Chapter XIII: Introduction (1)

This book deals with a subject of growing importance in every office--that of handling correspondence and filing all papers and documents which form a part of the records of every business. While making no attempt to teach letter writing, suggestions are made which, it is hoped, will prove of assistance to those whose duty it is to handle correspondence. Among those whom it is hoped a study of this book will benefit, are the incoming-mail clerk, the correspondent, the stenographer, the private secretary, the file clerk, and, in fact, every person who has anything to do with handling and preserving business or professional correspondence.

Present-day conditions tend to increase the volume of correspondence in every office, and any improvement that will reduce labor or contribute to more prompt service is welcomed. Every concern, except possibly the small establishment doing a strictly neighborhood business, uses the mails more and more in the transaction of its business; we buy, sell, pay bills, collect money, make contracts, and execute all sorts of transactions by mail--all of which necessitates writing letters. Not only is it necessary to answer letters promptly, but the increasing accumulation of correspondence must be preserved and filed in a manner that will permit of easy reference; all of which emphasizes the necessity of systematic methods in the conduct of this very important department.

In the belief that more representative illustrations will result, and that they can readily be adapted to the needs of a small establishment, the suggestions herein are applied to a business in which the correspondence is large in volume.

OPENING AND DISTRIBUTING MAIL

=Opening Mail.= Incoming mail should invariably be delivered to one desk in charge of a clerk, usually known as the _incoming-mail clerk_. When a business has reached a position where a large correspondence is handled, it is poor business policy for an executive to assume the task of opening the mail. The natural conclusion, when a house has a large correspondence, is that its business is correspondingly large, and the executive who is fitted for his position can devote his energies to larger tasks with better results. He should be free to look after the big things--to plan greater results for his business or his department.

The argument has been advanced that it might be dangerous to trust a clerk with such business secrets as are found in the correspondence, but in the handling of business transactions practically every one of these "secrets" come to the knowledge of several clerks. Surely, if employes can be trusted with the cash and to keep the accounts--if stenographers can be trusted to take letters of the most confidential nature--a clerk can be trusted to open and distribute the mail.

=Sorting Mail.= Sorting the mail is the first duty of the incoming-mail clerk. This sorting is important in that all personal mail may be taken out before it is opened. A general rule among all large houses is to instruct all employes to have personal mail sent to their private or home addresses, but in spite of all precautions an occasional personal communication will come to the business address. An acquaintance may know that Smith works for Jones & Co. and, having forgotten his personal address, sends his letter in care of the house.

If Smith happens to be an unimportant employe, there will be no question about the communication being personal; but if he is a department head, there may be reasons for doubt. Large business organizations are divided into departments, each in charge of a manager. The correspondence of each department is signed by the head, over his official title. A reply may be addressed in the name of the house, to _Smith, Sales Manager_, or to _Smith_, without the title. The letter addressed to _Smith, Sales Manager_, belongs to the house, but if his title is omitted, it belongs to Smith, and to open it without permission is a violation of the law. When the departmental correspondence is heavy, a considerable number of letters addressed to the manager, but without his title, may be received, and it is the custom in many houses to secure written permission from department heads to open all such letters. This protects the clerk in case a personal letter is opened by mistake, and insures prompt attention to correspondence received during the absence of the department manager.

=Distributing Incoming Mail.= After the mail is opened, it should be carefully distributed. While it is not necessary to read every letter, the incoming-mail clerk should read as much of each letter as may be necessary to determine to what department it should go. Frequently, a letter addressed to one department refers to matters requiring the attention of another--a letter ordering goods may be addressed to the advertising manager, or a remittance to the sales department; or a letter may require the attention of more than one department.

In a large organization it is a very good plan to designate the departments and executives by numbers, that is, the president might be _No. 1_, the general manager, _No. 2_, the sales manager, _No. 3_, etc. When a letter requires the attention of two or more departments, these numbers should be placed on the letter in the order of their importance. On a letter containing a remittance and asking for a quotation, the sales manager's number would follow that of the cashier. Such letters are sent to the department whose number appears first, and the numbers indicate to the correspondent that the letter is to be referred to another department.

For distributing the mail, the clerk should be supplied with baskets labeled with the names or numbers of the departments. Mail can then be distributed quickly to the proper departments. If the number of baskets exceeds six, a rack should be provided for them at the side of the desk.

In some offices, the incoming-mail clerk makes a record of all orders received, before sending them to the sales or order department; in most concerns, however, this is done in the statistical department, after the orders have been passed upon. If the business is strictly cash and not too large, the statistical work can be done by the mail clerk.

Fig. 1 shows a tally sheet which is made up by the mail clerk for a small mail-order house. The sales of this house are divided by departments, each department representing a few specialties. While the business is essentially mail-order, a few agents are employed. On this sheet, columns are provided for a record of the articles sold by each department, the number and amount of cash and credit sales as a result of advertising, sales by salesmen divided in the same manner, total cash and credit sales, and the grand total. The cross-footings show the total sales of each article, while the column footings show the total sales, divided between advertising and salesmen, and whether cash or credit.

