Office Automation Systems

Office automation systems (OAS) are configurations of networked computer

hardware and software. A variety of office automation systems are now applied
to business and communication functions that used to be performed manually
or in multiple locations of a company, such as preparing written
communications and strategic planning. In addition, functions that once
required coordinating the expertise of outside specialists in typesetting,
printing, or electronic recording can now be integrated into the everyday work
of an organization, saving both time and money.
Types of functions integrated by office automation systems include (1)
electronic publishing; (2) electronic communication; (3) electronic collaboration;
(4) image processing; and (5) office management. At the heart of these
systems is often a local area network (LAN). The LAN allows users to
transmit data, voice, mail, and images across the network to any destination,
whether that destination is in the local office on the LAN, or in another country
or continent, through a connecting network. An OAS makes office work more
efficient and increases productivity.

Electronic Publishing
Electronic publishing systems include word processing and desktop publishing.
Word processing software, (e.g., Microsoft Word, Corel Word-Perfect) allows
users to create, edit, revise, store, and print documents such as letters, memos,
reports, and manuscripts. Desktop publishing software (e.g., Adobe Pagemaker,
Corel VENTURA, Microsoft Publisher) enables users to integrate text, images,
photographs, and graphics to produce high-quality printable output. Desktop
publishing software is used on a microcomputer with a mouse, scanner, and
printer to create professional-looking publications. These may be newsletters,
brochures, magazines, or books.

Electronic Communication
Electronic communication systems include electronic mail (e-mail), voice mail,
facsimile (fax), and desktop videoconferencing.
Electronic Mail.
E-mail is software that allows users, via their computer keyboards, to create,
send, and receive messages and files to or from anywhere in the world. Most e-
mail systems let the user do other sophisticated tasks such as filter, prioritize,
or file messages; forward copies of messages to other users; create and save
drafts of messages; send "carbon copies"; and request automatic confirmation
of the delivery of a message. E-mail is very popular because it is easy to use,
offers fast delivery, and is inexpensive. Examples of e-mail software are Eudora,
Lotus Notes, and Microsoft Outlook.
Voice Mail.
Voice mail is a sophisticated telephone answering machine. It digitizes incoming
voice messages and stores them on disk. When the recipient is ready to listen,
the message is converted from its digitized version back to audio, or sound.
Recipients may save messages for future use, delete them, or forward them to
other people.
Facsimile.
A facsimile or facsimile transmission machine (FAX) scans a document
containing both text and graphics and sends it as electronic signals over
ordinary telephone lines to a receiving fax machine. This receiving fax recreates
the image on paper. A fax can also scan and send a document to a fax modem
(circuit board) inside a remote computer. The fax can then be displayed on the
computer screen and stored or printed out by the computer's printer.
Desktop Videoconferencing
Desktop videoconferencing is one of the fastest growing forms of
videoconferencing. ﾀ Desktop videoconferencing requires a network and a
desktop computer with special application software (e.g., CUSeeMe) as well as a
small camera installed on top of the monitor. Images of a computer user from
the desktop computer are captured and sent across the network to the other
computers and users that are participating in the conference. This type of
videoconferencing simulates face-to-face meetings of individuals.

Electronic Collaboration
Electronic collaboration is made possible through electronic meeting and
collaborative work systems and teleconferencing. Electronic meeting and
collaborative work systems allow teams of coworkers to use networks of
microcomputers to share information, update schedules and plans, and
cooperate on projects regardless of geographic distance. Special software called
groupware is needed to allow two or more people to edit or otherwise work on
the same files simultaneously.
Teleconferencing is also known as videoconferencing. As was mentioned in the
discussion of desktop videoconferencing earlier, this technology allows people in
multiple locations to interact and work collaboratively using real-time sound and
images. Full teleconferencing, as compared to the desktop version, requires
special-purpose meeting rooms with cameras, video display monitors, and audio
microphones and speakers.
Telecommuting and Collaborative Systems.
Telecommuters perform some or all of their work at home instead of traveling
to an office each day,usually with the aid of office automation systems,
including those that allow collaborative work or meetings. A microcomputer, a
modem, software that allows the sending and receiving of work, and an
ordinary telephone line are the tools that make this possible.

High-tech
meeting rooms help companies make more effective presentations. At some conference halls, like this
one at the Chinzan-so Four Seasons Hotel in Toyko, small video screens are built into the table tops.

