost benefit analsis of the tping pool before it is instituted. Besides, it would be ideal to

review its working from time to time to find out its benefits. -ven though, all the senior

e+ecutives of the organization must be provided with their own secretaries so that their work

goes on smoothl.

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.7.2 *d(anta$es of the t+pin$ poo#

i 'air distribution of work

ii -conom is the use of the tpists labour

iii Better training

iv 3ore flow of work

v solation of noise

vi !omparisons of work of different tpists is possible

vii &voidance of interruptions of work

viii 1ess time is wasted compared to departmental tping

i+ 3ore correct work

+ #ickness and holida difficulties are easil overcome as reallocation can easil be done

.7. "isad(anta$es of the t+pin$ poo#i 1oss of tpistDs personal touch with the e+ecutives

ii Overloading of work to some tpists is inevitable

iii 1ow qualit of work is often complained of

iv ncreased need of messenger services to collect scripts from the various departments to the

tping pool and back

v =o specialization for a particular tpe of work. *pists handle scripts from an department eg

legal, accounts, sales, personnel etc.

.: Office Staff

.:.1 Line Of Staff in an Office

The fo##o%in$ of the #ine of staff in an office

i *he office 3anager ?higher position in the office

ii #upervisors"these are the heads of sections or departments

iii !lerical staff"these are the subordinates

iv *pists

v 3essengers"these distribute documents

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.:.2 Cua#ities of an office %orer

*he qualities are divided into two

i Personal qualities

ii Office qualities

.:. Persona# @ua#ities

i/ Education and trainin$

ii/ ood h+$iene " health

"neatness

" !leanliness

"smartness

iii/ *ttracti(e persona#it+ "friendl"cheerfulness

"good appearance

iv/ Persona# interestsoffice etiquettes/. *hese should be linked to the tpe of work performed.

*he worker should show interest in the work heshe does.

.:.3 Office @ua#ities office etiquettes/:These shou#d disp#a+ $ood professiona# conduct and

socia# /eha(iour.

*hese include

i 5onest+and #o+a#t+to the emploer

ii 2iscipline

iii ood /ehaviour

i( Punctua#it and regularit

v #hould o/ser(e ru#es and re$u#ationsand office procedure

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v 1ook, after the emploees services eg health, recreation facilities like sports, games etc,

provision of transport facilities to staff to and from places of work, canteen services, get

together parties etc.

vi Geep staff records as well as staff reports

vii ;e she has the dut of settling disputes, dealing with discipline, promotions and dismissals ofstaff and also transfer of staff from one department to another.

.10 *ssi$n&ent 7

ndividual assignment

( Aou are a human resource personnel and our organization need to recruit in new emploees.

$hat will be the things ou e+pect one to have in order to secure that emploment%

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LESSON 2

.11 Functions of the -hief *ccountant

*he chief accountant in an organization perform the following main functions

i Geeps the books of accounts relating to the financial affairs of the business

ii 0esponsible for the preparation of annual accounts which must be presented to the shareholders

owners of the business/ at the annual general meeting

iii ;eshe is the in charge of the cash of business and the bank account

iv ;eshe prepares and pas wages and salaries to the workers

v 3aintains the stock records of the business

vi ;eshe pas the creditors of the business and also collects cash from the debtors

vii ;eshe is responsible for the sales invoicing to the customers of the business for all the goods

sold

.12 Functions of the office super(isor

.12.1 "efinition: &n office supervisor is a person in charge of all the office functions of an

organization or some major part of them.

5is)her &ain functions are as fo##o%s:

i *o plan and foresee the needs of the organization, the management and staff

ii *o organize hisher section to conform with the organizational goals

iii *o co"ordinate the activities of his section

iv *o install effective control measures

v *o prepare objective training plan for hisher section

vi *o understand the act of delegation and use it effectivel

vii *o communicate effectivel

viii *o distribute work among the staff evenl

i+ *o establish good working conditions

+ * create team spirit

+i * stud and understand human behaviuor

+ii *o get along with people subordinates/

+iii *o give credit when and where due

+iv *o develop staff b imparting knowledge and skills

+v *o tr and change attitudes and motivate the staff

+vi *o practice self analsis

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+vii *o keep abreast with current management techniques

+viii *o practice impartialit

E;ercise 9 1 Indi(idua# assi$n&ent to /e done in c#ass

( One of the advantages of a geographical filing sstem is that it classifies information into

readil identifiable groups

) *he office laout should allow changes in the future because a business is not a static entit.

*his is a principle of effective supervision.

4 *he most important function of a business is production

5 #ome of the basic function of management is to safeguard assets, form designing and public

relations function

6 & chief accountant is responsible in planning, and foreseeing the needs of the organization,

management, and staff.

8 $hen introducing a visitor to our boss ou mention first the name of the visitor followed b

the name of our boss

9 &n area of consisting of an emploeeDs furniture, equipment, working surface and storing panel.

*he above describes a modified open plan of an office.

@ Open offices has greater privac than closed offices

Production is to change outputs into inputs.

