Unit 3 - Storage & Retrieval of Information

Unit 3

Storage and Retrieval of Information

Learning Outcomes
Heathers TaskImportance of a good filing systemFeatures of a good filing systemManual Based filing systemMethods of filingElectronic Based filing systemFile ManagementMethods of filing electronicallyBack-up ProceduresMicrofilmingSecurity of Information

Its a hard day at the office for Heather Munro!

Mr Millar has decided that its time

to assess the way in which information is

stored at Caledonian Health & Fitness.

He has asked Heather to be

responsible for finding out

how information is currently

stored and then identify

ways in which it can be improved.

Lets find out how Heather got on

I wonder why it is so important to have a good filing system?

Mr Millar explains to Heather that there

are many reasons why it is important to

file documents:
To enable documents to be found easily this saves a lot of time eg a query from a customer can be answered quicklyTo make sure that documents are kept safe it is important that they are kept in a good condition so that they can be referred to at any timeTo make sure that legal requirements are met the law says that certain documents have to be stored for a period of time eg employee contract; tax forms etc)

How can I ensure that I create a good filing system?

Mr Millar explains to Heather that the main

features of a good filing system are:
Easy to useEasy to accessSecure it is important that only authorised personnel use the systemEasy to control important that the correct procedures are followed to ensure that documents are not lost or filed incorrectlySafe it is important to ensure that documents are prevented from being worn and tornNot expensive a good system will be one which is cost effective to install and maintain

What type of filing is currently used at Caledonian Health & Fitness?

Heather decides to find out how employees

currently file their documents. She discovers

that MANUAL-BASED systems are used. The

examples of these methods of filing are:
SORTERS these are used to file away folders
FILING TRAY Mr Burns has 3 types of filing trays: IN TRAY for documents which need to be read; OUT TRAY for documents which need to be passed on to someone else; PENDING TRAY for work that still has to be done
FILING CABINETS to keep files secure and organised

Heather decides to find out what the employees think!

Heather asks Mr Ray Cruit (the Recruitment

Officer) what he thinks of the MANUAL system

that he uses to file all his documents.

I am really pleased with the manual filing

system because of the following:
It is very easy and quick to useThere is very little training required which saves moneyAble to label drawers easily which means it is very easy to find what you are looking forThe filing cabinets offer protection which means the files are secure

Miss T Raynor doesnt agree!!!!

Miss Raynor overhears Mr Cruit and disagrees!

I am not happy with the manual filing

system because of the following:
The drawers in Personnel are so overloaded I have lost an important document and there is no back up copyLots of money was needed to buy the proper equipmentI needed to look at a document regarding a new employee but Mr Wallace had the file and I couldnt get access to it all day

Activities
Complete the following tasks in your activities booklet:
Question 1: Importance of filing
Question 2: Manual Based filing system

What METHODS are used to file documents?

Now that she has identified what a MANUAL

filing system is, Heather now wants to find out

what METHODS are used to file the documents.

The 3 main methods of filing are:

ALPHABETICAL

NUMERICAL

CHRONOLOGICAL

ALPHABETICAL FILING

Alphabetical filing is the method which is most commonly used as it is very easy to use. Customer records for example can be stored in order of surname. In order to make this an easy method to use GUIDE CARDS are used to SUBDIVIDE the names eg Da; De; Di etc

Miss T Raynor thinks that it is a very good idea to file documents alphabetically as it is easy to look up employee records you look for their surname and find the file!

Advantages and Disadvantages of ALPHABETICAL FILING
Logical and straightforward to use
Little training required
No index required to guide you through the files as it is a DIRECT methodEveryone must follow the procedure correctly
Absent Card required when file is taken
Not flexible difficult to add in any new files once the system is up and running
Takes up a lot of space this is not a suitable method for a large organisation
Advantages

Disadvantages

What is an ABSENT CARD?

An ABSENT card is used when a file is removed from its place in the filing system.

The card clearly states WHO has the file; WHEN the file was taken; and, WHEN it was returned.

The Absent card

shown opposite

is used in the

Sales/Marketing

Department at

Caledonian

Health & Fitness:
DATE REMOVEDFILE NUMBERBY WHOMDATE RETURNED01/07/05452MR SMART02/07/0528/08/05135MRS AMBLEON30/08/0505/10/05580MR SMART

NUMERICAL FILING

Numerical filing is when NUMBERS are used to file documents instead of letters. This method means that customer documents would be filed using their account number or employee records could be filed using their employee ID number

Mrs McKenna thinks that this method of filing is ideal in the Finance Department as it is easy to see how many customer accounts there are when a new customer joins Caledonian Health & Fitness they get the next number!

Advantages and Disadvantages of NUMERICAL FILING
Quick to use
Ideal for large organisations as when a new customer joins it is easy to expand the system
The file number can be used as a reference number when dealing with a customer queryAn INDEX card is required you need to tell employees what the number refers to so that they know its the right document
If new customers join then someone has to take the responsibility of updating the index card
Advantages

Disadvantages

What is an INDEX CARD?

