ADMIN SERVICES

Outcome 3

Describe tasks carried out by an admin assistant and roles and activities of functional departments

You have to know about …

• The tasks carried out by a junior admin assistant

Admin assistant tasks …

• Incoming and outgoing mail

• Filing

• Reprographics

• Reception

• Petty cash

MAIL HANDLING• Internal Mail – communication

between people within an organisation

• External Mail – communication sent outwith an organisation or received from outwith the organisation

Incoming Mail (mail arriving)

Check for Private or

Confidential mail – do not open

Open envelopesDate stamp

letter Copy any mail to be seen by

more than one person

Check for enclosure

s. If missing, report to superviso

r

Payments received should be noted in remittance book

Mail should be sorted by

department and distributed

Scanning Mail

Some organisations scan all their incoming mail so they have an electronic record and can deal with the mail electronically. (your passport application

form is scanned when received by the

Passport Office and thereafter dealt with

electronically)

EQUIPMENT USED FOR INCOMING MAIL

Fax

Scanner

Pigeon holes for

distributing mail

Photocopier

Date StampLetter Opener

Outgoing Mail (mail to be sent)

Collect mail from departments

Check letter is signed and enclosures are

there

Fold letter and place letter in

envelope

Weigh and calculate postage. Stamp or frank mail

Sort mail into different classes, eg first, second, parcels

etc

Take to Post Office

EQUIPMENT FOR OUTGOING MAIL

Date Stamp

Scales

Sorting Trays

Fax

Mail Trolleys

Folding and Inserting machine

Franking Machine

FILING – WHY?

• Information must be:

– Kept tidy– Able to be found easily and quickly when

needed – Kept safe– Stored in an accessible place

INFORMATION CAN BE STORED

• In a manual, paper based form (hard copy)

• In electronic format – on the computer (soft copy)

MANUAL STORAGE OF INFORMATION

Vertical filing

cabinets

Horizontal filing

cabinets

Filing trays

Lever Arch files

A PROCEDURE FOR MANUAL FILING

• File regularly throughout the day

• Before filing, check for a release mark:– F for file– Tick– Initials– “File” stamp– Line through

• Staple papers to be kept together

• Sort documents in order

• Place in correct file in chronological order

• Replace removed documents with an absent marker

• Lock cabinets containing confidential documents

• Old documents should archived to free up space

FILING ORDERAlphabetical Order Numerical Order

Folders in order of surname Customers etc allocated a number

Direct – no index needed Alphabetic index required

Easy to understand and use May require some training to understand

Chronological order – date or time order:

Place documents in file most recent at the top – it is the most likely to be needed!

ELECTRONIC STORAGE OF INFORMATION

Memory StickFloppy Disc CD Rom

Zip disc

Hard Disc

DVD

EXAMPLES OF DATABASES (electronic filing)

I can look up your

information on our

database – what is your

account number please? My name is Mr

Bain and I can look up my

student details on Click and Go

– our student database

I have all my patient details

on a database – this allows me to print

prescriptions

I see from out

database that you are allergic to penicillin!

MANUAL VERSUS ELECTRONICElectronic Manual

Saves space – no need for cabinets Little training required

Documents can be accessed by many users People prefer to read paper

Databases can be searched and sorted very quickly

Lost documents cannot be replaced

Documents located quicker than going to filing cabinets

Takes time to locate documents

Records can be added, deleted and edited much more quickly than on paper

Confidential – use of log-in and passwords

Back-ups easily made

Takes time to train staff to use system

Faults can lead to delays in finding info

REPROGRAPHICS

• Reprographics refers to producing copies of documents and making them look good by using different equipment– Photocopier– Laminator– Binder– Scanner– Printers – laser and inkjet

Photocopier• Provides exact copy

quickly• Paper, card, A3, A4, A5,

OHP slides• Back to back• Multi-page collated

documents• Enlarges/reduces• Some in colour• Can be linked to computer• Staple• ID codes for security