When the mail is sorted, all orders are placed together, and these are then sorted into the classes shown by the tally sheet. To prevent holding order, a memorandum tally should be made of each lot of mail handled, and the totals for the day entered on the sheet.

The tally sheet should be loose-leaf and made in manifold. A sufficient number of copies should be made to supply all department heads who have a direct interest in the volume of the day's business. Usually, copies will be required by the executives and the sales manager.

=Departmental Distribution.= The sorting and distribution of the mail, after it reaches the department for which it is intended, is also of considerable importance. And, in this sorting, the department manager's stenographer can render valuable assistance. For the same reason that the head of the house is relieved of details, the head of a department should strive to rid himself of tasks which can be as well performed by a subordinate.

Whether the mail is sorted by the correspondent or his stenographer, it should be gone through before an attempt is made to answer it. Letters that can be answered at once should be placed by themselves; those necessitating further information should be handled specially; if a letter requires the attention of another department, it should be answered immediately and passed on.

Under this plan, the mail is prepared for answer before a stenographer is called to take dictation, which saves time. The correspondent who does not plan his work calls a stenographer and starts dictating, taking the first letter that comes to hand. When a letter about which further information is needed is found, he sends to the files for correspondence, wasting both his own and his stenographer's time while waiting for the information.

Before any letters are answered, the necessary notations should be made on all letters requiring information, and the letters sent to the proper departments. The very first letters answered should be those that must be referred to another department. These should be not only dictated first, but transcribed and forwarded to the next department before further dictation is given.

These methods will go far toward solving the problem of the prompt handling of correspondence. Most large houses receive complaints of delay in answering letters, and when these complaints are investigated the causes of delay are found to be divided between a lack of method in handling correspondence and ignorance or carelessness on the part of the complainant. In any well-managed concern everything possible will be done to overcome the first-named defect, even to the extent of providing a system which will, at least partially, overcome the defects due to the latter cause.

As to the complaints due to ignorance or carelessness, it is found that at least 75% of all complaints received come within this classification. In many cases complaints come from persons whose correspondence is limited to a half-dozen letters, or less, a day. They fail to appreciate the difficulties of the correspondent whose dictation averages a hundred letters a day; being unaccustomed to the departmental plan of organization, they do not realize that each subject about which they write must be referred to one certain department. And so, a single letter contains an order, a remittance, and a request for some special information, and, because he does not receive a reply covering all subjects referred to in his letter by return mail, the customer complains of delay. It is entirely legitimate to politely request a customer to use a separate sheet for each subject--as orders, remittances, complaints, etc.--but since not all will comply, some such method as has been described is needed to insure against unreasonable delay in handling letters that require the attention of several departments.

In another class is the letter which, for some reason, cannot be answered at once. An example is the letter to a manufacturer, asking for a price on a special machine. Before a price can be named, the engineering department must make a careful estimate of the cost, and it may be necessary to secure quotations on some special material needed. This means an unavoidable delay, but the prospective customer should not be left in a state of expectancy--the letter should be acknowledged immediately, and the cause of the delay explained. The customer then feels that he is receiving attention, while if no reply is made until full information can be given, a competitor more courteous may secure the order.

=Interdepartment Correspondence.= Of considerable importance in every large organization is the interdepartment correspondence--the notes from one department head to another. Every department head finds it necessary at times to request information from other departments. Even with an intercommunicating telephone system, with which every large office and plant should be equipped, many of these requests are of a nature that, to guard against misunderstandings, demand written communications.

Usually, these communications call for prompt replies; a letter from a customer may be held or some important action delayed until the information is received. A good rule for the correspondent is to give attention to these notes as soon as received, and answer them at the earliest possible moment. The stenographer should, as a rule, write these notes first, or if written in the order in which they are dictated, should place them on the correspondent's desk immediately. Of course, judgment must be exercised, for some of these notes do not require immediate attention and should be held until more important correspondence is disposed of.

There are also many notes giving instructions, either from a department head to his subordinates, or from the executive heads to the heads of departments. Except on general orders, affecting all employes, the names of all department heads to whom the order applies, should appear at the head of such notes. The manager may wish to call attention to some act, common to all department heads, without making it a personal matter with any one of them, so writes the same note to all. For example:

July 15, 1909.

Mr. Blake,
Mr. Watson,
Mr. Kimball,
Mr. Cobb,
Mr. Royce,

Gentlemen;

During the past few days some of you have been a little careless about getting to the office on time. If you arrive 5 or 10 minutes late, it will have a very unfortunate effect on the discipline of your department, and I trust that each of you will strive to overcome the habit of arriving late--a habit which, I am sure, is entirely due to carelessness on your part.

