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S T O R A G E & R E T R I E V A L O F I N F O R M AT I O N Manual & Electronic Methods ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ CORE NOTES ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ Standard Grade Administration © Renfrewshire Council S T O R A G E & R E T R I E V A L O F I N F O R M AT I O N Manual & Electronic Methods ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ By the end of this unit you will have learned: ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ Storage & Retrieval of Information ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ 1 Why organisations file. 2 Departmental and centralised filing. 3 Manual filing - storage and methods. 4 Electronic methods of filing. 5 Security of data. ○ ○ ○ ○ Page 1 ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ Core Notes Standard Grade Administration © Renfrewshire Council STORING INFORMATION The Purpose and Methods of Filing ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ WHY FILE? All organisations receive a number of documents every day in their internal and external mail. It is vital that these papers are stored safely. However, safety is not the only factor which must be considered. At home, you may store your mail in a letter rack and know that it is safe and that you will know where to find it should you need it again. This kind of storage is suitable for the small amount of correspondence a family might receive, however, this would be a totally unsuitable method of storage for a large organisation. It is therefore necessary for any organisation to consider carefully the filing or storage system which they will use. WHY IS A PROPER STORAGE SYSTEM NEEDED? In order to find documents quickly. In order to keep files safe and free from damage. To ensure the office is kept in an orderly fashion. To store together documents which fall into the same category. The use of a recognised filing method saves space in the office. There are many systems which can be used to file effectively and most organisations adopt the method which is best suited for their own needs. Storage & Retrieval of Information Page 2 Core Notes Standard Grade Administration © Renfrewshire Council DEPARTMENTAL OR CENTRALISED FILING? ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ DEPARTMENTAL FILING In this method of filing, each department is responsible for the storage of its own files and they are kept in that department eg staff records would be stored within the personnel department. CENTRALISED FILING Organisations using this method have a centralised area where all files are stored and staff from other departments come and “borrow” files to use, rather like a library. Advantages of Departmental Filing Disadvantages of Departmental Filing Files are quickly available. It is more expensive as more filing equipment is required. Departments can use the filing method they prefer. Duplicates of files may be needed for each departments use. Time is saved not having to leave the department to obtain files. Confidentiality can be maintained. Advantages of Centralised Filing Disadvantages of Centralised Filing Space saving. Repetitive work can be boring for staff. Staff are specialised and experienced. It can be time consuming for staff to walk to another area to obtain files. Better equipment can be purchased as less equipment is needed. It may be difficult to keep records confidential. Staff become expert in their duty. Storage & Retrieval of Information Page 3 Core Notes Standard Grade Administration © Renfrewshire Council STORAGE SYSTEMS ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ Filing systems can be Manual or Electronic. MANUAL STORAGE SYSTEMS Manual storage systems involve storing documents by hand in a filing cabinet. Manual systems need more equipment than electronic systems. There are many types of equipment which can be used. VERTICAL FILING CABINET The most widely used manual system is the Vertical Filing System, like the one opposite. Files are kept in drawers and are stored in filing pockets one behind the other. HORIZONTAL FILING CABINET This type of filing system consists of wide, shallow drawers which allow files to be stored without being folded or crushed. This type of system is particularly suitable for maps, plans, architects drawings etc. LATERAL FILING CABINET Lateral filing takes up less floor space than a vertical filing system. It is therefore suitable for organisations with large numbers of files and often used in a Centralised Filing System. Files are stored side by side like books on a shelf. ROTARY FILING This type of filing is used for folders which hold files. The folders are stored together on each shelf and the whole unit can be turned around for easy access. This is also a more space saving system. Storage & Retrieval of Information Page 4 Core Notes Standard Grade Administration © Renfrewshire Council INDEXING ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ Index cards or strips are used to store small amounts of information and there are various methods of, and reasons for indexing. INDEX CARDS These are usually stored in a box as shown opposite. One card is completed with the main details of each file. An Index Card will contain the very basic information and is generally used with a numerical filing system. An Index Card is completed for each customer and is kept in alphabetical order with the file number on it to aid in the retrieval of files. F D C A E B PERSONNEL