Used for Staff handbooks, Price lists, Policy documents, posters

Laminator

• Uses heat to seal documents inside a plastic coating

• Document is protected from wear and tear

• Documents are easily wiped clean

Used for plastic covers for booklets, posters/notices, ID passes, menus

Binder

• Holds pages of a booklet together

• Looks professional• Comb binder punches holes

then plastic comb fits into the holes to hold pages together

• Thermal binder uses heat to fasten an adhesive spine to hold the pages together

Comb binder

Thermal binder Used for Staff handbook, Reports,

Instruction booklets, Organisational policies

Scanner

• A document/graphic is placed into the scanner which then transfers an exact copy to a linked computer

• Image can be inserted into documents or edited

• Allows incoming documents to be saved on computer eg application forms

• Allows incoming mail to be put on intranet

Used for Catalogues, Handbooks, Intranet, Incoming mail

Inkjet Printer

• Text and graphics can be printed

• Prints on different sizes of paper, labels, card etc

• Prints colour• Inexpensive to buy

Used for small runs, posters

Laser Printer

• Text and graphics can be printed

• Different sizes paper, card, labels

• Prints colour• Very fast• High quality printouts• Expensive to buy

Used for long runs (many copies) personalised letters (eg mail merge, high quality documents

RECEPTION

The reception area will give a customer or visitor their first impression of the organisation.

A good first impression can increase the success of the organisation.

Duties and Qualities of a Receptionist

Duties• Greeting visitors• Making appointments• Directing visitors• Keeping reception

area tidy and presentable

• Keeping reception records up to date

Qualities• Friendly and helpful• Calm and patient• Well presented – neat

and tidy appearance• Knowledge about the

organisation

Dealing with Visitors

No appointmentIf they have appointment

4. Try to contact person visitor wants4. Check in appointment book

7. Visitor to sign Visitor Book9. Direct or accompany visitor

- Suggest visitor makes appointment

8. Ask visitor to take a seat; offer refreshments

- Ask if someone else will do or7. Phone person to inform them

6. If not available6. Ask visitor to complete Visitor Book

5. If available, follow 4-9 over5. Issue visitors’ badge

1. Greet the visitor

2. Ask their name and who they wish to see

3. Ask if they have an appointment

Good morning, can I help you?

Appointment Book

Time Name Company Appointment with

9.00 J Livingston Fabby Food P Smith

Electronic Diary – Alternative Visitors Book

• Allows appointments to be entered and saved to computer already on desk

• Alterations can be made more quickly and neatly than on paper

• Allows a to-do list to be kept

• Stores names, addresses etc

• Regular appointments only entered once

• Reminders can be set

Visitor’s Book

Date Name Name of

Org

To

see

Time In

Time Left

Vehicle

Reg

2/3 Miss Smith

AB Ltd Mr Jones 3.40 pm

Organisation Chart

Managing Director

Sales Director Finance Director Personnel Director

Sales Manager

Purchases Director

Marketing Manager Accountant Recruitment Manager Purchases Manager

This chart may appear on the wall of the Reception area. It shows who is in charge of who and gives a visitor an idea of who they need to speak to. Can also be useful for new members of staff.

Other Information On An Organisation Chart

• Employee Names• Job Titles• Room Numbers• Groupings • Photographs• Tel Numbers

PETTY CASH

• Petty cash is a small amount of money to cover the cost of stationery, stamps and any other small expenses.

Procedure for using Petty Cash

Cash is requested using a Petty Cash Voucher

Receipts must be obtained for expenditure

A Petty Cash Statement is prepared regularly, eg weekly, to account for all cash used and all expenditure must be

accounted for

Petty Cash Statement

All petty cash spend should be recorded on the Petty Cash Statement so that

the cash box can be checked

To sum up, you should know …

• The tasks carried out by the junior admin assistant– Incoming and outgoing mail– Filing– Reprographics– Reception– Petty cash