An INDEX card is used to find files which are stored in a numerical filing system.

You must first look at an alphabetic index to find the file number.

Heather has found an INDEX card used in the Personnel Department at Caledonian Health & Fitness:
NAME
FILE NO

DONEGAN, S

10982

FORRESTER, C

8915

MCDONALD, A

2294

WEBSTER, J

2651

CHRONOLOGICAL FILING

Chronological filing means that all documents are stored in date order the most recent documents are placed at the front of the system.

Mrs MacDonald thinks that this
is an excellent system to store
the customer magazines that have
been produced as it is very easy to
find a particular edition last months
or last years.

Advantages and Disadvantages of CHRONOLOGICAL FILING
This is an excellent method to use if a key feature of the information stored is the DATE
Can be easily used with alphabetical method of filingAn INDEX card is required you need to tell employees what the number refers to so that they know its the right document
This method is not commonly used as it is unrealistic to store large amounts of information this way eg customer or employee documents
Advantages

Disadvantages

Activities
Question 3: Can you guess the clue?
Question 4: Problem solving which is the best method to use?
Question 5: Define the key terms

Time To Introduce an ELECTRONIC-BASED system!

Before finding out what an

electronic filing system is and

how it operates it is first of

all important to understand

the importance of

FILE MANAGEMENT

File Management
File management ensures that all data
and information is stored and managed

efficiently
Files should be given an appropriate filename Files should also be given a suitable extension:Access files end in mdbWord processing files end in docSpreadsheet files end in xlsSimilar files should be placed in appropriate folder:Mr Nichols has a folder for each supplier so that information is stored correctlyMr Cruit has a folder for each training courseMiss Munro has a folder for all her database files and a folder for all her letters that she types

File Management Activity
Make sure that you have SG Admin folder in your server accountCreate the following folders:DatabaseSpreadsheetWord ProcessingNow make sure that all your files are properly organised!Take care you may need to create new folders to ensure that your files are stored correctlyAre there any files which you no longer need? Time to DELETE them!!

Equipment required for an ELECTRONIC-BASED system!

Heather considers introducing an electronic

system of filing for Caledonian Health & Fitness.

The following equipment is required:
PC files of information can be stored on the PCs HARD DRIVEFLOPPY DISK these are portable and can be used in any PC. Imagine a file cabinet in your classroom. The floppy disk is able to store folders (drawers) of information (files)CD-ROMS stores vast amounts of information. Examples of CD-Roms are encyclopaedias; archives etcZIP DISKS modern storage device which can hold a large quantity of information. Many use this to save information from the Internet as it can cope with the huge amount of data

What METHODS are used to file documents electronically?

Now that she has identified what an

ELECTRONIC filing system is, Heather now

wants to find out what METHODS are used to

file the documents.

The ways in which files can be stored

electronically are:

USE OF SOFTWARE

SCANNER

DOWNLOADING

Why is it important to back-up files of information?

It is imperative that back-up copies are made of

all files to prevent data being lost.

Data can be lost or corrupted in a number of

ways:
Faulty computer system and loss of power
Virus corrupted data
Hardware and software
stolen or mistreated

What Software is used to store information electronically?
Database eg. AccessWord Processing eg. WordSpreadsheet eg. ExcelDesk Top Publishing (DTP) eg. PublisherPresentation eg. Powerpoint (this slideshow!)

A Database (Microsoft Access)
A database is an electronic filing systemRECORDS of information are stored and updated electronicallyMr Wallace (Personnel Manager) maintains a database of employee recordsMrs MacDonald (Sales/Marketing) Manager keeps a database of customer recordsA TABLE stores the RECORDS of information which are entered using FIELDSIt is very easy to find exact information by carrying out a query or a searchInformation can also be easily manipulated, edited, and deleted

A Word Processor
(Microsoft Word)
A word processor stores information in a variety of formats:LetterMemorandumNotice
Text can be presented using a variety of fonts and font sizes
Graphics and pictures can also be used to enhance the document

A Spreadsheet
(Microsoft Excel)
A spreadsheet is used to store numbersThe data is calculated by inserting FORMULAE this means the spreadsheet works out the calculation for you if you key in the right formula!The spreadsheet has the following features:CELLS: contains the dataROW: represented by a numberCOLUMN: represented by a letterCharts and graphs can also be created to display the data in a more effective wayInformation can be easily edited and manipulatedMr Goodman uses a spreadsheet to help him calculate the wages of all the employees at Caledonian Health & Fitness

Desk Top Publishing - DTP
(Microsoft Publisher)
Desk Top Publishing is used to create a document which has a very professional appearanceDTP is used to enhance textDTP enables the following documents to be created:Business cardNewsletterMagazineBrochureCalendarBannerDTP is a very useful tool in making documents of a very high standard of quality

