The preju-dice due to the supposed American origin of thesystem, stupid if the assumption were correct, doublystupid in view of its known European origin, hasceased to have its old influence, and as the necessity forgreater efficiency and a more accurate knowledge ofbusiness facts has become apparent, the popularity ofthe Card Index has increased, and it is not un-reasonable to anticipate that its ever-widening influencewill in the course of the next decade cause all othersystems to pass into oblivion.

Filing of Replies.

The "Out Card. MAs a safeguard where folders are taken from the filingroom, the " out card " supplied by the Library Bureau,Ltd., meets all requirements and entirely obviates thenecessity for costly charging cabinets which are some-times recommended.

The capacity of asingle vertical drawer is approximately 2,000 letters

AmbergFile & Index Co.)

would mean a considerable amount of work in sortingand re-arranging, ah drawers should be fitted with anautomatic locking appliance so that the drawer whenopened hurriedly cannot come right out of the cabinetuntil the lock is released. A similar appliance shouldalso be used with all vertical file drawers

The Question of the Rod.

Cards are made in three weights, and in calculatingthe sized card cabinet required, it is convenient torecollect that the capacity of the standard depth draweris 1,000 light cards, 750 medium weight, and 500 heavycards.

Cards are made in three standard sizes, the approximatemeasurements being 3 in. x 5, 4 in. x 6, and 5 in. x 8.The smallest size is sufficient for the file index, and thelargest is almost invariably used for the Ledger Cards.Whether for other purposes the middle or largest sizeis most suitable, must depend entirely on the specialruling, and the amount of information it is to contain.

In a mistaken effort after economy some peoplerefrain from taking this advice, and have cards printedand cut at the local printing office. Whatever initialsaving is effected is dearly bought, for such cards areseldom cut with the mathematical accuracy necessaryfor satisfactory work.

To purchase desks having innumerablepigeon-holes and drawers on the assumption that theywill be useful for something is both uneconomical andunwise. In the modern office every receptacle formaterial that has no definite purpose is a snare, itinvites disorder, and encourages slovenly methods.

As regards appliances the makers cater for the manwhose ledger accounts can be housed in a single drawer,as well as for the business whose accounts are numberedby the hundreds of thousands. Generally, ledger cardsare made 8 inches wide by 5 inches high, but to meetthe demand for a card giving more room for entries,cards are often printed eight inches high and five incheswide. These necessitate a different shaped drawer,and when used in large quantities a considerable economyin space is effected by building them into a book-keeper'sdesk, provided with a sliding top.

enough has been said to show both itselasticity and adaptability.

Elasticity of the Card Index.

The argument most frequently put forward is that thebound book affords greater security against falsification.

C.F. and I.

not alive to the import-ance

A compre-hensive register of this description will naturally involvesome labour, but in most cases it will be built up bydegrees, and the time occupied will merely be the timeof a subordinate, whilst the time such a register willeventually save, will be that of a principal or executiveofficer.

colours can be used to differentiatebetwreen various classes of possible customers.

The districts visited by different travellerscan be kept distinct, and to prevent the possibility ofmisfiling a colour, distinction can be introduced.

ageographical arrangement of the cards will be necessary.

Each day, the cards under the day's date aretaken out, attended to and put back under the datewhen they will next require attention, with the resultthat no matter of importance is overlooked, and yet

If newspaper advertising has been employed, ananalysis of these returns will show the exact advertisingcost per order, and the relative value of different adver-tising media.

A better method is toarrange the cards alphabetically and rely on the assist-ance of signals to indicate the days on which they are toreceive attention.

A decreased turnoverwith a particular customer must have some cause.

In no other form and under noother system could the same information be registered,with as small an expenditure of time and trouble, andwith the same certainty of its attracting attention.

or a reminder tray.

Nosystem can be made fool-proof, but the object shouldbe to make it as near fool-proof as possible on theside where error can work most harm.

as it grows older a press cutting has a tendencyto increase in interest and value. With correspondencethe exact opposite is the case. To file the two together istherefore illogical.

To indicate subjects requiringindex cards, when answering a letter, it is only necessaryto circle the essential words with a blue pencil,

Such letters should therefore be not merelyindexed under the name of the writer, but a second andpossibly a third and fourth card should be made outunder subject or place.

A certain type of clerk, if given a free hand, will indexfor the sake of indexing, apparently under the impressionthat the value of his work is to be judged by the numberof cards used. Such misplaced energy should of coursebe repressed at once, as the multiplication of uselesscards is a hindrance rather than a help.

Numerical Arrangement.

press copy

A file based on thecard index system is, on the other hand, a satisfactoryand economical system of dealing with every sort ofmaterial, and is moreover a thing alive, ready at alltimes to place at the disposal of those who consult itall that information which in the past was regardedas the special attribute of the man of long experience.

The card systemis a " one-place " system.

The card index, on the other hand,allows for unlimited expansion.

the cardindex suggests finality

It would be un-grateful not to acknowledge with appreciation theobligation owed to the publishers of that most excellentbusiness magazine, " System/' from the pages of whichanyone interested in modern business methods mustinevitably derive some inspiration.

Roughly speaking, the world is divided into two classes :those who use the Card Index System and those whodo not.