MODULE WEEK NO.

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Gingoog City Colleges, Inc.
Brgy. 24-A Paz Village, Gingoog City 9014
(088) 861 1432 Ext. 7385

Office Administration Department

Introduction

Office machines and equipment (often referred to as time and labor saving devices) have become an
integral part of a modern office. There are a large number of machines and appliances which may be used
for different operations in the office. There are various machines and appliances which increases speed
and accuracy of the operations, and reduce work tensions.

Rationale
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Office machines also effect saving in the cost of office operations by increasing the output of the work; they
make it possible for the management to keep the employees contented by relieving them of much of the
pressure and monotony of work.

Intended Learning Outcomes

1. Student will be able to properly differentiate the different types of office machines and equipment,
their use and importance.
2. Student will be able to properly select appropriate office machines and equipment based on the
nature of an organization.
Activity

Compare and contrast your learning experiences before and after the implementation of online classes
in terms of the following:

1. Delivery of discussion by the Instructors

Document and submit to your Instructor.

Discussion

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Module 4- Office Machines and Equipment

4.1 Objects of Mechanization

Mechanization in the office refers to the process by which machines and equipment are introduced with a
view to speeding up the administrative process. The decision to shift from manual to machine operations is
governed by a comparison of the cost incurred with the cost saved. All the expenses and costs should be
weighed against the savings made by their use. The introduction of mechanism leads to saving in time and
reduced clerical costs, in the accuracy and speed of operations and in safeguard against fraud. Especially the
following objects are important in assessing the desirability of mechanizing the office tasks:

1. Labor saving. Saving labor is the main reason for installation of many machines. However, it is not
necessarily the most important one. Saving on labor refers to annual savings on their wages, or an
increase in the volume of the work handled by the existing office. But it will be effective if the
number of employees is reduced after the usage of the machinery.
2. Time saving. Saving the time is another objective of mechanization. Machines should be used
whenever it is important to save time, e.g.; when operations need to complete in specific period of
time (such as the preparation of the wage sheets or of dividend warrants).
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3. Accuracy. Although accuracy is always desirable, the consequences of error in terms of cost varies
considerably in different situations. Office machines may be of special value in promoting accuracy,
particularly in the operations of accounting and sales department.
4. Minimization of fraud. Certain machines, if installed, do not save time or labor, but they help in
reducing the chances of fraud, embezzlements, etc. by the employees.
5. Effect on personnel. Many machine operations relieve manual drudgery, and reduce the monotony
of work and fatigue. To the extent machine improve the morale of the employees.

4.2 Criteria for Selection of Office Machines and Equipment

When purchase of a machine is justified, the problem becomes one of the choice or in some cases one of the
special design. A wide range of types of machines are available, and the technology is continuously
developing new and different types, each is likely to provide optional or special feature that should be
considered by the buyer.

A large number of manufacturers of office machines have made the task of office managers more difficult,
for making the choice of choosing the right machine, and it is not an easy task. There are some factors that
we need to consider for selecting the required office machines.

Factors in Selecting Office Machines

1. Ease of operation: Faster operation, less fatigue, and fewer errors go with ease of operations. Here
are some contributory factors; indexing the amounts, operating the control keys etc.
2. Flexibility: Unless there is enough work to keep a highly specialized machine busy, it is better to
select one which can be used for different types of work. In absence of the flexibility the purchase of
the machine is not at all justified.
3. Durability: A machine is used by different people under varying conditions. Unless, therefore, it is
strong and durable, it would be a poor investment.
4. Portability: A machine is frequently moved from user to user or from one place to another place in
the same work area. Compactness and ease of handling saves time and energy and increase the use of
the machine. Modern machine have been reduced in size and weight without the sacrifice of the
quality.
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5. Adaptability: If a machine can be used without disrupting an existing system, it would be better to
do so than go in for one which necessitates a considerable rearrangement of the forms and records
involved, of extensive recopying of information, and of adjustments in procedures.
6. Service: Reliable and continuous performance demands quick repairs and proper maintenance. The
machine which can be serviced promptly has advantage over one which cannot be so serviced.
7. Operating cost: This includes such things as supplies, the space occupied, the special equipment and
forms required, repairs, etc.
8. Reputation of the Supplier: Few people have the expertise to judge the mechanical qualities of a
machine; one has therefore, to depend upon the integrity of the manufacturer and dealer to furnish a
good machine and to backup claims and guarantees.
9. Styling: Modern office require machine which are pleasing in design and color. Other design
functions, such as are satisfactory from the point of view of touch and sound, should also be
considered. These includes a convenient keyboards, simple motor bars, proper control keys, uniform
action of all keys and levers; quiet operation, and neat, legible printing.
10. Cost: Cost, not necessarily the purchase price, is a major factor in buying a machine. Frequently, a
machine whose purchase price is higher than that of another is a better buy in the long run. If two
machines are comparable in terms of savings in labor and time, maintenance costs, supplies and
durability, the net purchase price should then be the deciding factor. The net prices include the
trading allowances for present equipment and the expected residual values after depreciation.
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4.3 The Paperless Office