(C Batch production is a technique used in producing standardized identical items when there is a

large, permanent and known market demand

(( #ecretaries need to be women

() Office practice is for office seekers onl

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WEEK 6

LESSON 1

3.0 Office 5a,ards

;azard> s literall defined as a danger or risk. *herefore, to minimize office hazards there is a need to

have a good working environment.

3.1 Worin$ En(iron&ent

Ph+sica# conditions in an office

*he performance of clerical work suffers if phsical conditions are below standard. *herefore,

the following are important for efficient office administration

1 -#ean#iness: &ll premises must be kept clean, with floors cleaned place appearing untid the

are also a source of infections of various tpes.

) 0easonable office space

4 0easonable te&perature must be provided and maintained in all rooms in which the emploees

work

5 #uitable and sufficient #i$htning must be provided.

6 Denti#ation

&dequate supplies of either fresh artificiall purified air must be circulated to secure the

ventilation of offices. 'resh air reduces fatigue and removes irritable feelings of the clerks and

increases efficienc

7 Washin$ faci#ities: Premises must have suitable conveniences washing facilities at places

convenientl accessible to all emploees. *hese include running hot and cold water, soap and

towels. 2rinking water must be available. Places for hanging clothing for dring them

: First aid itmust be provided so as to be readil available and accessible

< Seats for %orers who normall perform their work sitting must be suitable in design,

construction and dimensions for the worker and for the kind of work

= Interior decorations

nterior decorations cater for the pscholog of office of office works. *hese decorations

include colours on the walls, colours and design of furnishings, floor and others. *hese create a

cheerful effect in the minds of the workers and hence increase efficienc.

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10 Noise contro#

=oise affects workers efficienc to a great e+tent. t is important to control noise in an office

since clerical work involves great concentration of the mind. *herefore, the mental

concentration should not be disturbed b noise. #ources of noise are both internal and e+ternal.

-+ternal noise can be caused b traffic movements mention others/.

3.2 5ea#th+ and Safet+ atters

Safet+: 1iterall, safet is defined as the condition of being safe, that is something designed to

prevent injur or damage.

5ea#th: *his is the state of being free from illness or injur

*herefore, an office place needs to be both health and safe

3.2.1 Safet+

-mploees must not onl be provided with a good working environment but also with a safe

working place to minimise accidents and injuries.

&ccidents and injuries can affect the morale of emploees and hence lead into inefficienc and

therefore loss for an organizationbusiness. =ot onl that, but accidents might lead to permanent

disabilit and prolonged hospitalization which costs emploers for compensation and treatment

respectivel.

3.2.2 -o&&on factors %hich &i$ht cause accident ha,ard are9

i -+posed electric wire or loose connection

ii #lipper floors or loose carpeting

iii Open drawers of desk or filing cabinet

iv *ilting backwards in reclining chair

v #harp edges of office equipment, or broken glasses

vi Enguarded moving parts of office machines

vii Pencil sharpness, pins etc

viii 0unning or rapid walking along stairwa or through door was

i+ 0eading while walking along passes

+ nadequate lightning or worn"out treads or stairwas

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3. -auses of *ccidents

The fo##o%in$ are the causes of accidents

i 3ost accidents are a result of human failure.

ii 1ack of action or failure on the part of the management to rectif some defects in office

accommodation, furniture, equipment and machine or in taking safet measures to prevent

accidents.

iii 2ue to some phsical deficienc or carelessness of the emploees themselves

*he above causes of accidents have been further classified with other writers in three groups:

i echanica# -auses

*hese include inadequate lightning, e+posed electric wires, unguarded moving machines, and

technical defects in equipment

ii Ph+sio#o$ica# causes

*hese are mainl a result of human failure such as bad ee sight, advanced age, other phsical

disabilit of emploees

iii Ps+cho#o$ica# causes

*hese are a result of carelessness, tendenc to make unnecessar chances and temporar mental

and or emotional imbalance of emploee

3.3 *cti(it+ !indi(idua# assi$n&ent'

&sk students to identif different hazards present if an at their college ie cbe that hinders the smooth

teaching and learning processes and therefore suggest was of improving the situation. *he

observations have to be discussed in class.

3.3.1 So#utions

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LESSON 2

3.6 easures to ensure Safet+ at the Worin$ P#ace

&ccidents can be reduced and or be eliminated if adequate safet measures are taken to prevent

their occurrence.

( *he above can be done in the following was>

) *aking safet precautions with regard to all phsical sources from accidents

4 nstilling in emploees work habits and practices which will ensure safet

5 -nforce safet regulations throughout the office regularl and methodologicall

3.6.1 * p#anned &ana$e&ent pro$ra&&e to ensure office safet+ shou#d inc#ude the fo##o%in$

steps:

a Pro(ision of safe %orin$ p#ace

3easures should be made to provide a safe working place for the emploees. *hat is the size

and shape of the office rooms, location and size of doors must be in such as to eliminate hazards

of accident. Office floors should be safe b being carpeted or covered with non"slipper, enough

lightning in gangwas, chairs and desks free from sharp edges.

