FILING

345

An index of the main subjects and their sub-divisions 1s,
of course, an indispensable part of a numerical system.
Where the nature of the business permits, and the corre-
spondence is of sufficient magnitude, a printed alphabetical
index of files is to be recommended, particularly if a central
filing room serving all departments forms a part of the office
organisation. In other circumstances, the expense of a printed
index would probably not be justified, and in this event,
either a manuscript register or a card index register would
meet the requirement of the office.

If due regard is given to future needs, the card index will
be found to give greater elasticity, as the index may easily be
kept up-to-date by the addition of cards as required, and the
labour of providing a new manuscript index from time to time
is avoided. Further, as correspondence becomes obsolete
and is destroyed (the question of a ‘time-limit’ for corre-
spondence. is dealt with later) the superfluous cards may be
removed from the drawer, thus always rendering the index a
‘live’ one. The difficulty of keeping a manuscript register
free from entries which, through lapse of time, have become
useless, is obvious.

It may be well here to indicate, on broad lines, the equip-
ment required for the filing office. The vertical filing cabinet
(of which many patterns abound) large enough to accommo-
date papers of foolscap size, is undoubtedly the most satis-
factory receptacle for general correspondence. The old-
fashioned pigeon-hole cupboard harbours dust, and its
contents are not accessible with sufficient ease; congestion
is a fatal weakness. The vertical cabinet, not built up too
high, is free from these faults; the contents of a drawer may
be seen at a glance, and the desired papers obtained without
delay, while a properly constructed cabinet is virtually dust-
proof. The card index drawers should be placed with the
cabinet.

Each main subject of correspondence with its sub-divisions
should be kept in flexible cardboard folders, and each division
separated by means of a ‘guide,’ i.e. a sheet of stout cardboard
bearing the main number or letters in a metal frame. The
main reference is thus easily visible, and affords facility in
obtaining required files with a minimum of trouble. Where
the business of several companies is dealt with in one office
the folders should be of different colours, to allow of easy
identification, the name of the company being printed or
stencilled on the side of the folder so that it appears horizon-
tally to the eye when the drawer is opened. The folder
should bear the names and references of all the files which it

Index of
Files.

Equipment.