The 21st century Offices will be an electronic wonderland where expensive paper based routine work will be
replaced by result-oriented and advanced information technology. Office automation, with its micro-circuitry
and visual display screens, is surely to take over the old and worn out methodology, in Office management.
In all probability, within the next three to five years, Office information system would be installed and
developed to such an extent that it would replace the desk, the typewriter, the filing cabinet and the plethora
of paperwork. With the evolution of a new work style, based on speed, accuracy and efficiency the Offices
which fail to wake up to the implications of modern information technology will find themselves lagging
behind. They would become vulnerable to the technological onslaught of their better equipped competitors. A
US study16 on office automation has indicated that 100% of the banking industry has already installed Office
automation systems of some kind. An average of 85 word processors per 1,000 employees was reported.
Together with these, the banks are likely to add private videotex, electronic mail, online management
information systems with graphics and voice information systems. Future developments also imply adoption
of multifunctional workstations with a wide variety of capabilities. The technological advances have also
invaded Offices in Europe, UK and Japan, etc. However, in India, the position has started to emerge and in
certain sectors rapid computerization is taking place particularly in BPOs, Stock Market Operations, Banking,
Retailing, Higher Education, etc. The concept of paperless Office encompasses the following:

1. The omnipresent desk will now be replaced by the multifunctional workstation with a personal
computer linked to other personal computers via a high speed Local Area Network (LAN) system.
The workstation can be further linked to the main station so that the staff positioned at the
workstations can contact and manipulate information from the Office records.
2. Computers, equipped to process words as well as figures, will totally replace typewriters. The present
day, word processor will slowly give way to personal computers.
3. The electronic-magnetic or optical-filing is the one to succeed the paper filled filing cabinets in our
offices. Microfilming will also reduce paper records and facilitate retrieval of records.
4. For outward communication, fascimile (FAX) system will replace dispatch section.
5. For inward communication, shorthand notebooks and typewriters will give way to dictating machines
and printer computers, etc.
6. Desktop Publishing System will look after the entire printing work of office. It will write and format
documents, create and incorporate graphics, prepare camera ready copy for printing, keep data bases
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of mailing and subscription lists, create official advertising files and brochures and keep all financial
records — no matter how large or small it is.
7. Various machines like accounting machines, billing machines, payroll machines, addressing and
mailing machines, punched card machines, etc., shall be replaced by computer network (LAN)
system.
8. The automatic answering devices and automatic electronic branch exchanges will reduce the
workload of the reception counter of the office.
9. The new emphasis will be on LAN system — a low cost method of connecting microcomputers,
printers and data storage devices on a single site. Imaginative use of the information technology helps
to create new opportunities. It cuts down operating costs, provides faster and more accessible
information and reduces time spent on clerical functions and unproductive tasks.

4.4 The Automated Office

Till now, it was customary to transfer and store information on paper. With new electronic procedures and
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systems becoming more and more popular in use in modern Automated Office, the so called “Paperless
Office” is becoming a near reality. A ‘Paperless Office’ is one in which paper has been replaced by
electronic, digital, micrographic and micro-processing systems and equipment. It is aptly said that

“The Office is now in a period of transition” where more and more information processing
functions are being automated through sophisticated electronic systems, the Paperless Office is attainable
today.”

“It may be noted that though paperwork can be reduced by up to 95 per cent in the traditional
Office, many people believe that a completely Paperless Office will not be attained in near future.”

According to William Benedon in the ‘Paperless Society; fact or fiction,’ there are six major
barriers to a totally paperless office, namely:

1. Traditional Values
2. Legal Requirements
3. Accounting and Audit Values
4. Legislative Values
5. Societal Values and
6. Procedural Values

In contrast, the System Analysts, Records Managers, and other management professionals often complain of
the high cost of creating, storing, retrieving, reproducing and disseminating paper documents.

Modern offices are increasingly converting all incoming and original data to either electronic form or
microfilm, which can then be edited, indexed, stored, retrieved or converted to paper. In some companies’
‘Paperless Office’ integrates voice inputs, word processing, optical character recognition, electronic mail,
calendars, message sending, filing directions and text editing, computer indexing and processing, COM,
Micrographics, automated storage and retrieval, telecommunications and color graphics systems into a fully
automated office facility.21 The Integrated Office has evolved into “Communicating Integrated Office”.
Office Systems Communicate with each other by the use of satellites. Several Modern Offices provide
satellite communication, video teleconferences, and electronic mail and computer-to-computer hookups for
intra-company use.

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Exercise

Review Questions:
1. Briefly explain the objective of employing machineries and equipment in the modern office. What
are their effects on its operations?
2. The decision to shift from manual to machine operations is governed by a comparison of the cost
incurred with the cost saved. Discuss, in at least 100 words, one concrete example of how costs and
benefits are used and considered in purchasing office machines.

Assessment

You were given the chance to propose a new technological innovation to office machines by Brad Smith, the
current president of Microsoft. Do the following tasks:

1. Design a new office machine or equipment. Your “new” office machine may either be a fresh idea or
an improvement to an already existing machine.
2. Describe how the modern office is expected to use the machine you designed. What are its
advantages and improvements to the operations of a modern office? How about its disadvantages?
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Reflection

Work that needs to be executed for each type of task requires the necessary equipment within the allotted
space. The office layout has to be designed in such a way that it is comfortable as well as functional.

Resources and Additional Resources

 Units 1-6, Office Assistantship, http://bieap.gov.in/Pdf/OAPaperIIIYR2.pdf

Additional Resources:

 http://www.himpub.com/documents/Chapter871.pdf
 http://www.ijmerr.com/uploadfile/2015/0421/20150421094316171.pdf

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Crafted by Mr. Christian Amahan, CPA