/ Safe$uardin$ ha,ardous &achines and e@uip&ent

3oving machines and those with cutters should have should have safet guards, electric wirings

and cables to be properl insulated, office machines and equipment should be placed on firm

foundations and proper fitting of desk and file drawers be ensured.

c Pro(ision of safet+ c#othin$

#afet clothing should be provided to emploees engaged in works prone to accident. *hese

include things like aprons to people dealing with grease ink, glue, or inflammable cleansing

liquid. 'inger guards should be provided where chances of suffering from cuts might be high.

d aintenance of Order#iness and -#ean#iness

;abit of orderliness and cleanliness should be encouraged in emploees along with necessar

arrangements of their maintenance. #tair"was should be kept free of loose objects, ad"equate

number of waste paper baskets should be provided and regular cleaning of office floors should

be ensured

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e Pro(ision Of first*id ser(ices.

*o ensure immediate treatment of injuries, 'irst"aid bo+es should be provided for each

department of work area. *he should also be regularl inspected to make sure that the are

stocked with all necessar materials.

f Pro(ision of fire fi$htin$ e@uip&ent

ost accidental fires can be put out and prevented from becoming serious, if detected in time and

tackled with fire fighting equipment. *he equipments should be placed in suitable and eas

accessible points, and the should be maintained in a good working order.

g Safet+ education and trainin$ of e&p#o+ees

-mploers should be made aware of the dangers of his or her job and the need for maintaining

alert against accidents while doing hisher job. *herefore emploees should be given to

emploees in the correct and safe wa of doing work so that it becomes a habit. *he training

should also cover fire" fighting. #afet regulations should be carefull framed and strictl

enforced.

h Pro&otin$ safet+ consciousness

3ental preparedness for accidents is the best guarantee of safet. &ll efforts should be made to

calculate safet"consciousness in emploees. -ven though it is a difficult task to remind

emploees to work safel, to avoid carelessness or taking chances and remain alert against

accidents will produce good results.

3.7 -L*SS *-TIDITA

I&a$ine +ou are in a c#ass and the fire /reas. *s +our students to ro#ep#a+ on ho% the

situation %i## /e dea#t on. In the course are supposed to de&onstrate ho% to operate a fire

e;tin$uisher and other &eans of fire fi$htin$ #ie %ater and sand. The+ shou#d a#so no%

%here those firefi$htin$ faci#ities are #ocated in different parts of the co##e$e

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WEEK 7

LESSON 1

3.: Office Securit+

Office securit is a big problem especiall in big organisations. Organisations are faced with theft of

cash and materials b the staff or public. 1arge organisations as stated above are with more organised

crimes organizations are likel to be faced with more serious risks like industrial espionage, terrorist

activities including bomb"threats, kidnapping, hijacking of goods, vehicles and looting of godowns

*herefore, protecting confidentialit of office secrets as well as the secretes of emploees against such

risks, an adequate securit arrangement for an office is essential

3.:.1 -auses of securit+ 5a,ards

i =ot checking of unauthorised and undesirable visitorsii Enguarded entrances and e+ists of office building and compound

iii 1eaving windows open

iv &ccess of all to confidential documents of all kinds

v !oping of confidential documents b unauthorised persons

vi =ot checking of visitors brief"cases

vii &ccess to cash and safes b too man people and keeping of too much cash in the premises

vii =ot controlling over kes of safes and doors

i+ Ensecured files and documents of the office

+ #taff taking freel of confidential matters inside and outside the office

+i !ars and goods vehicles left unguarded in places where these can be tempered with.

Hii =o securit venting of newl recruited staff.

3.:.2 Securit+ &easures

Safe$uardin$ the co&pound

*he following are securit measures that might be emploed:

i &ll doors, windows and sklights should be closed after office hours and kes left in the hands

of a senior officer.

ii & suitable alarm sstem should be installed

iii *he compound should be regularl patrolled b securit staff or night watchman

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Re$u#atin$ entr+ of (isitors

i entr of visitors should be checked at entrance. =o one is allowed unless produces the identit

card bearing hisher photograph

ii One entrance is preferabl for visitors

iii -ach visitor to be issued a pass which should be carried throughout the visit and returned to thesecurit man when leaving the compound

iv Brief"cases of visitors need to be checked at the entr point

Securit+ re$u#ations for the staff

i -ach member of the staff should be oriented for securit at the time of recruitment

ii #ecurit regulations for staff should be framed carefull in consultation with the representatives

iii -ach emploee should be issued with an identit card with a photograph and the signature of the

person concerned

iv -ach emploee irrespective seniorit should be asked to identif himselfherself to the securit

staff b producing an identit card while e entering and leaving the premises

v regulations should provide for checking the brief cases and packages of at the time of entr and

e+it

Protectin$ confidentia#it+ of &ai# and co&&unication s+ste&

i Ese of Post Bo+ and Post Bag ma be introduced while taking deliver of mail from the post

office. &ll confidential mail should be handled with senior staff

ii *elephones should be fitted with mechanical or electronic devices to prevent telephone tapping

b rival manufactures

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3. *he introduction of machines in an organisation requires large some of mone

for installation and maintenance of machines.