Yours truly,
General Manager.

In the above example, five copies of the note are required, and four of these can be carbon copies. When Mr. Blake or Mr. Watson receives the note, he knows that it is not addressed to him alone, but that each of the others has received a copy. Without detracting from, but rather adding to, its effectiveness, this note leaves a much more pleasant impression than a personal note to each man. No one man feels that he has been singled out for criticism.

CORRESPONDENCE SHORT CUTS

=Dictating by Number.= One of the greatest time savers in handling correspondence is dictation by numbers. The plan is to indicate each letter by a number, instead, of requiring the stenographer to take down the name and address.

Probably 90 per cent of the letters dictated are replies to other letters. When the correspondent has his mail ready for dictation, he should write, or stamp with a numbering stamp, _No. 1_ on the first letter answered. To the stenographer he will say "_No. 1_," and, instead of the name and address, this number is entered in the stenographer's notebook. The original letter, from which the address is obtained, is turned over to the stenographer. A new series of numbers, beginning with _No. 1_, should be used each day, to run consecutively during the day.

Careful tests, made in different offices, show that in taking ordinary business correspondence dictation, the stenographer wastes about 20 per cent of the time writing the name and address. By the use of the numbering plan, practically all of this time is saved.

=Form Paragraphs.= A large per cent of the correspondence of the average business is a repetition of the things that have been said before. Day after day the same questions are asked and answered, the same complaints are received, the same arguments, formal acknowledgments, and requests form a large part of the dictation. Over and over the same paragraphs are used to say the same things, a repetition and waste of time for both correspondent and stenographer, which can be done away with by the use of form paragraphs.

For illustration, the acknowledgment of remittances is entirely formal, rarely necessitating a special letter. Many times, however, the letter of remittance asks for special information, which can be given in the same letter with the acknowledgment. If one or more form acknowledgment paragraphs are prepared to meet different conditions, one of these can be used, saving the time required for dictation.

Form paragraphs are especially applicable in answering complaints and in sales letters. Complaints can usually be divided into a few classes, and one paragraph will answer all complaints of the same kind. In sales letters, form paragraphs will answer all requests for certain information about the product, the terms of sale, the guaranty, etc.

Not only do form paragraphs save much time in dictation, but they result in stronger letters. It is the experience of every correspondent that he can write better letters one day than another. The best form paragraphs are found in the letters written on the correspondent's good days.

Form paragraphs should be arranged for ready reference. A very satisfactory method is to write them on sheets punched for filing in a binder. The paragraphs should be numbered consecutively, and indexed by subject. Copies should be supplied to all correspondents and stenographers who have occasion to use them.

Frequently a large part of the day's correspondence can be handled with form paragraphs, and through constant use the stenographer will become so familiar with them that he will be in a position to answer many letters without dictation. The really efficient stenographer--one of the kind who expects to advance to the position of private secretary--will make a careful study of form paragraphs, fitting himself to handle the minor correspondence, thereby saving the more valuable time of the correspondent.

=Talking Machines for Dictation.= Every year sees an increase in the use of the talking machine for dictation. These machines have now been brought to a state of perfection which makes their use feasible, and in many large offices they are used to the almost complete exclusion of shorthand writers.

An outfit for correspondence work consists, usually, of two machines--one for recording and one for reproducing dictation. The correspondent dictates his letters to the recording machine and passes the cylinders on which the record has been made to the stenographer, who transcribes on the typewriter direct from the reproducing machine. In small offices, one machine is made to answer every purpose, as it can be changed instantly from a recorder to a producer.

After the dictation on a cylinder has been transcribed it is shaved, and is then ready for a new record. This permits of the use of the cylinders until they are worn thin, and reduces the expense to a minimum.

The principal advantages claimed for this machine are that it saves all of the time of the stenographer usually required for taking dictation; the correspondent can dictate at any time without waiting for a stenographer; the work is more evenly distributed, and consequently finished earlier in the day. In the opinion of the writer, the chief advantage lies in having the machine at hand ready for dictation day or night.

While in some offices the shorthand writer has been almost entirely supplanted, the machine is more likely to be used as an auxiliary. It can never supply the brains of the human machine, and is not likely to lessen the demand for competent stenographers. Fig. 2 is an illustration of one of the well-known makes of correspondence machines.

=Correspondence Requisitions.= A considerable per cent of the letters to be answered in a business office are of such a nature that former correspondence must be referred to before an intelligent reply can be given. The unsatisfactory character of the replies to many letters can be traced to the fact that the correspondent did not take the trouble to first find out what had been written before.

To insure against the loss of correspondence, it should be most carefully filed, and every letter should be accounted for. Also, if a correspondent wants certain correspondence from the files he should state explicitly what correspondence or information he desires. This not only insures his getting the information needed to formulate an intelligent reply, but protects the file clerk.

