DEPARTMENT OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION

ANDHRA PRADESH

Name : P. Padmavathi
Designation : Lecturer
Branch : Commercial and Computer Practice.
Institute : Govt. Polytechnic for Women, Suryapet
Year/Sem. : IIII Semester
Subject : Office Organization
Subject Code : CCP-304
Topic : Filing & Indexing
Duration : 50 Mts.
Sub-Topic : Types of Indexing
Teaching Aids : PPT, Animations

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Objectives:

On completion of this period, you would be able

to:
 Explain some more types of indexing systems

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Recap

We have discussed in the last class –

Three methods of indexing

 Book Index
 Loose-leaf Index
 Card Index

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Now, let us see some other
methods of indexing

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4. Visible Card Indexing:

 The visible card Indexing was invented in order to

avoid the costliness of the card indexing.
 This system is only an improved shape of the card
indexing method.
 In this many cards can be seen simultaneously.

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 4. Visible Card Indexing (Contd..):

 According to this method the cards, after

preparation, are placed in transparent envelopes
which are kept in a shallow drawer made of metal.
 Every card is entangled with the steel rods fixed in
the tray in such a manner that one card is below
another card .
 The name, address and file number written on every
card can be seen without disturbing any card.

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4. Visible Card Indexing (Contd..):

 The wire fixed in the tray with which the cards are
entangled helps in opening the cards.
 As soon as the tray is pulled outwards the movement
of the wire makes all the cards visible separately.
 In this way all the cards placed in the tray can be seen
directly and clearly.

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CCP 304.24 8
Merits:

 Any employee of the office can see the required

card promptly under this system.
 There is facility of seeing many cards
simultaneously.
 Since all the information on all the cards fixed on
the tray is visible simultaneously, a person has no
need to see all the cards separately.

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Demerits:

 This system is costlier than the card indexing system.

 The equipment related with this system requires
more space.
 Another defect of the system is that if a card is placed
in a wrong manner it becomes very difficult to locate
it.
 This system is not at all suitable for small business
houses.

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5.Rotary Card Indexing:

 For making an index under this system a long metal

stand is needed at both ends, of which there are two
wheels rotating on the steel bearings.
 Hooks are fixed to both the wheels.
 Plates made of sheet iron or some other metal are
fixed on these hooks in alphabetical order or on the
basis of some other classification in a vertical
position.

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5.Rotary Card Indexing (contd..):

 When a card is to be placed or seen the wheel

fixed on the upper end of the rotary card index is
slowly moved round.
 Every plate rotates and separate letters can be
seen.
 It is stopped at the point of the letter belonging to
the card which is to be pulled out or placed back
and the card is placed in alphabetical order.

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CCP 304.24 13
Merits:

 Whenever a reference is needed the card can be

immediately seen by rotating the wheel.
 With the help of the guide slip fixed on each plate it is
easy to promptly take out the card when needed.
 This system is economical because very small cost is
involved in both the initial as well as the later stages.

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Demerits:

 Since this system is placed on a table openly,

anybody at any time can take out the card and can
change its details.
 The cards are fixed on the plates in an open form and
as such, there is no protection against sun, water,
dust, air or pests.
 Secrecy of the papers is also not possible in this
system.
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6. Strip Index:

 For this system a light sheet of iron or some other metal

is required.
 A frame is also fixed around it This system is an
amended form of the visible card indexing.

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6. Strip Index (contd…):

 The names, telephone numbers, account numbers

and other information about the customers can be
recorded on the strips in this frame.
 These strips are made of thick paper.
 After writing the necessary details and their
classification according to the need on these strips,
they are fixed in the frame in such a way that all the
strips in the frame are visible at one glance.
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6. Strip Index (contd…):

 There is a separate strip for every customer, letter,

sender or a subject.
 These strips can also be maintained in the form of a
book or can be arranged in the form of rotary card
index.
 This system is most suitable for seeing the account
number, telephone number, the current prices, file
number and the quantity of stock separately.

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CCP 304.24 19
Merits:
 In this system old strips can be replaced by new
ones at any time which makes it possible to display
the latest, current and new information.
 The strips can be arranged at will in any order.
 This index can be placed even on a table. The
employees can place it on their table itself and do
not have to move from one place to another.

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Demerits:
 In order to arrange the strip to add a new name in
purely alphabetical order, all the strips belonging to
the names beginning with that letter have to be
reshuffled.
 Only a limited amount of information can be made
available in such an index because there is not
enough space on a strip.
 More common sense and alertness is required to
prepare and use this index.

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Summary

We have discussed about the methods of

indexing.
2. Visible Card Indexing
3. Rotary Card Indexing
4. Strip Indexing

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Quiz

1.Visible card indexing was invented in order to avoid the

costliness of the card indexing. (True/False)

Ans: True

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2. Visible card indexing system is not suitable for
small business houses. (True/False)

Ans.: True

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3.Secrecy of the papers is not possible in Rotary
Card Indexing. (True/False)

Ans.: True

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4. In strip index only a limited amount of information
can be made available. (True/False)

Ans.: True

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Frequently asked Questions

1. Write about Visible Card Indexing.

2. What is indexing? Explain the various types of
indexing.

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THANK YOU

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