Telecommuting is gaining in popularity in part due to the continuing increase in

population, which creates traffic congestion, promotes high energy
consumption, and causes more air pollution. Telecommuting can help reduce
these problems. Telecommuting can also take advantage of the skills of
homebound people with physical limitations.
Studies have found that telecommuting programs can boost employee morale
and productivity among those who work from home. It is necessary to maintain
a collaborative work environment, however, through the use of technology and
general employee management practices, so that neither on-site employees nor
telecommuters find their productivity is compromised by such arrangements.
The technologies used in electronic communication and teleconferencing can be
useful in maintaining a successful telecommuting program.

Image Processing
Image processing systems include electronic document management,
presentation graphics, and multimedia systems. Imaging systems convert text,
drawings, and photographs into digital form that can be stored in a
computersystem. This digital form can be manipulated, stored, printed, or sent
via a modem to another computer. Imaging systems may use scanners, digital
cameras, video capture cards, or advanced graphic computers. Companies
use imaging systems for a variety of documents such as insurance forms,
medical records, dental records, and mortgage applications.
Presentation graphics software uses graphics and data from other software tools
to create and display presentations. The graphics include charts, bullet lists,
text, sound, photos, animation, and video clips. Examples of such software are
Microsoft Power Point, Lotus Freelance Graphics, and SPC Harvard Graphics.
Multimedia systems are technologies that integrate two or more types of media
such as text, graphic, sound, voice, full-motion video, or animation into a
computer-based application. Multimedia is used for electronic books and
newspapers, video conferencing, imaging, presentations, and web sites.

Office Management
Office management systems include electronic office accessories, electronic
scheduling, and task management. These systems provide an electronic means
of organizing people, projects, and data. Business dates, appointments, notes,
and client contact information can be created, edited, stored, and retrieved.
Additionally, automatic reminders about crucial dates and appointments can be
programmed. Projects and tasks can be allocated, subdivided, and planned. All
of these actions can either be done individually or for an entire group.
Computerized systems that automate these office functions can dramatically
increase productivity and improve communication within an organization
Office automation refers to the varied computer machinery and software used to digitally create,
collect, store, manipulate, and relay office information needed for accomplishing basic tasks and
goals. Raw data storage, electronic transfer, and the management of electronic business
information comprise the basic activities of an office automation system.[1] Office automation
helps in optimizing or automating existing office procedures.

The backbone of office automation is a LAN, which allows users to transmit data, mail and even
voice across the network. All office functions, including dictation, typing, filing, copying, fax,
Telex, microfilm and records management, telephone and telephone switchboard operations, fall
into this category. Office automation was a popular term in the 1970s and 1980s as the desktop
computer exploded onto the scene

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Office automation refers to the varied computer machinery and software used to
digitally create, collect, store, manipulate, and relay office information needed for
accomplishing basic tasks and goals. Raw data storage, electronic transfer, and the
management of electronic business information comprise the basic activities of an office
automation system. In its basic form, information exists as letters, memos, graphs,
records, messages, and so on. When that information is electronically transferred, raw
data is exchanged between two or more office employees, either at the same or different
locations.

The history of modem office automation began with the typewriter and the copy
machine, which mechanized previously manual tasks. However, increasingly office
automation refers not just to the mechanization of tasks but to the conversion of
information to electronic form as well. The advent of the personal computer in the early
1980s revolutionized office automation. Popular operating systems like DOS (Disk
Operating System) and user interfaces like Microsoft Corp.'s Windows dominate office
computer systems. Today, most offices use at least one commercial computer business
application in the course of daily activity. Some large companies like AT&T maintain
extensive and complex office automation systems, while smaller companies may employ
only a word processor.

In order to process information, office automation systems must allow input of new
information and the retrieval of stored information. Input of new information refers to
the physical transfer of text, video, graphics, and sound into a computer. Input can be
typed into the computer or scanned (digitally reproduced) from another document or
source. New advances in input devices frequently allow direct handwritten input or
voice dictation. Input of pre-existing information means retrieving the electronic
materials from an existing storage area. These storage areas can be finite and local, such
as the hard drive on the office PC, or as seemingly infinite and global as the Internet, the
worldwide collection of computer networks that is growing every year.

THE BASICS OF OFFICE AUTOMATION

Generally, there are three basic activities of an office automation system: storage of raw
data, data exchange, and data management. Within each broad application area,
hardware and software combine to fulfill basic functions.

DATA STORAGE AND MANIPULATION.

Data storage usually includes office records and other primary office forms and
documents. Data applications involve the capture and editing of a file, image, or
spreadsheet. Word processing and desktop presentation packages accommodate raw
textual and graphical data, while spreadsheet applications enable the easy manipulation
and output of numbers. Image applications allow the capture and editing of visual
images.