The systematic method is to have a correspondence requisition, similar to the one shown in Fig. 3. On this requisition is noted just what is wanted--invoice, order, or letter--with room for special instructions. One of these requisitions should be sent to the files whenever any papers are wanted, and nothing should be delivered without such a requisition. By placing this requisition in the files, in place of the papers removed, the file clerk can always trace missing correspondence.

=Complaints and Changes of Address.= In some lines of business, complaints and notices of change of addresses are quite numerous. An example is the business of publishing a weekly or monthly periodical. Many complaints are received from subscribers who claim that they do not receive the publication regularly. The great majority of these complaints can be traced to carelessness on the part of the subscriber in failing to notify of change of address.

In some businesses, the handling of complaints requires the services of a correspondent, and a clerk to trace the complaint and gather the information necessary before an adjustment can be made. In a smaller business, the work of looking up the information usually falls on the stenographer. But no matter who gathers the information, the correspondent never should attempt to answer or adjust a complaint until he has made a thorough investigation. Not until he understands all of the causes leading up to the complaint, can he correctly judge of its merits.

The policy of having all complaints handled by one man is in keeping with approved business practice. A man who makes a study of the subject soon learns to handle complaints to the ultimate satisfaction of all concerned. Being independent of the selfish interests of a particular department, he is much more likely to serve the best interests of the house than any other man in the organization. The sales manager, for instance, is not the best man to adjust complaints of customers; he is likely to be more liberal than is warranted, because of his fear of losing trade.

When a complaint has been investigated, everything possible should be done to remove the cause, and to guard against a similar complaint in the future. The seemingly little precautions count for much. In the matter of changes of address, for instance, it is a small matter for the one who makes the change to see that it is made not only on the ledger but on the sales list, the collection card, and in every place where the address is permanently recorded. Failure to make the change in one place may lead to endless confusion.

_Stenographer's Reference Index._ Here is a suggestion for the special benefit of the stenographer. Keep in your desk a reference index of names, addresses, and telephone numbers. There are certain persons and firms to whom your employer frequently writes letters. These are not in reply to letters, but are written in the usual course of business. The names of these persons should be on your index so that when you are told to write to Mr. Hunter or Mr. Roberts you will not be obliged to ask the address.

Probably your employer will not ask you to keep such an index, but surely will appreciate your knowing the addresses. When he finds that you always know the telephone numbers of the printer, the bank, and other local houses with whom he does business regularly, as well as the addresses of prominent out-of-town correspondents, he will at least not place it to your discredit.

But do not keep the addresses on sheets of paper that surely will soon become confusing on account of changes and additions which make an alphabetical arrangement impossible. Ask for a small card tray, holding 3"×5" cards, that will go in the drawer of your desk, a set of alphabetical indexes, and a supply of blank cards. Such an outfit can be bought at any first-class stationer's for a dollar or two. When you want to preserve an address, write it on a card, and file it alphabetically. If your employer will not supply the outfit, cut slips of paper and indexes to fit one of the small compartments in the desk drawer. Have the index, even if you must devise your own method of keeping it; you will at least have the satisfaction of saving many minutes of your time. And in the formation of a systematic habit you will be adding to your equipment.

=Making Corrections.= All stenographers make mistakes, and no correspondent is entirely free from faulty dictation, which necessitates corrections in letters after they are written. But the time of the stenographer and, incidentally, expense to the house, can be saved if the correspondent will exercise reasonable care in indicating the corrections to be made.

Do not deface the letter so that neat corrections will be impossible, unless the mistake is so serious as to necessitate rewriting the entire letter. When the wrong word has been used, draw a light pencil line under it and write the correct word on the margin or the end of the letter; if the word is misspelled, underline it and write the correct spelling at the end of the line. This takes even less time than to deface the letter, and leaves it in such shape that corrections can be made quickly and neatly.

To the stenographer it is well to say, "If you find it impossible to make a neat correction, rewrite the letter." Nothing gives a more unfavorable impression of a house than an untidy letter, and your employer is more willing to overlook an occasional mistake than a letter filled with visible erasures.

COPYING CORRESPONDENCE

Copies of outgoing correspondence are a part of the system of every business office. There was a time when copies of important letters were made by hand, and then came the copying press and tissue impression book with many cloths, wringers, pans of water, and other paraphernalia for moistening the sheets of the book. The copying press is an awkward machine, difficult to operate, and altogether unsatisfactory, but, until a better method was offered, it answered the purpose.

One of the greatest defects in the copying-book method is the impossibility of making uniformly clear copies; some will be clear while others are blurred, and the important letter is usually the one that is illegible. The difficulty in securing clear copies is due to the impossibility of securing uniform pressure. While the copying press is still found in a few small offices, it is practically obsolete, and not used in offices where modern efficient methods receive consideration.

