COOPERATIVE ORGANIZATION BUSINESS METHODS. 9 
FILING SYSTEMS. 
Vertical filing cabinets, either wood or metal, have become stand- 
ard equipment. These files are equipped with heavy press-board 
guides for indexing purposes and with folders in which the corre- 
spondence is placed. There are several systems of indexing in use ; 
but two, however, the alphabetical and the numerical, need to be 
considered here. 
THE ALPHABETICAL INDEX. 
The alphabetical system is the most simple and perhaps the most 
practical method for the average-size organization. The guides are 
made up in sets of 25, 40, 60, 80, 100, or more. The simplest divi- 
sion — that of 25 — contemplates a card for each letter of the alphabet 
with the exception of the letter M, which has an additional card 
for Mc, and the letters X, Y, and Z are placed on one card. The 
other sets further subdivide the alphabet. Under each guide separate 
folders are provided for all regular customers or frequent corre- 
spondents, and the name of each is indicated on the tab. A folder is 
also provided under each guide for the miscellaneous correspondence 
to be filed under that subdivision. This folder is often of a different 
color so as to be more easily distinguished. The alphabetical method 
of filing is probably better than the numerical because it is simpler 
and no index of any kind is required beyond the divisional guides 
with which the file cabinet drawers are equipped. 
THE NUMERICAL INDEX. 
In numerical indexing a number is assigned to each person with 
whom considerable correspondence is carried on. The guides are 
usually numbered by tens and twenties, and between these the folders 
are placed in numerical sequence. To locate any particular folder an 
alphabetical cross index is necessary. This index consists of cards 
bearing the name and the folder number of each correspondent filed 
behind the proper alphabetical index so that it can be located easily. 
The alphabetical system provides a miscellaneous folder for all cor- 
respondents with whom only one or two letters are exchanged. The 
advantages to be derived from opening a separate folder for each of 
these correspondents would hardly warrant the expense. A folder is, 
therefore, sometimes used for miscellaneous correspondence, and all 
such miscellaneous correspondence is filed in this folder under one 
number. This is, however, hardly a satisfactory method, and it is 
often found necessary or advisable to use the numerical system for 
the heavy correspondence and an alphabetical index for the miscel- 
laneous items. The numerical index admits of unlimited expansion 
73148° — Bull. 178—15- 2 
