Filing Systems
— Meaning Objectives and Functions As a primary source of information, all office records need to
be preserved for future reference. Filing serves the purpose of preserving records in all offices.
Documents and papers are filed and made available on requirement. Filing is the process of
organizing the correspondence and records in a proper sequence so that they can be easily
located. The term filing may this be defined as the process of so arranging and storing original
records or copies of them, that they can be readily located when required. In other words, filing is
the process of arranging and storing records so that they can be easily located. It involves placing
of documents and papers in acceptable containers according to some predetermined arrangement
so that any of them when required may be located quickly and conveniently. Objectives The major
objectives of filing process are to ensure proper arrangmeent, careful storing and easy availability
of records. An efficient filing system is expected to have the following objectives:
i) To classify and arrange records properly.
ii) To protect documents against possible loss or damage. iii) To provide a method of
obtaining information without loss of time. iv) To enable past records to be made
easily available to management for framing business policies and future plans.
Functions
The functions of a filing system are as follows:
1. Classification of documents on a pre-determined basis.
2. filing of letters and other documents after action taken in cardboard file covers or folders.
3. Preservation of file covers or folders in cabinets fitted with drawers.
4. Issue of files on requisition by any department.
5. Transfer of papers no longer in current use from the existing files to separate folders or box files
at regular intervals for possible future use.
6. Disposal of old papers and records when these are no longer useful.
Essentials of a good filing system
The system of filing must achieve its objectives. The following are the chief characteristics of a
good filing system.
1. Simplicity
The system should be simple so that the employees concerned may operate it without any
difficulty.
2. Accessibility
The system should enable files to be easily located and papers to be inserted in files without
disturbing the arrangement.
3. Compactness
The filing section should occupy reasonable space in view of the cost implication of large space.
4. Economy
The cost of installation and operation of the system should be proportionate to the benefits
derived from it.
5. Flexibility
The system should be capable of expansion as the activities of the organization expand.
6. Safety
The records should be safe and available whenever they are needed. There should not be any
danger regarding insects, rain and mishandling.
7. Retention
There should be a well-defined policy of retaining or discarding the papers and records. Dead
material must be discarded periodically.
8. Classification
Most suitable method of classification should be adopted. Too many miscellaneous files and bulky
files must be avoided.
The main systems of classification of files in an office are :
i) Alphabetical
ii) Numerical
iii) Geographical
iv) Subjectwise
Alphabetical Filing
According to alphabetical classification, letters from different parties or relating to various
subjects are arranged and put in different file covers on the basis of the first alphabet with which
the name of the party or subject begins. The first alphabet of the name or surname or the subject
is the preliminary guide to the position of the file. For example, all papers pertaining to Atma Ram
& Sons may be filed in a folder marked ‘A’ or ‘At’. Within each file, papers are arranged datewise.
In a large office 26 English alphabets are divided into small equal parts like (AbAn), (Ap-Ay), (Ba-
Bn), (Bo-By), etc. Guide cards are used to divide the letters.
The main advantages of this system are:
(i) it is simple and easy to operate;
(ii) separate index is required;
(iii) new names can be added as necessary and there is little chance of wrong filing.
This type of classification is found in the telephone directory and dictionary. Difficulty arises when
the name is very common or if the name is spelt wrongly. It may also be difficult to anticipate the
space requirements.
Numerical Filing
Under this system files are arranged numerically, each correspondent or subject being allotted a
number. The files are placed in a numerical order in the drawers. For example, a customer, D.K.
Sharma, may be alloted No.25, so that all papers relating to him may be found in folder no. 25. A
simple index or card index is required to identify the numbers with the names. When any file
relating to (say) a customer is needed, the name of the party may be located in the index and the
number of the relevant file ascertained.
The merits of this method of classification are:
(i) It is simple to operate;
(ii) Files can be easily located, removed and replaced;
(iii) It is very elastic, and expansion is easy. The index provides a complete list of
correspondents and customers.
There are also certain disadvantages of the system. A separate index is necessary, and it takes
time to refer to the index. It needs more space and numerical transposition of figures is possible as
298 instead of 289.
Geographical Classification
In the geographical method, correspondence is classified according to geographical areas, regions
or states. Files may be marked zonewise i.e. North, South, East or West, or Statewise, or Citywise.
All correspondence relating to a particular area are kept in one file. These files may then be
arranged alphabetically like Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bengal, Bihar etc.
Geographical classification offers a number of advantages. It is easy to operate. There is speedy
location of files and direct filing is possible. There are certain limitations also, like greater
possibility of error where knowledge of geography is weak, necessity of a separate index, etc. (iv)
Subject classification Under this system, papers are grouped according to the subject. The subjects
are filed in alphabetical order e.g. Accounts, Audit, Bills, Bonus etc. This method is particularly
suitable when the subject is of greater importance than the name or location of the
correspondent. It can be used with advantage in most offices along with the other classification
systems.
The merits of the system are:
(i) convenience of reference when the subject is known;
(ii) There is scope of expansion without disturbing the existing files. The main demerits
are difficulty of classification, not suitable for miscellaneous papers, index is needed
and frequent cross referencing maybe necessary.