=Carbon Copies.= A simple method of obtaining copies of outgoing letters, invoices, orders, etc., is to make duplicates by means of carbon paper. In its adaptability and far-reaching effect, the sheet of carbon paper has proved to be one of the greatest of all aids to modern business methods. Used in connection with a typewriter of modern construction, the carbon sheet has revolutionized manifolding processes, making possible as many duplicate copies of any paper as are required in ordinary business.

The carbon method of obtaining copies of letters has the merit of economy in time. When the letter is written, the copy is made; if extra copies, up to a half-dozen, are wanted, all are made at one writing. If the last letter is being written when it is time for the mail to leave the office, it need not be held to make a copy.

The carbon method is not expensive. Good carbon paper costs 2 cents or less a sheet, and for 1,000 copies only about 30 sheets are required. A satisfactory quality of plain paper for copies can be bought for $1.00 or less a thousand. These prices are naturally subject to slight fluctuations, depending on the quantities purchased and the locality.

A defect in the carbon method is found in the manner of making corrections. It is not uncommon for a man to make a slight correction, or add a note, in his own handwriting; such corrections and additions cannot appear on the carbon copy. When corrections are made on the typewriter, it is very difficult to obtain a clear copy of the correction on the second, or carbon, sheet--the correction on the copy is very likely to be blurred. If the correction is written directly on the copy, without using carbon paper, the essential feature of the copy is destroyed; it is no longer a facsimile, and its value as evidence is very materially lessened.

=Mechanical Copiers.= There are now on the market several mechanical copiers, without the many disadvantages of the copying press, or the defects of the carbon method. One of the most satisfactory and best known is the roller copier. The fundamental principle of the roller copier is that of the clothes wringer; the original letter, with a wet tissue sheet placed against the written side, is passed between rubber rollers, to which just the right amount of pressure is applied.

Working from the clothes-wringer idea as a basis, the inventor of the roller copier set about to remedy the defects of the copying press. It was found that clear copies could be obtained only under certain conditions; the pressure must be absolutely uniform, and the tissue sheet must be moistened evenly.

As to the pressure, it was found that too much or too little resulted in unsatisfactory copies--some faint, others blurred--the very defect that had made the use of the copying press objectionable. This was overcome by using an adjusting screw by which the exact pressure required could be obtained. But, if the pressure were left on all of the time, the rubber rollers would soon be flat. So, an adjustment lever was added, by which the pressure could be thrown on before copying, and thrown off when the machine is not in use.

To adjust a single sheet of tissue paper so that it would lie smooth on the letter, was out of the question. This difficulty was overcome by copying on a continuous roll, and the problem of moistening was solved by passing the paper through water, insuring equal moisture over the entire surface.

The mechanism of the roller copier is shown in Fig. 4. The paper from the roll is passed under the dampening roll in the water tank, then between the large roller and the wringing roller, over the same large roller and between it and the copying roller, thence out over the flanged roller and down to the winding reel. The pressure on the wringing and copying roller is adjusted by the adjusting screws _A_ and _B_, and the adjustment lever throws the pressure on or off. The letter to be copied is laid face down on the feeding shelf, the edge is placed under the copying roller, pressure thrown on, and a turn of the crank carries the letter through into a receiving basket, leaving a perfect copy. If additional copies are wanted--any number up to a half-dozen--the operation is repeated for each copy.

The paper on which the copies have been made passes to a winding reel under the copier, as shown in Fig. 5. This is a large rectangular reel on which the paper is stretched tightly, so that it will be smooth when dry. The open construction of the reel affords free circulation of air, drying the copies very quickly. After the day's copying is done, the action of the machine is reversed by the turn of a thumbscrew, the paper is broken above the last copy, that on the reel is brought back over the copier, and the letters cut apart with the cutting knife at the end of the feeding shelf. The separate copies are then ready for filing with the original letters, keeping letters and replies together.

Among the advantages claimed for the machine are certainty of legible copies, copies of all corrections, and economy of operation. The copies are made after the letter has been written and corrected; consequently it must be a facsimile. If a note is written at the bottom or on the margin, it is shown in the copy.

Copying is the last operation before mailing. Frequently a man finds, after the letter is written, that he needs additional copies. With the carbon system it is necessary to rewrite the letter; with the copier, the copies can be obtained any time before the letter is mailed.

The copier is economical in operation. The best quality of paper costs 50 cents a roll, and a little more than one roll, or about 60 cents' worth of paper is required for 1,000 copies; and there is no carbon paper to buy. The office boy can operate the copier, and it takes but a few minutes to copy the day's mail of the average concern. If desired, the machine can be obtained with an electric motor attached, but this power is really unnecessary unless the correspondence averages 300 or more letters a day.

STENOGRAPHIC DIVISION

As has been stated elsewhere in this series of books, the modern plan for a large organization is to have an independent stenographic division or department. Instead of each department head and correspondent having one or more stenographers in his office, to handle his work only, this plan contemplates placing all stenographers and typists in one room, in charge of a chief stenographer. Except where an executive officer has a stenographer who acts as his private secretary, this plan is now carried out in the most highly organized of our larger enterprises.