3 ne&p#o+&ent: *he use of machines in offices lead to unemploment

6 O/so#escence> 3achines are subject to be out of use due to the introduction of new modernmachines. *his causes high costs.

8 *he use of machines tends to make the office sstems #ess f#e;i/#e because some of these

require special skills for their operations

9 3achines ma produce noise and space pro/#e&sin the office.

6.3 E@uip&ent Operatin$ anua#s

*hese are manuals giving technical details about the equipment, e+plain the correct wa on how

to operate it, and tell ou how to solve minor problems that wa arise.

7ood are should be taken of those operating manuals because the are ver useful references.

Geep them in safe place but accessible to users the equipment

6.6 Factor to consider %hen /u+in$ office E@uip&ent

*he following are the factors which influence the choice of office equipments and machiner

1 -ost

t is upon the organisation to consider its financial position when deciding on the tpe of

machines to purchase.

2 Cua#it+

*he organisation will prefer purchasing equipments of high or better qualit product

"ura/i#it+

3 Purpose

*he need for a particular feature eg better presentation of minimising of frauds

3 Effect on the staff &ora#e

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6 Side affectseg the need to change some sstem or stationer which is in use before machines

are introduced

8 Presti$e: *he good image to be reflected b organisations ou deal with customer

: *dapta/i#it> *his is to meet future development eg computers

@ =eed for trainin$ staffand ancillar services

;ow much use can be made of the machines and if there is a possibilit of renting out spare

time b the public

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LESSON 2

6.7 -o&&on e@uip&ents used in offices

&ddressing machine

&nswering machine

&utomatic *eller 3achines &*3s/

!alculating 3achine

!ash register

!locking ? in machines *ime recorders/

!ollators

!omputers

!oin counting machine

2ictaphone machine

2uplicators

'acsimile machine fa+/

'olding machine

t is used for making suitable holes in papers for filing

ii #tapling machine: *his is used for affi+ing letters and enclosures or other pages together

iii #tapler remover: t is used for removing pins from papers

iv #cissors: Esed for cutting papers

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6.7.2 achines$t of the t+pin$ Poo#

i T+pe%riterscan be manual or electric. *he electric machine requires little effort to use and the

tpist can do continuous work without getting too tired. t could have onl one tpe of face or

use of a printing device that permits various tpes of faces.

6.7. T+pes of t+pe%riters

a *uto&atic T+pe%riters

*he use the work prepared on a pre"punched tape, edge pun on the automatic tpewriter. *his

is also referred as a Iwork processorD

Fi$ure9 7 E#ectronic t+pe%riters

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Porta/#e t+pe%riter: *his is of a smaller size and lighter in weight. *he are commonl being

suitable for personal use b business e+ecutives who often go on tour

Fi$ure :9 Porta/#e t+pe%riter

Noise#ess t+pe%riters

*hese make no noise when in use

6.7.3 -are of the t+pe%riter

( Brush the tpe dail and clean dust from the machine, including underneath.

) !over the machine when it is not is use

4 Before moving the machine, lack the carriage in the centre b bringing the margin stops

together

5 1ift the machine from the base not b the carriage

6 Put the machine awa from heat

8 Ese the backing sheet when tping especiall manual machines

9 f a fault arises, call an e+perienced mechanic

@ #witch off power when ou finish -lectric -lectronic/

Geep fooddrinks well awa from the machines in case of spillage

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6.: Photocopies

*hese are used to produce man copies out of a document. *herefore are used to photocop

reports, correspondences from suppliers and clients and other office related assignments.

6.< La&inatin$

*he are used for laminating documents for protecting them b becoming safe from dust and

water. *he document is inserted in a plastic pocket and passed through the machine which seals

it with the heat as it connected to the electric switch. *he documents laminated includes,

licence, identit cards mention others/

6.= indin$ &achines

*he are used for binding together documents such as meeting reports, sales reports, list of

customers mention others/

6.10 *ccountin$ achines

*he handle accounting records using storage and counting registers to carr out ledger posting

and analsis work

6.10.1 -a#cu#ators

*hese ma be manual or electric. *he simplest one will add and subtract. *he more

complicated ones will add, subtract, divide, multipl and give totals and sub"totals.

'igure @: !alculating 3achine

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6.10.2 -ash re$ister and -oin hand#in$ achines

-ash re$isters

*hese are used in those areas where a large number of customers make large paments for the

purchases as in a big retail store give e+amples/. #ome of these even issue receipts to customers andin most cases add receipts band show the total on the meter.

-oin hand#in$devices are used mostl b banks, railwas booking mention others/.

-oin sortersand cash countersare used for sorting coins of different denominations and giving out

the total of the coins passed through the machine from the dial

-oin chan$e &achine: &utomaticall calculate the change from the amount and deliver amount and

deliver the correct change to customers.

'igure : !ash 0egister

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6.11 i##in$ and /oo eepin$ &achines

6.11.1 i##in$ &achines

Esuall combine tpewriters of roller tpe calculator.

*he machines make calculations regarding discount, e+tensions, totals etc. and are useful for the quick

preparations of bills, invoices> credit notes mention others/.

