Subject: English for the Office
FILING DOCUMENTS
OUTLINE
Filing definition
Filing equipment
Ways to file
What is filing?
Keeping documents in a
safe place to find them easily
and quickly
Why should organizations have a good filing system?
Documents will not easily tear, get lost or dirty.
A filing system is the central record-keeping
system for an organization.
Why should organizations have a good filing system?
• When people work in organizations, it is always a pleasure for someone to be able to find
something without difficulties. It helps saving time.
• Documents need keeping for future reference. Everyone who needs to use them should
know where to get.
What do we file?
We file documents that sent to us by other people or organizations.
We also file records of all our organizational activities.
These can be letters, memos, reports, financial records, policy documents, etc.
When do we file?
This depends on how busy your office is:
In very busy organizations filing is done at least every day and usually first thing in
the morning.
In a small or less busy office you could file once or twice a week.
Equipment used for filling
•
Filing Cabinet: It is used to keep flat files and suspension or hanging
files.
Steel Cabinet: It is used to keep big files that need to be locked up.
Filing shelves: It is used to file box files.
Clip folders: They are used for documents that need to be taken out
very often; they hold documents tightly so that they do not fall out.
Register: It is used to record files taken out and files returned.
Box files: They are used to keep big documents including
magazines and books.
Date Stamp: It is used to date stamp documents that are
received on daily basis so that they are filed in chronological
order and so we have a record of when we received the
document.
Suspension file: The suspension files are used to keep
documents in filing cabinets.
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What is used to keep flat file and hanging file?
Filing Cabinet
What is used to hold document tightly to keep they do not fall
out?
Clip Folder
What is used to keep document in filing cabinet?
Suspension file
What is used to keep big files and need to be locked up?
Steel cabinet
Ways to File Documents
1. Alphabetical Filing System
-The name of each file folder corresponds to the name of each document
-One drawback is that it is often to have an index to keep track
2. Category Filing System
Using for your business divisions and functions
Ex: Five main functions, such as personnel, finance, administration, marketing and customer data
> sub-topics, such as current personnel and inactive personnel
> subdivide, such as your finance category into expenses and income
3. Date-Based Filing System
To find information created at a specific time
Yearly file sections are the foundation of a date-based filing system
Each month of the year is a subsection of this system
- Must establish a system to track which documents correspond to what month and year
4. Numerical Filing Systems
To store files using the assigned document numbers
A crucial element is labeling each file cabinet drawer with the sequence of numbers
it contains
Hanging file folder tab
divider
Preprinted file
> Require an index for quick access
Paperless filing system by computer
How to Set Up an Effective Filing System
Creating File Categories
Subcategorizing
Color Coding
Label Making
Sort the files alphabetically.
GAME