The stenographers are subject to the call of any correspondent, the chief stenographer supplying the one who is first available. The plan is sometimes modified to the extent of holding a stenographer for the work of a certain correspondent during stated hours; the stenographer being, at other times, available for any other correspondent.

The plan has proved to be economical and beneficial in many other ways. It is economical, as it reduces the number of stenographers actually needed to handle the work. Under the old plan, some of the stenographers are idle a part of the time, or obliged to do copy work to keep busy. For example, in a certain house, two departments were located in adjoining rooms. The department heads each had more work than one stenographer could do, but not sufficient to keep two busy all the time; it was necessary for each to employ two stenographers--four in all--and let them fill in a part of their time addressing envelopes, and similar work. The plan of having a common stenographic force was tried, and three stenographers handled the work of both departments, with some time to spare for the work of other departments--a clear saving of 25%.

The stenographer is benefited by becoming familiar with the correspondence of all departments. While not learning all of the secrets of one department, the stenographer obtains a much better insight into the business as a whole--far more valuable as a business training than a more intimate knowledge of a single department.

Every correspondent is benefited by having several stenographers who are familiar with his work. If a certain stenographer leaves, is ill, or takes a vacation, he is not placed under the handicap of having his work stand still until he can break in a substitute. The new stenographer can be given some dictation in each department while becoming familiar with the work.

The work is more evenly distributed, with the result that the mail is out on time and no stenographer is obliged to work after hours. When all work together under one chief, the efficiency of the stenographic force, individually and collectively, is materially increased.

Not the least of the many advantages of this plan is the one of having all typewriters in one place, confining the noise. Employes in other departments of the office are greatly benefited by working in comparative quiet. Especially advantageous is the absence of the noise of the typewriter in private offices.

When the stenographic division is installed, it is necessary to provide a system of call bells, with a push button at the desk of each correspondent. Each correspondent is assigned a signal by which he may summon a stenographer. The chief assigns a stenographer to answer each call, or in the absence of the chief, the one whose turn it is answers the call.

=Records of Work.= An independent stenographic division necessitates a careful record of work performed. These records are required in order that the expense may be distributed and the wages of the stenographers charged to the proper departments. A distribution of office expense is just as necessary as a distribution of factory charges. The records should show exactly what it costs to conduct the purchasing, sales, or credit departments. If a man divides his time between two or more departments, his salary should be charged accordingly. In like manner, the wages of a stenographer should be distributed.

Elaborate or complicated records are not required; a record of the time worked for each department is sufficient, though usually the number of letters written is included. First, is the record of work done by each individual. This should be a record covering a week's work, and may be kept on a card. Fig. 6 shows a form designed for such a record. This is on a 5"×8" card, one of which is given to each stenographer, who keeps the record from day to day.

This form provides for a record of the work of the stenographer each day in the week. The columns from left to right are headed with the names of the departments, but instead of having these printed in, it is best to leave the spaces blank and write the names. The daily record shows the hours worked and number of letters written, both morning and afternoon, for each department. Space is also provided for a record of miscellaneous or special work, which should be explained briefly. The total number of hours shown by this record should, of course, agree with the time for which the stenographer is paid.

These cards should be turned in to the chief stenographer, who will file them under the name or the number of the stenographer, keeping all records of each employe together. If preferred, daily reports can be used, though the weekly report will prove satisfactory in almost every case.

On receipt of the individual reports, the chief stenographer should make up a weekly report of the work of the entire division. The object of the report is primarily to show the amount to be charged to each department for stenographic work, but may also show the cost of each stenographer.

The form shown in Fig. 7 provides for a complete report. The work of each stenographer for each day of the week is distributed among the several departments, showing the number of hours worked, the number of letters written, and the cost. A record for five departments with six stenographers is provided for in the form shown. The footings of the columns show the total cost to the departments and the total column at the right, which is an extension of daily costs, shows the total cost for each stenographer. The footing of the total column, and the cross-footing of the departmental columns, must agree and exactly equal the amount of the pay-roll of the stenographic division.

One valuable comparison shown by this report is the cost to handle the work of one department or correspondent, when different stenographers are used. The comparison must be based on the letters of one correspondent, because, while they are not likely to vary materially, there is a marked difference in the length of the letters written by different correspondents; also, the dictation of some correspondents is much more easy to take than others.

The form shown should be loose-leaf, and made in duplicate. One copy goes to the comptroller and one is kept by the chief stenographer. The size can be increased to accommodate a large number of departments or stenographers, but rather than use a sheet that is bulky, it is better to use more than one sheet. To provide for a monthly distribution of costs, these reports should be closed on the last day of the month, regardless of the day of the week.