Text-handling software and systems cover the whole field of word processing and
desktop publishing. Word processing is the inputting (usually via keyboard) and
manipulation of text on a computer. Word processing is frequently the most basic and
common office automation activity. Popular commercial word processing applications
include Word Perfect (Corel) and Word (Microsoft). Each provides the office user with a
sophisticated set of commands to format, edit, and print text documents. One of the
most popular features of word processing packages are their preformatted document
templates. Templates automatically set up such things as font size, paragraph styles,
headers and footers, and page numbers so that the user does not have to reset document
characteristics every time they create a new record.

Desktop publishing adds another dimension to text manipulation. By packaging the

features of a word processor with advanced page design and layout features, desktop
publishing packages easily create documents with text and images, such as newsletters
or brochures.

Image-handling software and systems are another facet of office automation. Images, or
digital pictures, are representations of visual information. Visual information is an
important complement to textual information. Examples of visual information include
pictures of documents, photographs, and graphics such as tables and charts. These
images are converted into digital files, which cannot be edited the same way that text
files can. In a word processor or desktop publishing application, each word or character
is treated individually. In an imaging system, the entire picture or document is treated
as one whole object. One of the most popular uses of computerized images is in
corporate presentations or speeches. Presentation software packages simplify the
creation of multimedia presentations that use computer video, images, sound, and text
in an integrated information package.

Spreadsheet programs allow the manipulation of numeric data. Early popular

spreadsheets like VisiCalc and Lotus 1-2-3 greatly simplified common financial record
keeping. Particularly useful among the many spreadsheet options is the ability to use
variables in pro forma statements. The pro forma option allows the user to change a
variable and have a complex formula automatically recalculated based on the new
numbers. Many businesses use spreadsheets for financial management, financial
projection, and accounting.

DATA EXCHANGE.

The exchange of stored and manipulated information is an equally important

component of an office automation system. Electronic transfer is a general application
area that highlights the exchange of information between more than one user or
participant. Electronic mail, voice mail, and facsimile are examples of electronic transfer
applications. Systems that allow instantaneous or "real time" transfer of information
(i.e. online conversations via computer or audio exchange with video capture) are
considered electronic sharing systems. Electronic sharing software illustrates the
collaborative nature of many office automation systems. The distinction between
electronic transfer and electronic sharing is subtle but recognizable.
Electronic transfer software and systems allow for electronic, voice, and facsimile
transmission of office information. Electronic mail uses computerbased storage and a
common set of network communication standards to forward electronic messages from
one user to another. It is usually possible to relay electronic mail to more than one
recipient. Additionally, many electronic mail systems provide security features,
automatic messaging, and mail management systems like electronic folders or
notebooks. Voice mail offers essentially the same applications, but for telephones rather
than computers. Facsimile transmissions are limited to image relay and have suffered in
popularity with the increase in the use of the personal computer. One popular
alternative, for example, is to send and receive faxes by modem.

Electronic sharing systems offset the limitations of a store-and-forward electronic mail

system. Office automation systems that include the ability to electronically share
information between more than one user simultaneously are often called groupware.
One type of groupware is an electronic meeting system, which allows geographically
dispersed participants to exchange information in real time. Participants may be within
the same office or building or thousands of miles apart. Long-distance electronic sharing
systems usually use a telephone line connection to transfer data, while sharing in a
localized area often involves just a local area network of computers (no outside phone
line is needed). An interesting byproduct of the electronic sharing functions of an office
automation system is telecommuting. A telecommuter works for a business from
another location (often home) using a computer and a connection to the office
automation system. Telecommuting is an increasingly popular style of work for many
office workers and companies.

DATA MANAGEMENT.

The last major component of an office automation system offers planning and strategic
advantages by simplifying the management of stored information. Task management,
tickler systems or reminder systems, and scheduling programs monitor and control
various projects and activities within the office. Electronic management systems
monitor and control office activities and tasks through timelines, resource equations,
and electronic scheduling. As in data exchange, groupware is gaining in popularity for
data management. Each member of the work group or larger group may share access to
necessary information via the automated office system and groupware.

OFFICE AUTOMATION: PEOPLE, TOOLS,

AND THE WORKPLACE

When considering office automation three main areas need further discussion: people,
and how automation affects them; the constantly changing tools used in automation;
and the ways in which automation has changed the workplace.

People involved with office automation basically include all users of the automation and
all providers of the automation systems and tools. A wide range of people—including
software and hardware engineers, management information scientists, and secretaries—
use office automation. All are also involved with providing information. This dual role of
both provider and user gives rise to two critical issues. First, training of personnel to
effectively use an office automation system is essential; the office automation system is
only as good as the people who make and use it. Second, overcoming workplace
resistance is a must if the full benefits of automation are to be realized. Change is
difficult for some workers, yet must occur for a business to remain competitive.