Presentation Software
(Microsoft Powerpoint)
Presentation software is used to communicate information in an effective wayFeatures of presentation software include the following:Variety of text font and sizesImpressive backgroundsAnimation of text and graphicsGraphics and photosMr Smart often uses Microsoft Powerpoint when presenting new range of products to customers he believes that it is a very effective way of showing customers what they can buy

A Scanner
A scanner is used to scan images and place them onto a computer file
There are 2 main types of scanners:
Hand held: these are the portable scanners that you can use in most supermarkets. The scanner reads the barcode and downloads the information into the computer so that the cashier knows how much to charge you.
Flat bed: these are used to copy an image or body of text. The document is placed face-down on a glass plate and the information is then transferred to a file on the computer

Downloading
Downloading is a feature commonly used in todays business environmentInformation can be extracted from any internet site and DOWNLOADED onto a computer fileIt is a sophisticated way of copying information from one stored area to another

Advantages and Disadvantages of ELECTRONIC FILING
Saves spaceEasy to find informationDocuments can be scanned easilyBack-up copies of documents can be made easilyMore than one person can view the same information at the same timeUse of passwords means that information is secureVery expensive to buy the hardware and software requiredHardware and software needs to be maintained and upgradedTraining required for all employeesThere may be a fault in power supply or a virus may occur resulting in loss of dataHackers may steal confidential information
Advantages

Disadvantages

Manual or Electronic?

Heather reports back to Mr Millar

on her findings.

When deciding upon using a manual

filing system or an electronic filing

system the following factors must be

taken into consideration:
Costs how expensive is the system?Space required need to consider office layoutTraining required time and moneyBenefit to management is it a step forward and an improvement on current system?

Activities
Question 6: File ManagementQuestion 7: Create a noticeQuestion 8: EquipmentQuestion 9: Back-up ProcedureQuestion 10: Uses of softwareQuestion 11: Manual or Electronic?

Microfilming
Papers are filmed to reduce them in size
The images are then stored: on rolls of filmin jackets this means that the film is stored in a transparent walletas microfiche this is a sheet of film which can hold hundreds of A4 documents)
The film is fitted into a viewer so that you can see them in a larger format

Equipment needed for Microfilming
Camerafor filming the documents
Viewer (Reader)used for reading the microfilm (to make it easier to read, the film is enlarged onto a screen)
Printused to make the copies from the negative
Processorused to develop the film

Advantages and Disadvantages of MICROFILMING
More durable than paper many libraries store newspapers on microfilm as in time paper wears and tears very easily
Saves space
Less chance of documents being mislaid
Copies of documents can be easily madeVery expensive to buy the hardware required
Hardware needs to be maintained and upgraded
Training required for all employees
Advantages

Disadvantages

Security of Information
There are many methods used to ensure
that information is kept secure:
Issue passwords and log-ons to each employee exactly as you are at school so that only you can access your own information
Issue security ID cards (swipe cards) this means that only authorised personnel are able to access certain area of the building, files etc
More sophisticated methods are:
FingerprintsVoiceprintsRetina or signature scanners

Use of Passwords
It is important that the following measures are adopted:Passwords must be changed regularly to prevent hackers accessing your accountA mixture of upper and lower case letters should be used to make the password more complex and difficult to copyKeep the password confidential at all times
The following must not occur:Never give your password to someone elseNever write your password down on a piece of paperNever use your own name or that of relatives as they can be easily guessed and copied

Heather has created a Code of Good Practice for all employees at Caledonian Health & Fitness
The following measures should be taken WHEN USING your workstation:
handle and store floppy disks correctly
keep a tidy workstation
save work regularly
take BACK-UP copies
use the correct shut down procedures
avoid liquids near computers
prevent the spread of computer virus by using anti-virus software

Heather has created a Code of Good Practice for all employees at Caledonian Health & Fitness
The following measures should be taken WHEN AWAY FROM your workstation:
activate password protected screensaver so that no-one can access any informationlog-off or shut down the computer before
you leave
remove any working disk (this may be a
floppy disk, CD-Rom, flash card or zip disk)
store disk in lockable disk-box (where do your disks go at the end of each lesson?)
position screen so that it cannot be read by visitors
do not leave printouts lying around they may be of a confidential nature and anyone could pick them up!

The Data Protection Act

Heather has been made aware of the Data

Protection Act and has made the following notice

to show to all employees:

The Data Protection Act says that all personal

data must be:
Collected lawfullyUsed for a specific purposeOnly held for as long as it is neededAccessible only to authorised personnelMade available to allow the individual to view information held on themAccurate and up-to-date at all times

Activities
Question 12: Security
of information
Question 13: Security of software
Question 14: Data Protection Act
NAME

FILE NO

DONEGAN, S

10982

FORRESTER, C

8915

MCDONALD, A

2294

WEBSTER, J

2651