Fi$ure 109 i##in$ achine

6.11.2 *ccountin$ and /ooeepin$ &achines

These &achine are used for

i Posting in journals, cash books and ledgers mention others/

ii Preparation of checks, parolls, cash received and pament sheets

iii Preparation of copies of ledger accounts, along with posting

iv !alculators and computing figures and drawing ledger or cash book business mention others/

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Fi$ure 119 *ccountin$ and ooeepin$ achine

6.12 ai# Roo& achines

i Letter opener

*his ma be the hand ?operated device shaped like a knife or an automatic device which trims

narrow strips off one edge of envelops. !are should be taken when using the device not to

destro the contents on an envelop

Fi$ure9 12 Letter Openin$ achine

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ii Letter or parce# sca#es?

$eigh correspondences to ensure correct postage

iii Sta&p &oistenin$ de(ice

Esed for wetting stamps or envelops to affi+ to seal. t is usuall a moistening sponge in a

containeri( * date sta&p

Esed to record the date on which the letter was received. t also stamps a number of the letter

( Shreddin$ &achine

Eses to destro confidential documents if no longer in require

(i *ddressin$ &achine

Esed to print names and addresses of regular customers or correspondents

Fi$ure 19 *ddressin$ achine

(ii Franin$ &achine

*his is used to print postal stamp impressions on the envelopes. $here arranged can also be

used to print slogans on envelops as it prints postal stamps impression

(iii -o&posite &achine

*his tpe of machine performs three functions which are: 'olding of the document, insert then

in envelopes, and seals the envelopes.

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Fi$ure 139 Letter Fo#din$ achine

1.13 Computers

!omputer came in man sizes. *he smallest can be pocket ? sized, while portable machine are

called laptops are popular for travelling business people. *he tpical desktop computer in the

office is called a personal computer P!/. 1arger and more powerful machines include min ?

computers mainframe computers and super computer. !omputers are composed of several

pieces of electronic equipment it is there fore more correct to call them computer sstem.

6.1.1 ain uses of the co&puter in an or$anisation are as fo##o%s

( *o get access to internet 6 Production control

) *o tpe letters and other correspondences

4 Preparation of paroll

5 #tock control

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6.1.2 -are for the -o&puter

( *he computer needs to be clean and tid so that it can create a more pleasant environment for

everone to work in

) &void eating and drinking near the computer

4 Protect it with a suitable dust covet when not in use

6.1. -#eanin$ Process

#tart with a monitor, followed b the ke board and lastl the printer

6.1.3 -are and &aintenance of office e@uip&ents

( Geep them from e+cessive heat or cold and dust

) Geep food and drinks awa from them

4 ;andle gentl when moving them.

5 2isconnect them from the electrical cable or suppl

6 Geep the cop of operating manuals ! the machine

8 !heck for single and common faults

-.g. make sure that: "

i Power suppl is one

ii 'uses in the equipment are working

ii *here are no loose connecting cable plugs

6.13 Indi(idua# assi$n&ent

( 7ive at least three e+amples of specificall where ou can find the following accounting

machines

Billing and bookkeeping machines

!ash register

!oin handling 3achines

!alculators

2 -#ass *cti(it+ !No &ars'

2emonstration on common simple machines used in a general office eg stapler, punching

machines, how to fi+ pins in a stapler, different tpes of office pins and uses, stamp pad and ink

pad *his is done in class.

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6.16 I" SEESTER E*IN*TION *N" -ORRE-TIONS

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WEEK =

LESSON 1

7.0 RE-OR" *N*EENT

7.1 The Re$istr+

7.2 "efinition

& registr is an office where all records of an organization are stored.

7. T+pes of Re$istries

*here are two tpes of 0egistries that is OP-= vis !O='2-=*&1

7..1 *n Open Re$istr+

*his is where all general non"confidential records and documents of an organization are dealtwith, and stored.

7..2 * -onfidentia# Re$istr+

*his is where all records and documents of confidential in nature classified/ are dealt with and

stored.

7.3 Ro#e of the Re$istr+

& registr e+ists to serve all the office activities of an organization

O/Gecti(e of the Re$istr+

*he main objective of the 0egistr is to sort the information it receives and present it to

scheduled action officers immediatel.

7.6 Standardi,ation of the Re$istr+ Procedures

*he world J#tandardization J means making of all 0egistr Procedures uniform with the aim of

that whatever is done in one registr is done in the same wa as in another.

7.: Reasons for Standardi,in$ Re$istr+ Procedures

*he reasons are the following:

*raining of staff working in the 0egistr becomes cheap and simple

#taff can easil be transferred from one 0egistr to another without e+tra training e+penses

0egistr procedures are carried out in uniformit.

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7.< Ser(ices Rendered /+ the Re$istr+

i *he services offered b a registr include:

ii *o receive, sort and distribute incoming correspondence and other documents

iii *o file letters, records, and other documents

iv *o trace and produce documents as required

v *o put documents under custod when not in use

vi *o dispatch outgoing correspondence

vii *o e+amine files periodicall and send files to the &0!;F- section

*o open file

7.= -o&&on "efects in the Re$istr+

i & registr ma fail to perform its activities properl when:

ii Papers ma take too long to reach scheduled action officersiii 'iles take long to be allocated

iv Papers cannot be traced

v Outgoing mail cannot be dispatched on time.