CROSS REFERENCING Firm’s may change their names due to mergers or take-overs. People may change their names eg women who marry. To help people find an out-of-date name a CROSS REFERENCE SHEET is completed. ABSENT FILES If a file has been removed by a member of staff from the centralised filing system it is essential that an ABSENT FILE CARD is completed to ensure that there is a record of where files are at any time. Strict control of files is very important as files very often contain important or even confidential information. Storage & Retrieval of Information Page 5 Core Notes Standard Grade Administration © Renfrewshire Council METHODS OF FILING ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ALPHABETICAL FILING F Alphabetical filing is filing using the first letter of the surname or the company name. There are some rules which apply to this method of filing: The name is the key to file the documents For example: M Watt W Lowe A Skillen F Patterson E D C B A PERSONNEL Would be filed as: Lowe, W Patterson, F Skillen, A Watt, M The first letter of each surname is used to file as in the example above. If both surnames have the same first letter, the second and then third letter would be used. If both surnames are exactly the same, then first names are used, as in the example below: For example: Morticia Addams Fester Addams Tuesday Addams Gomez Addams Would be filed as: Addams, Fester Addams, Gomez Addams, Morticia Addams, Tuesday NUMERICAL FILING Files are stored by number, and are placed in the filing cabinet, numerically with the smallest number first. 205 204 203 202 201 200 Numbers are difficult to remember therefore numerical filing needs an alphabetical index (see Index Cards). The alphabetical cards contain basic details with the numbers on each file, which make it easier to access the files. 200-205 Numerical filing is useful for systems where many files will be added as numbers are infinite (go on for ever) eg patient records in hospitals. CHRONOLOGICAL FILING In the chronological method of filing, files are stored in date order. Usually with the most recent date first and then working back to the oldest files. 1996 1998 1999 1997 2000 2001 This method of filing is particularly suitable for certain types of organisation eg those who deal with dates or their customer’s files are dated. Insurance companies may use this type of system as they date the claims customers have made and the most suitable method of filing this data is chronologically. Storage & Retrieval of Information Page 6 ANNUAL REPORTS Core Notes Standard Grade Administration © Renfrewshire Council ELECTRONIC STORAGE & RETRIEVAL OF DATA ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ Although many organisations still use paper based, manual filing systems, more and more are discovering the advantages of Electronic Filing ie Databases. A database is a method of filing, using a computer system. Files are stored on the computer instead of in any of the filing systems listed above. There are many advantages of using a database: • This is a space saving method of filing, as all files are stored on hard drives, file servers or floppy discs which are much more compact than filing cabinets. • Files are easily updated and edited. • Database filing can be safer, as files can be protected by passwords. • Information is more readily accessed on screen and can be printed out if required. • Specific information can be accessed easily by searching the database, rather than ploughing through sheets of information to find the part you need. • Files do not need to be organised in any particular order as files can be accessed at the touch of a button. SECURITY OF COMPUTERISED DATA Special precautions must be taken to safeguard computerised data against loss or corruption and this may entail: • Keeping back up duplicate copies of disks in a secure place. • Arranging for personal passwords to be used by staff authorised to have access to the data. The passwords should be changed regularly. • The use of codes known only to the users of documents or files. • Locking files and disks to prevent data being altered or added. Storage & Retrieval of Information Page 7 Core Notes Standard Grade Administration © Renfrewshire Council DATA PROTECTION ACT 1984 Personal data held on computer, is safeguarded by the Data Protection Act. This act lays out rules for the storage and retrieval of personal data stored electronically. The Act has 2 main provisions: (1) It requires that companies who store personal data on computer to register with the Data Registrar. They must disclose to the Data Registrar how they hold the data, how they use it, obtain it and disclose it. (2) It allows anyone who has their details stored on computer to find out which organisation holds data on them and to obtain a copy of that data. The main requirements of the Act are: • Any electronically stored information must have been come by legally. • The information must be up-to-date and accurate. It should also be relevant. • Personal data must be held and used only for the specified purposes. • Data should be stored in a secure system, where measures have been taken to ensure no unauthorised access, alteration or destruction of the data. • Information should not be kept on file for longer than is necessary. • Individuals must have open access to any information held on them and must have the opportunity to correct or erase any information which is not correct. Storage & Retrieval of Information Page 8 Core Notes
