Theme 5 - Treatment, classification, and filing of business documentation

Any department, section, or business area is marked by the need to

to have quality information for companies. Daily, large amounts are produced and received
amount of documents with a lot of data, which have to be sorted and handled for
that can be considered valid information. The correct option to store them is through
the file and the preservation of documents.

A file is a set of organized documents that are used in the exercise and in the
development of functions or activities of companies, to facilitate their activity.

A file is a quality information treatment that improves conditions.

business-related because they seek to increase productivity to search for the documents and
improve the performance, effectiveness, and efficiency of business activity

In the business context, we can refer to a file in two ways, the first is in
The physical place is where a person, company, or institution organizes, classifies, and keeps.
documents of a specific activity and on the other hand is the institution, body or
department responsible for preserving documents.

The document file must be managed properly because:

Certain documents such as contracts, deeds, etc. can serve as elements.

evidence before a third party
There is a legal obligation to retain certain documentation for a period of time.
elaboration

The business document file acts as the collective memory of the company and it
it is considered an instrument to generate quality information, therefore it is necessary

1- properly store and preserve the documents intended for archiving

2- locate any document easily and quickly
3- Establish procedures that regulate when the document should be archived and how much.
to destroy oneself

How should the archiving work be developed?

The documents must be organized so that anyone can find one.

easily
It is necessary to register all entries and exits of any document.
3. We must not accumulate pending documentation from Archives to avoid
loss
It is necessary to be selective in distinguishing the useful from the less relevant.
5. We must ensure before opening a file that it has not been opened with
previously with a different name
6. It is advisable to use visual signals to classify documents for the purpose of
to facilitate their location
It is important to periodically eliminate documents that are no longer useful.
 8. Security measures must be established to prevent modification of the
damage to the destruction of documents
9. In documents with interesting responses, include a copy of the document that
we respond
10. The visibility of the documents must be facilitated in a subsequent search as
folding them to show their beginning

Business file types

Based on the file format used

The conventional file can be found in almost every company, but without being excessive.
about him because excessive use of space and staff involves disadvantages, in addition to
the complication of its quick and smooth location since it is used on paper support

The computer file, its use is completely generalized in companies.

because it minimizes the use of paper, this format presents many advantages such as the
ease of searching for and analyzing data and that maintenance costs are
minors and productivity is much higher

based on the frequency of use of the documents

The active file is often referred to as a management office file and contains documents
that are frequently used, this type of file should be located in a place
accessible and close to the workplaces

The semi-active file contains documents of reduced consultation but that must
be kept for legal reasons and are usually located in less visible places, but
they should be reviewed periodically to eliminate those that have lost their value and will be
an inactive file

The inactive file is the one that contains documents that are rarely consulted and includes
files without operational utility but with high documentary or legal value and is usually used with
at the request of the interested party, when their documentation ceases to have value it must be
destroyed

based on the physical location of the file

The centralized management files are the system that establishes a single responsible party.
of files that is responsible for the classification and organization of documents, this
system makes it difficult to quickly locate documents

The decentralized management files, it is the system based on the use of

different file spaces in each department or business section, thus each
the department will have its own file, where it will keep and store, with which it
you can access it quickly
The mixed management files are the system based on the coexistence of files.
assets and activate the departments with a single inactive centralized file in the
headquarters of the company

Document classification system

A good classification system must meet a series of requirements.

● be easy to understand (anyone should be able to apply it even if they are not familiar with it)
● be easy to apply (the simpler it is, the fewer mistakes they make)
be decisive (must provide a solution to any type of file)
be flexible (the volume of documentation may increase)

The alphanumeric system allows for classifying the documents to be filed according to the
Order of establishment for the alphabet. This system is noted for its simple application.

The numerical system allows for the organization of archive documentation based on numbers.
natural numbers arranged in ascending or descending order.

Mixed systems - allows file systems to combine with various systems

Sorting in a way that makes it more effective both alphabetically and numerically or vice versa

The chronological system allows documents to be classified by date or order of entry.

It is usually done from the most recent date to the oldest, the most recurring information to
principle

The geographic system allows for the organization of a specific physical location, such as the
address of the person or company receiving the document

The thematic system - the documents that must be kept must be truly
representatives of the documentation that is going to be archived

Reception and filing of paper documentation

The work of the archive should aim to facilitate the smooth processing of it.
documentation preserving what is useful for the necessary selection of
documents

Archival materials in paper format

The market greatly facilitates adequately addressing any type of need.

business
The most commonly used paper-based archive materials are: file boxes, binders.
A-Z, shelf, hanging folders, simple folder, safe cabinet, cabinet
suspended folder

Recommendations for archiving written documents

Confirm that the documents to be filed will not be used, neither by the
employees, nor the business departments at that time

Determine the present and future value of the documents that will be archived, those of
those that we are sure will not be preserved can be destroyed

It is important to make backups of the original documents that you

Responsible for the file consider it appropriate to avoid losses

It is necessary to mark those documents that must be kept in more than one file.
for its content

To archive important documentation, the same established criteria must be applied.

for the archived documentation

Proceed to the final filing of the documents

Reception and filing of digital documentation

A computer file is the set of data stored on a computer medium that

they can be applications, images, text documents, databases, etc.