7.=.1 Reasons for the "efects

*he following are the causes for the defects

i Office attendants required are not properl supervised

ii Papers are mis"sorted and or misallocated

iii Previewing sstem is in use

iv Outstanding papers are not followed"up adequatel

v 'iles are not kept sent to the proper action officers mis"direction/

vi 'iles are not kept on their proper places misallocation/

vii *here is poor organization at the post opening stage.

7.10 "e#a+ in producin$ fi#es &a

7.11 + happen if9i 0ecords are not kept properl

ii !ontrol of file movement is poor

iii !ooperation among officers concerned is low

iv *here is poor file classification

v 'ile inde+ing is poor

vi 'iles are not kept on their proper places

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7.10.1 Ina/i#it+ to trace papers &a+ happen if9

i *here is poor file classification

ii 'ile inde+ing is poor

iii Previewing sstem is in use

iv 2ela in dispatching outgoing mail ma happen if:v 2rafts sent to tpists are not followed"up

vi 1etters that are signed neither are nor cleared out from signing officers in time.

Fii *pists put advance dates on tped letters

7.10.2 Success of Re$istr+ Ser(ices

#ervices rendered b the 0egistr ma be successful if:

i *he sstem and procedures used are clear to everone who uses the 0egistr

ii *he staffs working in the 0egistr are qualified

iii *here is proper supervision

iv &ll staff using the 0egistr are willing to cooperate full

7.11 Indi(idua# assi$n&ent

( 7ive at least three e+amples which can be filed under the following registries:

Open

!onfidential

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LESSON 2

7.12 Records ana$e&ent

*he term records management is given to all aspects of creating, using, sorting retrieving files

disposal of records available.

* fi#e

s a collection of one or two pieces of related information or records. & file is a collection of

one or more documents about a related subject.

Record9

s an documented information, regardless of medium in which the information is stored e.g.

paper, microfilm, electronic, etc. 0ecords include letters, circulars, pictures, reports mention

others/

2ocument is an recorded information in paper form, film or electronic form. & document is a

record.

7.12.1 Record &ana$e&ent can /road#+ /e definedas the sstem of coo"ordination of activities of

making, administering, retaining, submitting and disposing of records of the organization.

0ecord management should not be confused with filing. 0ecord management includes all

activities designed to control the life ccle of a record from its creation to its ultimate

disposition.

7.12.2 Sta$es of the #ife c+c#e of records

*he life ccle of records involves the following stages:

i -reation of records

*his is the first stage which involves designing and control of office forms 2ata need to be

recorded in forms accuratel and completel, and the time period of which the record is going

to be kept determined.

ii Stora$e of Records

*he second stage b which records are properl classified and put into appropriate life covers

or folders files/.*he files are then kept in a suitable filing equipment eg cabinet mention

others / and protected.

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iii Retrie(a# of Records

One of the purpose of keeping records is that are available for reference. *herefore a efficient

filing procedure should be put in place to retrieve the records in time.

i( "isposa# of records

0ecords ma become obsolete and hence need to be disposed. #ince the time frame for recordsis pre"determined when time relapses the records are removed and discarded.

7.1 O/Gecti(es of eepin$ Records

*he following are the objectives of keeping records

i Future reference

0ecords are a memor of an organization business which can be used in future as a reference

for making decisions.

ii E(idence

0ecords are an important aid when it becomes necessar to refer to past records to refer to the

past records to argue a case or settle a dispute. *he serve as a written proof.

iii "ecision&ain$

0ecords are important tool for management. *heir decisions need to be based on relevant and

up"to"date information. t is risk for management to base their decision on guesses instead of

proper facts and figure.

iv Efficienc+

& good sstem is the one of which records are easil be available to the management in speed

and accurac. *his improves efficienc in the office operations.

v Le$a# o/#i$ation

0ecords are kept in compliance with the provisions of various statutes. 0ecords might be

needed to be seen b *a+ &uthorit mention others/.

7.13 Essentia# of a $ood record &ana$e&ent

i Si&p#icit+

*he sstem of keeping records should be simple in order to facilitate comprehension.

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ii *ccurac+

0ecords should be kept accuratel so as to reduce the chances of error and frauds

iii Econo&+

*he cost of keeping and maintaining records should be minimal or cost effective

iv sefu#ness*he records should be useful for the better management of the affairs of the business. *he

records retained are the ones which needed.

7.16 Fi#in$

'iling is the processof classifing, arranging and storing information for future retrieval and

use. *he information can be in paper form or microfilm or in electronic form, e.g. in computer

discs and !2"0O3.

7.16.1 O/Gects of fi##in$ are9to preserve documents in clean and tid condition and to ensure their

availabilit for reference when the are needed.