Practical tools for office automation include computer hardware and software currently
available in a number of models, applications, and configurations. Two basic
microcomputer platforms are DOS (Disk Operating System)-compatible computers and
Apple Macintosh systems. Applications such as word processing, database management,
and spreadsheets are common and constantly changing. Standards are increasing but
still not yet completely integrated into all aspects of office automation. Office
automation tools may stand alone (without access to information at other computers) or
be networked (with such access). Configuring complex office systems to share
information is difficult and involves a considerable staff commitment. Popular local area
network software includes Novell NetWare and Lantastic.

Practical workplace issues of office automation often involve the budget and physical
considerations involved with creating, exchanging, and managing information.
Equipment, rewiring, training, security, and data entry all cost money and require
space. Newly recognized medical problems such as repetitive motion syndrome are a
significant issue for some people using office automation systems. Repetitive motion
syndrome is a medical disorder associated with lengthy keyboard inputting and seating
arrangements. Likewise, environmental safety concerns might also include vision and
overall health considerations related to electromagnetic computer emissions.

Telecommuting advances enable an increasing percentage of the workforce to maintain

an office at home and, at the same time, provoke considerable debate on the future of
the central office. Businesses must comply with software licenses or face lawsuits. Office
automation systems can be complex to acquire and costly to administrate for large
organizations. The availability of vital office information in such an easily obtained
digital format requires considerable thought and preparation for data security.

By integrating raw information with exchange mechanisms and management

structuring and guidance, office automation creates advantages as well as
disadvantages. Benefits in using electronic management systems include savings in
production and service costs as information is quickly routed for optimal office
performance. Office automation can also be cost effective, as powerful microcomputers
continue to drop in price. While office automation often mirrors actual paper
transaction and activity, an office automation system may also complement the paper
system and provide output only available in digital format. Thus, office automation
extends the information activities of the office to surpass physical or geographic
limitation.

By far the fastest growing segment of the office automation industry is for multifunction
peripherals. These machines incorporate a combination of functions into one. The first
such machines included a plain paper fax and a color printer in one unit. These products
grew quickly to incorporate scanners and related functions. By the late 1990s, these
items registered over 100 percent growth rates.

Read more: Office Automation - benefits

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 Office Automation
 
Personal computer-based office automation software has
become an indispensable part of office management. Word
processing programs have replaced typewriters; spreadsheet
programs have replaced ledger books; database programs
have replaced paper-based office works, inventories and
staff lists; personal organiser programs have replaced paper
diaries; and so on.
Starting with basic, word processing and spreadsheet
programs in the 1970s, by the 1990s office automation
programs had become very sophisticated. These programs
have served to empower ordinary office workers by enabling
them to complete tasks in-house that once had to be sent
off-site to be completed by specialists.
For example, desktop publishing programs allow relative
novices to produce professional-quality publications, where
once even the simplest of typesetting tasks had to be sent to
professional typesetters and printers. Database and
spreadsheet programs running on high-powered personal
computers allow ordinary users to input, store and use data
in ways that once would only have been possible on large
main-frame computers operated by specialist programmers.
 

Types of Office Automation Software

A typical 'suite' of office automation software will include
some or all of the following kinds of programs:

 word processor
 spreadsheet
 database
 desktop publisher
 project manager
 presentation
 computer file manager
 email
 internet browser
 internet publisher
 personal organiser
 financial system
 personnel system

 
Using Office Automation Software
It is desirable that all users of office automation software be trained in their use. In most cases
our skilled professionals train clients to their satisfaction. Software packages also come with user
manuals (paper and/or on-screen) and comes with self-paced on-screen tutorials.
Our Modern office automation software is very powerful and mostly fits to the needs of Skilled
users. We also can develop very sophisticated products based on individual needs. For example,
office automation for:

 producing all or most of its publications in-house, including books, brochures, forms and
newsletters
 composing, editing and printing all correspondence in a standard corporate style, incorporating
automatic printing of logos and corporate livery
 developing computer-generated presentations for projection on overhead screens for seminars
and training purposes
 entering, storing and using data
 automating various parts of the office process, such as issuing and receiving
 capturing and analysing office data
 storing and manipulating employee records
 automating large scale personalised mail-outs to clients and staff
 keeping inventories
 maintaining a corporate web site and an internal intranet
 planning and monitoring all aspects of a major project
 organising a financial management system
 sending individual and grouped electronic mail to internal staff and external clients
 sharing files across a network