=Hints for Stenographers. Telegrams.= When a telegram is sent, it is safe to assume that its object is to secure quick action; otherwise a letter would serve the purpose. Telegrams should, therefore, be transcribed and dispatched immediately, regardless of any other work that may be on the machine.

It has become the usual custom of business to confirm telegrams by mail. The more usual custom is to write a letter, in which the telegram is quoted, but the matter can be handled with less labor by the use of triplicate telegraph blanks. The original is the regulation blank supplied by the telegraph companies; the duplicate is on a sheet of the same size as the telegraph blank, but printed as shown in Fig. 8; the triplicate is a blank sheet of paper. The duplicate is mailed to the correspondent, while the triplicate is filed with his correspondence. Unless some special explanation is demanded, it is unnecessary to write a letter.

=Don'ts.= Don't keep your employer waiting while you hunt for, or sharpen, a pencil. Always keep a supply of at least a half-dozen well-sharpened pencils on hand. Keep them in a handy place and take them with you when your employer calls you to his desk to take dictation. Remember that his time is more valuable than your own.

Don't be afraid of working a few minutes overtime, when requested to do so. Only an unreasonable employer will ask you to work after hours, excepting when it is really necessary. But occasionally something will come up at the last moment, making it necessary to write and mail a letter that night. Remember that what seems to you a trivial matter, may be of the utmost importance to your employer.

Don't overlook the important letters. If you handle a heavy correspondence there will be many days when you will find it impossible to transcribe all of the dictation you have taken, but some of the letters will be important while others can be held over without loss. Write the important letters first; if you are not sure which they are, ask your employer. He will appreciate your interest.

Don't overlook the necessity of learning something about the business in which you are employed. Every business has its own nomenclature--technical terms peculiar to the business, with which you may be unfamiliar. When you accept a new position, read the catalogs, circulars, and other literature of the house; this is the easiest way to familiarize yourself with the technical terms. You will find your position improved if you can correctly transcribe the terms peculiar to the business.

Don't waste envelopes and postage. Your employer may write a half-dozen letters to one firm the same day. This frequently happens in writing to branch offices and agencies. See to it that all letters to the same address are enclosed in one envelope. The saving in postage will be very considerable.

Don't underestimate the opportunities afforded by your position. There really is no position offering better chances for advancement than that of the willing and competent stenographer. There are many incompetents, and for such salaries are small; but there are plenty of positions at good salaries open to the really competent. A stenographer handles many confidential matters, learns the business secrets of his employer, and has every opportunity to learn the business. The stenographer who takes advantage of the opportunities to learn becomes a private secretary, and rapidly advances to even more important positions.

Don't betray secrets. This is the most important _don't_ of all. Remember that your employer dictates many confidential letters, imparting business and private secrets. Do not, under any circumstances, impart these confidential matters to others, and never talk about the business to those outside the office.

FILING DIVISION

Only a small per cent of the records of a business are found in the books of account; the larger part are in the form of business papers of various kinds. And, since the records in the books are, in the main, based on the records found in these papers, the papers themselves are not less valuable than the books. Letters, orders, invoices, receipts, vouchers, contracts, specifications, and estimates form the basis of the larger part of the business transactions of all houses, giving authority for transactions and offering proof that the transactions have been completed. The proper preservation of these papers is, therefore, a necessity, and, since they form so important a part of the records, they must be accessible.

The filing division is, therefore, one of the most necessary in the office of any enterprise, and should receive the careful attention that its importance deserves. Whether the equipment of the filing division consists of a single file or many large cabinets, it should be located where it will be accessible to all departments. It should be given as nearly a central location as the general plan of the office will permit. In a very large enterprise a separate room may be required, while in a small business the files may be arranged along the wall or around a corner. But whatever its location, aisles leading to the filing division should be left open, that it may be reached conveniently from any part of the office. Since good light is not so essential as for some other divisions, it is sometimes advisable to locate the filing division where the light is not sufficient for another division--as the bookkeeping division. At the same time, there must be sufficient light to enable the file clerk to do the work properly.

As a general rule, all filing should be in one place, although under certain conditions, which are referred to later, special departmental filing is justified. It should be possible to obtain from the general files all papers that have a bearing on a particular transaction, or all of the correspondence of a given concern. More or less confusion results when certain of the papers are missing. For example, if a part of the correspondence about an order is filed in the sales department, the papers in the general file may not give a complete history of the case, and the order may be accepted or rejected under a wrong impression because the most important letter is missing.

When independent filing systems are maintained by the different departments, it is sometimes difficult to determine just where certain papers will be found. To say the least, it is quite difficult to collect all of the papers referring to one subject, when the filing is handled in this manner.