7.16.2 Reasons for Fi#in$

i Geeping together related papers in one file

ii Geeping papers clean and safe

iii ;aving information read for reference purposes

iv Geeping papers for research purposes

7.16. Essentia#s of ood Fi#in$ S+ste&

*he filing sstem refers to the classification, the equipment, the staffing and inde+ing

*n efficient fi#in$ s+ste& &ust ha(e the fo##o%in$ @ua#ities

( #implicit"simple to understand and operate

) #ecuritsafet"secure to protect the records when the are retained

4 -conom"economical in labour, cost and material

5 'le+ibilit"Be e+pandable to suit increased requirements of the business

6 -asil accessible"cabinets should be of reasonable height and should be ver close

8 #ustainabilit" *pes of files and methods of housing files should suit the needs of the business

of that particular organization

9 !ompactness"*he filing sstem should not take up too much space ie floor space

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7.16.3 enera# ru#es for fi#in$

(. 'ile neatl

). -nsure that the correspondence is placed in the correct file

4. Place the correspondence in the file with correct sequence of dates, the most recent documents

on top

5. &void large bulk files. *he old documents to be placed in JdeadK files

6. 2o not remove individual papers from file. f it must be removed a note stating the date, name

of correspondent and name of borrower should be placed in the file.

8. $hen there is insufficient correspondence from one source to justif opening an individual file

place it in a Jmiscellaneous K file

9. f a file is temporaril removed for reference, complete an absence marker or card

@. 'ile dail so that the filing sstem is alwas up to date

7.16.6 T+pes of fi#e co#ours

'iles are classified according to their nature of contents. *hus there are three 4/ kinds of file

colours:

i #ue"'or keeping confidential matters

ii reenwith a red diagonal band" 'or keeping secret matters

iii Red"'or top secret matters

7.16.7 Indi(idua# assi$n&ent

7ive at least two e+amples of the documents that might be covered with under the following colours of

files:

Blue

7reen

0ed

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WEEK 10

LESSON 1

7.16.: Fi#e -#assification S+ste&

'iles are classified so that the can be found and retrieved easil. Organizations choose the

sstem, or a combination of sstems, most suited to their needs.

*he main basic/ filing classification sstems are

( &lphabetical filing: classif and arrange information in strictl alphabetical order

) 7eographical filing: group information according to geographical locations or areas e.g.

villages, towns, districts, regions, countries, continents, etc.

4 !hronological filing: files are arranged according to date or period in numerical order

5 =umerical filing: files are arranged numericall, each new file given a consecutive number

6 #ubject filing: files are arranged alphabeticall according to subjects or topics

8 -. *. !

7.16.: *#pha/etica##+ Fi#in$ S+ste&

*his is probabl the most commonl used of all filing sstems. Ender this sstem, files are

arranged according to the names of customers. n personal names the arrangement is

determined b the use of surnameke names

*he surname is placed before the first names and if the surnames are the same, the first name

determine the position

f the first name and surname are embodied in the name of the compan, the surname is written

first, followed b the first name and finall e.g. the remainder of the name should file 1eonard

$hite and !o filed under I$hite, 1eonard, and !o.D

f the compan has several names, the first name is taken as the surname for filing purposes,

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*he names such as 2e 1a 3are, etc the prefi+ is regarded as part of the surname and inde+ed as

if the were one word e.g. 2eclare.

& name without initials precedes a name with an initial as the following names

0oberts

0oberts, &0oberts, & &

=ames, which consist of initials, are placed before full names, e.g. B0# Parcels/ 1td precedes

Brown Bros.

'or impersonal names such as government departments, use the name that distinguishes it from

the others, e.g. -ducation and -mploment.

=ames which begin with a number should d either be listed before the alphabetical name in

numerical order or converted to words and placed in the appropriates alphabetical position,

depending on the rules of the organization, e.g. 4 #tars *rading !ompan treated as I*hreeLD

&lphabetical filing is used widel b professions, which deal with clients e.g. dentist and

doctors, #olicitors or lawers/, b schools for maintaining pupils records, b business

organizations for keeping staff records and filling correspondence.

7.16.: *d(anta$es

( Se#finde;in$, a direct and quicker method of filing without the need for a separate inde+

direct filing./

) Si&p#e to operate, junior clerks can understand it easil

4 It is possi/#e to open up one fi#efor miscellaneous papers, which cannot make up their own

file

5 Eas+ to e;pand, new names can easil be added

6 & convenient method of grouping papers b compan, subject or location

8 -speciall usefu# for a s&a## fi#in$ ran$eof about (CC to 6CC files

9 Less costin materials

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7.16.< "isad(anta$es

( 2ifficult ma be e+perienced in locating common names. *oo man names under a common

name ma cause congestion in filing.

) t takes much time to trace papers in large sstems where the are man files

4 Encertaint for file location when subjects are used. 3is filing of papers under different

heading is possible as car e+penses, motor e+penses, vehicle e+penses, etc.

5 2ifficult to &sses space requirements for e+pansion. t is not eas to estimate space

requirements between different letters of alphabet.

6 & document ma be filed under a different name due to differences in spellings e.g. !alvin,

Gelvin, etc.

