Ch- 03

Excel Books3– 1 Management Information Systems Ashok Arora, Akshaya Bhatia

Office Automation

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Copyright © 1999, Ashok Arora, Akshaya Bhatia

Chapter3

Office Automation


Office Automation

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Definition of Office Automation

Office automation deals in application of latest technologies like compu-ters,

communications and networking.

Office automation is the application of computer and related technologies

like communication and networking to integrate the general office tasks so

that the efficiency of office work is improved.


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Needs for Office Automation

Office automation is needed to do various administrative and management tasks

in a better and organised way.

There are many essential requirements of today’s office environment, which are

listed below:

To reduce cost of administrative overheads;

To increase the efficiency of office tasks;

To provide better service to the customers;

To provide accurate information to the management;

To provide best and fastest way of communication.


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Office Functions Needed to be Automated1. Document Generation

In all offices, many documents are needed to be prepared, typed and printed. Typewriters, computers and printers are widely used in automating this routine task of offices.

2. Document Processing

Documents are also needed to be processed in order to extract useful information required for MIS and other official purposes.

3. Document Distribution

All offices require an electronic distribution system for transferring documents and data within and outside the organisation.

4. Archival Storage

This task is achieved by the use of different storage devices like tapes, disks etc.


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Office Automation Systems1. Document Management Systems

These systems include computerised tools for generation, storage, processing and distribution of documents.

2. Communication Systems

These systems are used for sending messages, documents and data within and outside the organisation.

3. Teleconferencing Systems

An electronic means of communication for conducting seminars and training programmes in an organisation is achieved through various

teleconferencing systems.

4. Support Systems

Besides the above major office automation systems, certain support systems for managing the activities of work groups are also used in some offices.


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Cont….

Document Management SystemsDocument management is the first important office task, which is needed to be automated. The commonly used office automation tools for document generation are:

Dictation Systems

By using the dictation systems, managers record the dictation on magnetic tapes, which is later heard by the stenographer.

Typewriters

Typewriters are used to type single or multiple copies of office documents.

Computers, Printers & Scanners

Word processing and Desk Top Publishing (DTP) are popular office technologies used to generate documents using computers and printers.

Image processing systems are used to electronically capture, store, process and retrieve images of documents.


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Archival Storage

It is generally very expensive and inefficient to store large volume of archival

data on paper or on-line computers. Therefore, offices need efficient storage

devices to store such data. The commonly used archival storage devices are

magnetic tapes, optical disks, floppy disks, hard disks and computer output

microfilms.

Photocopiers

Photocopiers are the most widely and commonly used office automation

machines for reproducing multiple copies of an original document rapidly. The

process of reproducing multiple copies is known as reprographics.


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Cont….

Communication SystemsTelex

Telex is the oldest means of telecommunication (invented in 1932) within the country and even from one country to another. It is a method of transmitting text through a telephone line.

Advantages of Telex

Very simple to operate;

Receive back immediately confirmation code of message sent;

Have world-wide installations in over 200 countries.

Disadvantages of Telex

Have very low speed of sending messages;

Can send only limited type of characters (about 50) as it uses 5 bit codes.

Cannot handle graphics and pictures.


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Copyright © 1999, Ashok Arora, Akshaya BhatiaCont….

Teletex

Teletex is computer related technology and is much better than telex.

Teletex is a type of superior telex, which is based on special non-telex machinery.

Videotext

Videotext is the modern means of computer-based telecommunication. In videotext, the data is superimposed upon TV signals and the message is displayed on television sets.

Fax

Fax transmits images of documents/photographs/graphics through a telephone line.

Advantages of Fax It is the fastest and cheapest means of sending messages locally or around

the world. In computerised fax machines, it is possible to send documents stored on

disk to another fax machines.


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Cont….

Disadvantages of Fax

It cannot transmit a large volume of documents in limited time.

As most fax machines do not offer security features, so it is difficult to

maintain confidentiality while sending confidential documents.

EPABX

EPABX is an effective voice communication facility within an office.

Workstations

Any personal computer (PC) or minicomputer in a single or multi-user

environment with a wide range of features is known as workstation. Workstations

or computers are the essential part of an automated office.


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Electronic Mail

E-mail sends messages or documents by using computers.

Advantages of e-mail

It is the quickest and easiest means of telecommunication among a large number of people within or outside an organisation.

It generally changes the office atmosphere by making it more paper-less.

It increases the productivity of office staff, if used honestly for office works and not over-used for office gossip.

Disadvantages of e-mail

It does not provide security for confidential messages.

It is generally not known to sender, when his/her message will be read by the recipient or even it is read or not.

Internet/ Intranet

Internet is a network of computers all over the world while Intranet is within the closed perimeters of the office.


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Teleconferencing SystemsAudio Teleconferencing

Audio teleconferencing is simply a conference phone calls system. With such type of conferencing, participants can only hear the voice and cannot see the participants.

Video Teleconferencing

Video teleconferencing has completely changed the atmosphere of a modern office. With videoconferencing systems, the participants not only hear the voice but also see each other.

Computer Conferencing

Some types of teleconferencing systems use computers for conducting meetings, which are known as Computer Conferencing Systems. In these systems, the participants use either e-mail or Electronic Bulletin Boards for sending and receiving information.


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Office Support Systems

An automated office also needs certain systems that can help to manage the

activities of work groups. These systems, which are actually software packages,

are known as office support systems.


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Advantages of Office Automation Increased productivity due to better utilisation of human resources.

Improved qualities of work and decisions due to computerised storage/ retrieval of information.

Improved organisational effectiveness due to better communication systems.

Better services to customers due to fast work.

Elimination of manual work of filing and searching of documents.

Better utilisation of time and money.

Elimination of manual storage systems and spaces.

Better management control.

Reduction in travel cost due to telecommunication facilities.

Reduction in costs of conducting in-house meetings due to teleconferencing.


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Disadvantages of Office Automation

Office staff becomes dependent on computers and other technologies, they

do not want to do work manually or mostly even cannot do work manually in

case of failure of automated systems.

Office automation systems are generally expensive than manual systems if

not appropriately installed and implemented and without considering the

financial resources of the organisation.

Automated offices can also create health problems to the employees if they

continuously work on computers for a long time.

Ch- 03

Documents

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