Experience has demonstrated that a central filing division is really more convenient for the department manager, than to maintain his own filing system. If the system has been properly installed, he can obtain correspondence or other papers from the general files about as quickly as from his own files, with the added advantage of obtaining all of the correspondence with a particular person. If another department has been in correspondence with the same person, he has their letters as well as his own. When the credit man, for example, reviews the correspondence of a customer from whom he is trying to collect an account, he will not be ignorant of the existence of a letter from the sales manager in which special terms were offered to secure the order.

=The File Clerk.= The filing division should be in charge of a file clerk and the clerk should have full control of the work of the division. In a large business, a chief file clerk and several assistants will be required, while in a small business it is customary for the stenographer to do the filing. No matter what the extent of the filing, the principle is the same; if but two persons are employed and one is expected to do the filing, the other should neither file nor remove papers from the file. When a letter is wanted, the file clerk should be asked for it.

The essential qualifications of a file clerk may be summed up as follows:

A good memory;
The habit of accuracy;
The ability to read confusing chirography;
The ability to spell correctly;
Speed.

To these might be added the possession of a liberal amount of common sense, the faculty of absorbing information, and ability to correlate facts according to their importance.

A good memory is very necessary, for the papers that have been filed must be found when wanted. Letters signed by an individual may be filed with the correspondence of his firm. When the manager calls for "that letter from Whitcomb," it is embarrassing to ask him with what firm Mr. Whitcomb is connected; still more so to keep the manager waiting while an index is consulted.

A comprehensive index is necessary, of course, and the efficient file clerk will be fortified against all possible contingencies with proper indexes, but a memory which will permit of ignoring indexes, except in special cases, is a valuable asset. It may be stated as a rule that it should not be necessary to refer to special indexes to locate the letters of a regular correspondent.

Accuracy is another very necessary qualification. Accuracy is a habit--the habit of first finding the right way to do a thing, and then doing it that way every time. The habit of doing a thing the same way every time is very important in filing. If the rule is to file all correspondence in the name of the firm from whom it is received, no matter by whom signed, it is very essential that all letters from the firm be filed in exactly the same way--not a part of them in the name of the individual.

Accuracy is necessary also in placing letters in the files. Letters that belong in the _Be_ division of the index must be filed there--not in the _Ba_ division; letters intended for folder _No. 19_ are to all intents lost, if placed in _No. 91_.

To be able to read confusing chirography is a talent that is much appreciated in more than one line of endeavor; it is especially valuable to the file clerk. The signatures of many men are notoriously difficult to read, and large numbers of such signatures come to the filing division of every concern having an extensive correspondence.

Spelling might seem to be an accomplishment not absolutely essential to the equipment of a file clerk, but the ability to spell correctly is very helpful. It is a great help in indexing. Especially when a finely subdivided index is used, correct spelling is necessary to determine the division under which a paper should be filed.

Speed is an absolute requirement. When the manager wants a letter, he wants it at once. When the day's mail reaches the filing division, it must be filed as quickly as possible. Some one may call for a letter within an hour after it reaches the files, and to find it in the unfiled correspondence means inevitable delay. Nowhere is prompt service more thoroughly appreciated than in the filing division.

The importance of securing a file clerk with proper qualifications is apparently overlooked in many offices. A girl is placed in charge because she will work for a small salary, resulting--unless she is qualified--in very poor service. An incompetent file clerk can, in a short time, get the files in a demoralized condition almost impossible to straighten out. The necessity of proper filing makes the position one of real importance. On the other hand, the possibilities of the position are seldom appreciated by the clerk. This is due, perhaps, to the policy of making the position one of the lowest in the office from the salary standpoint; but the greatest possibilities of the position lie outside of the salary question.

The position of file clerk is a sure stepping stone to something better--a more responsible and better paid position. No clerk in the office has a better opportunity to obtain a general knowledge of the business. From the stenographer who files the manager's personal correspondence, to the clerk in charge of an extensive filing division, each is intrusted with important papers revealing the very secrets of the business. The position is a confidential one, and the clerk who can absorb the information that must inevitably come to his notice, and _keep the information to himself_, is surely preparing to fill a higher position; he has a golden opportunity to demonstrate his absolute trustworthiness.

FILING SYSTEMS

The evolution of methods of filing is itself an interesting study. From the days when the merchant preserved his bills and important letters by hanging them on a sharp-pointed hook, to the present with filing cabinets of pleasing design and careful construction, in sizes to hold papers of all shapes and kinds, there has been constant progress. The advance of business methods, bringing with it an ever-increasing volume of papers to be preserved, has resulted in a demand for more simple methods--more scientific systems of filing. Those confronted with a practical solution of the problem, and those attempting to supply the demand, have devoted much time to a study of the subject. This has brought into being the filing expert who makes a study of the filing problems of concerns in all lines of business. The manufacturer has kept pace with the development, and now is prepared to furnish the right device for filing any document from a small card to the largest drawing or map.

In this discussion of filing systems, it is not necessary to consider the obsolete methods, even though they have at some time been considered standard. The purpose of this discussion will be better served by a study of the more modern systems.