8 0equire constantl up dating the inde+

6.16 Geographical Filing System

&rrange files according to geographical location, e.g. village, town, district, region, countr,continent, etc. files within each group are arranged alphabeticall. *he sstem cannot operate

on its own> it needs a supplementar card inde+.

*he method is suitable for sales organizations, government agencies, travel agencies,

publishers, freight companies, post offices, and large organizations with branch offices, which

are connected with geographical areas.

n addition, more e+amples of data that dictate geographical filing is: market research data,

sales data, weather records, national health statistics, etc.

Esing geographical classification for sales and distribution for sales and distribution of te+tiles

b 'riendship *e+tile 3ill, &rusha and 3bea regions as e+amples: #ales in *anzania, all

regions are arranged alphabeticall, followed b districts under them/

&rusha 0egion 3bea region

("(&rumeru district )"( !huna district

(") &rusha district )") Gela district

("4 Babati district )"4 leje district

("5 ;anang district )"5 3balali district

("6 Giteto district )"6 3bea 0ural district

("8 1oliondo district )"8 3bea Erban district

("9 3bulu district )"9 3bozi district

("@ 3onduli district )"@ 0ungwe district

(" =gorongoro district

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7.17.1 *d(anta$es

( t is eas to use and make reference when location is known

) t classifies information into readil identifiable groups

4 #uitable for companies that have several branches spread over different parts of the world, or a

countr, for e+ample oil companies, commercial banks, etc

7.17.2 "isad(anta$es

( Possibilit of error in filing where knowledge of geograph is lacking or weak for filing clerks

) 7eographical location, must be known in addition to the correspondents name

4 &dditional inde+ is necessar for occasional reference

5 #imilarit of names in different areas can create problems in filing

6 'iling clerks ma not be familiar with locations

8 Onl some of a firmDs activities ma be carried out according to geographical location but noteverthing

7.1: -hrono#o$ica# Fi#in$ S+ste&

2ocuments are arranged according to date of receipt in numerical order. *he sstem is useful in

small business concerns where not man records to maintain. *his method of filing has

unlimited scope for e+pansion, but related records ma be separated b other records.

!hronological filing is often used when filing invoices, orders, circulars, pament vouchers etc.

t is also, often used to organize individual records within a particular file, even when the file

itself is classified under a different sstem.

=ote: *he sstem is used absolutel but is the usual method of filing papers inside each

folderfile. *he oldest papers are found at the bottom of the file while the most recent on top.

erits

#orting is eas and quick where material filed is of a small quantit

t is eas to make reference in a file when date is known

Provides unlimited scope for e+pansion

7.1:.1 "e&erits

( Ensuitable when there are man documents to file especiall in large organizations/

) 0elated documents are easil separated e.g. incoming letters might become separated from

outgoing ones, where the sstem is strictl followed/.

4 t takes much time to arrange documents according to dates.

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'ile sstems continued

LESSON 2

7.1=.0 Su/Gect Fi#in$ S+ste&

'iles are arranged alphabeticall b subject or topic. *he main subject can be subdivided into

more specific topics, also arranged alphabeticall.

#ubject filing is appropriate when the subjects are well known and a good subject inde+ is

necessar.

*he tpe of records that are easil classified according to subjects includes: "

0ecords that contain information on policies, products advertising, research, general

correspondence on certain matters given topics. *he method is back as a combination such as

alphabetical or numerical where papers are filed according to topics.

7.1=.1 Fi#in$ &anua# is often essentia# and shou#d co(er the three /asic parts9

( Provide written instructions on filing practices, when to open new files, when to close files,

when to establish a name inde+, how to deal with secrete files, etc.

) #ubject outlines, which present the major groups, divided and subdivided in certain logical

manner. n some cases also definition of terms are given in order to avoid an ambiguit.

4 &n alphabetical relative inde+ provided to simplif the task of searching for the files. 1ike a

book where one has the table of contents at the beginning and an alphabetical inde+ at the back

of the book, so all the various topics at different levels are arranged in strictl alphabetical

order to simplif the search for the files.

7.1=.2 *d(anta$es

( t is eas to make reference where the subject is known

) -as to e+pand, there is no limitation of subjects

7.1=. "isad(anta$es

( 2ocuments ma be misfiled when the fit under more than one heading

) =eeds a good cross"referencing sstem and careful selection of file titles

4 Esers need a thorough knowledge of their organization

5 t is likel that a single paper can fit into more than one heading. *his can cause confusion in

filing.

6 =eed a well"trained senior staff to do the job of filing or supervision of junior clerks

8 t needs great care in selecting the titles for files

9 *he sstem is not suitable for provision of miscellaneous papers

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7.1=. icrofi#&in$

s a method of retaining or keeping information b photographic records to reduce them when

needed.

*he records are micro"photographed and kept either on roll film, microfiche, a perjure card or

jacket. $hen needed for reference, the negative is shown on the screen, or a cop is made

3icrofilming is onl important when a great multitude of permanent records must be kept e.g.

in office of registrar of births, records of rainfall etc.

7.1=.3 erits

( t saves space and weight" bulk files are replaced b compact cartons of films

) 2ocuments can be sent abroad microfilming reduces

Book of Office Practice

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