OFFICE DOCUMENTS

Office documents are documents used in an office for business transactions. There are basically two types of office documents which are (i) Sales documents (ii) Purchases document

    i. SALES DOCUMENT: are documents used in keeping records of sales transactions i.e. it is used to record goods sold either in cash or credit, undercharged and overcharged. They are:

    i. An invoice

    ii. Debit note

     iii. Credit note

       iv. Delivery note

1. An Invoice: is prepared sent by the seller to the buyer to indicate value of cost of goods sold to the buyer.it contain name, address quality, description, amount and terms of trade.
2. Debit Note: is sent by the seller to the buyer to show that account has been debited as a result of undercharged
3. Credit Note: is sent by seller to the buyer to show that some goods has been overcharged. Credit note is like invoice but the same and it is usually printed in red colour.
4. Delivery Note: is prepared and sent by the seller along with goods to the buyer to show quantity of the description of goods sent. The buyer use the delivery note to check the goods delivered sign it and send a copy back to the seller through the driver.                           ii.  PURCHASE DOCUMENTS

These are documents used in keeping records of goods purchased. They a  Letter of enquiry

1.    Quotation
2.     Order
3.     Receipt
4. Letter of Enquiry – Is used by the buyers to find out from various suppliers whether certain foods are available. It can also be sued to confirm the terms of sales, quantity and mode of delivery.
5. Quotation – is a purchase document sent by the seller in reply to the letter of enquiry. It indicates goods available, current prices, date of delivery and mode of delivery.
6. Order – states the quantity of goods expected from the supplier. It is sent after receiving price list or quotation.
7. Receipt – is issued to the buyer by the seller to indicate that the amount of money paid for a particular goods. it is a legal proof of payment.

 DOCUMENTS HANDLED BY A RECEPTIONIST

The documents kept by a receptionist include:-

1. Visitors book
2. Telephone message pad or form
3. Business card
4. Request form/visitors slip
5. Telephone directory
6. Appointment register
7. Diary

1. VISITOR’S BOOK:- is used for recording the details of all visitors that came to an organisation. It contains name, office visited, address, purpose of visit, time of arrival and departure, date, signature etc.

2. TELEPHONE MESSAGE PAD:- is used to record calls received for an officer who may be busy or not on seat while visitors are calling. The receptionist takes down the message at the time phone rings. 
3. BUSINESS CARD:- also known as complimentary card or introductory card. It is used to identify oneself and organisation. It contains name of company, address, name of the owner, position and telephone number.
4. REQUEST FORM:- is used in some office to inform an office of the presence of a visitor who is willing to see him/her
5. TELEPHONE DIRECTORY: is a compilation of names, address of the telephones subscribers and telephone number of an individual and organisation within a region or country. It is used by receptionist for easy tracing of names and number.
6. APPOINTMENT REGISTER: it records information concerning visitors on appointment and the office they wish to visit.

7. DIARY: this shows the daily activities of an organisation.it is used to record future appointment, interview, important events/happenings.

 Exercise: Design beautiful business card and request form

OFFICE CORRESPONDENCE

Correspondences are mails, letters suit and received in and out of an organisation. Correspondence can be sent either by post, by hand, electrically by fax and email.

Types of correspondence

1.   Mail inward book
2.     Mail outward book
3.     Despatch book
4.      Postage book
5.    File movement book 

    1.  MAIL INWARD BOOK/ correspondence inward register – is used to record the details of all official correspondence received in organisation. It serves as a proof that the document sent is received.

It is also known as incoming mail

2. MAIL OUTWARD BOOK – is used to record the details of letters leaving an organisation to an individuals, firm or organisation. It is a proof that a reply has been made on a particular issue. It is also known as outgoing mail or correspondence outward register.

3. DESPATCH BOOK: almost serve the same purpose as mail outward book. It is used when letters are to be delivered by hand, the letter must be signed by the receivers to serve as evidence that letter has been delivered to the right person.

4. POSTAGE BOOK- is used for recording the details of the letters posted and the amount spent on stamp. Franking machine is hired to print the stamp impression on the envelope to be posted.

5. FILE MOVEMENT BOOK: is kept by filing clerk to record the movement of file from department to another in an organisation.

Exercise: Design beautiful mail inward book and postage book.

 PROCEDURES FOR HANDLING INCOMING MAIL

Incoming mail contains new orders, enquiries, cheques, reports, complaints and any other letter from other business organisation received either by hard or by past.

The procedures are:

1. Receive mail from post office box or from their personnel
2. Check mail one after the other
3. Sort the mail into private, official and confidential
4. Send mails to officer concerned
5. Open non-confidential mail by clerk
6. Remove the contents for cheques, receipt, bill etc
7. Record mail in inward book
8. Place file and sent them to officer concerned

Procedures for handling outgoing mail are:

1. Collecting mail ready to be sent
2. Preparing the mail for posting from mail room
3.   Folding mails
4. Insertion of letter/mail into envelope
5. Weighing of mail on scale
6. Stamping of mails
7.  Despatching mails 

FILING: is the act of putting or arranging documents in a row. It involves the collection, arrangement, safe keeping of information and the retrieval of such information for decision making.

Documents are filled for these reasons:

1. To keep letters in safe custody
2. To keep document clean
3.  To keep the office tiding
4. To be able to retrieve document for easy accessibility without delay

MAIL ROOM EQUIPMENT

1. Mail room equipment is used for processing large volumes of mail. It can mail receiving equipment which includes letter openers, security mail, scanners, envelope sealers, folder/inserters, labels
2. Mail sending equipment allows to automate outgoing mail processing e.g. labelling machine, stickers, tabbers, sales flying, envelope sealers. Envelope sealers are used for high volume making.

Exercise:

Name two major methods of filing?

List and explain four filing equipment.