For the treatment and computer filing of data, it is necessary to have the equipment.
technological adequacy nowadays the computer is an indispensable tool for the
development of any office work

In addition to the software, the IT support file for receiving copies of

security relies on the use of different hardware tools

Internal hard drive of the computer (internal storage unit)

information, applications or other files
Removable hard drive (reduced size)
CD, DVD (optical discs that allow file storage)
USB flash drives and memory cards (use flash memory to store data)
Cloud storage (allows saving data through the internet, drive)

With these devices, it is possible to both digitize written documents using a

scanner, as well as to print a computer file on support by the printer.

The task of archiving documents in digital format involves organizing, classifying and
keep these according to a certain criterion, thus making them available and accessible
for any subsequent inquiries

Both the paper and digital file serve as a source for

information on which the decision-making in the company is based.
The written documentation contained in a conventional file must be preserved.
until it is determined that it is no longer useful for the business activity

To use this information, it is necessary to follow a series of rules:

It is necessary to record the entry or exit of a document in an auxiliary register.

archived
Once the document has been used, it is recommended to return it to the archive as soon as possible.
When an already archived document is used, the file record is released.
complete

-Reduce- only necessary material (decreases paper usage and volume of

files)
-Reuse- damaged folders can be used for new material.
-Recycle- recycling bins should be placed, and recycled paper should be used.

The destruction of documentation must be done with certain frequency, to avoid the
unnecessary accumulation, document destruction machines should be used, which
only authorized people can use it

A database management system is a software program capable of obtaining

information regulating access, consultation and deletion of hosted data
organized.

The current management of a database presents a series of advantages

in relation to the treatment of information stored on paper support:
It has very powerful search engines that facilitate the location of
information
It doesn't take up as much physical space as the paper document file.
Thanks to the internet, management information systems allow for consultation at any time.
moment and place

Handling of business correspondence

There are three types of correspondence

1. Incoming correspondence (It is necessary to receive, classify, and register it)

distribute the people of the company to the departments
2. Interior correspondence (this work is carried out jointly with the
distribution of the corresponding central mail collection of outgoing correspondence
3. Outgoing correspondence (must be collected from services or departments)
the company to classify, register it, and send it within the established deadlines and forms)

Handling of incoming correspondence

Incoming mail is what is received from outside either through the postal service.
like email messaging companies, etc.
His treatment requires a series of stages:

1. Reception (Documents can be received by mail, fax, or delivery service).

manipulation of envelopes and packages must be carried out in accordance with the
principles of security and confidentiality and must follow these steps:

sign the delivery note

the personal mail must be delivered closed to the person it is addressed to
write the date in the upper right corner of the documentation
check that the sender's address appears on the document
check that all the documentation is inside the envelope

2. Classification once the correspondence is received is classified, and for this, it is usually
have trays or folders

When a document affects more than one department, photocopies are made.
The email in which no person or department is specified apart to be
open is reviewed with the administrative department
if the correspondence is not correctly identified, it is set aside to clarify its
possible identification

3. Registration (consists of stamping a seal on the top of the document,

assigning a sequential number based on the date of receipt

4. Distribution once received, classified, and recorded the correspondence must be

distributed to the corresponding human resources departments taking into account
what:

it is necessary to plan the route that will be taken in the entries before
start with the distribution of the mail
In some companies and organizations, the correspondence is delivered in trays.
There are special ones for them, one for the entrances and another for the exits.

Outgoing correspondence originates from external communication through the service of

Mail, courier companies, email...

The handling of this correspondence goes through a series of stages:

[Link]/previous checks (the person who knows the matter will draft the
document and the person appears as responsible for their signature)
2. Collection (the outgoing mail usually depends on the concierge staff
the secretariat and it is important to make a daily tour of the departments of the
company looking for correspondence to be sent
[Link] (it is important to indicate the date of departure to the recipient in the class of
document on the subject matter dealt with etc.)
 4. Expedition or shipping (once the correspondence to be sent is received)
The person in charge checks that all the recipient's information appears.
the necessary attachments are attached)

Correos is the designated operator to provide universal postal service in Spain and
distributes written documents and other packages around the world.
Private companies are an alternative to the postal service for shipping
urgent documents and packages, both in national and international shipments

Virtual Post Office

Digital mail - Allows you to create letters and postcards

Electronic postage - with it, it is possible to pay online for a relationship of
shipments
Identification of certificates and notifications - allows for the preparation of a list of
certified mailing via the Internet
Telegram - allows the sending of telegrams via the Internet to any point in Spain
Your seal - is used for orders of personalized seals with our own
images

online services of courier companies (The services offered by this company

they are different in each of them but in general they offer the possibility to order the
online shipping pay from the website track the status of the shipments by
Internet

public administrations (most offer citizens the possibility to be their

administrative procedures via the Internet

electronic signature (facilitates both the signing of a document or file by a single person
signer as by several in a determined order)

digital certificate (it is an electronic document that establishes that a citizen

the designated public key corresponds