Features Of Office Automation

Introduction

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What is office automation?

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Features of office automation

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Facsimile Voicemail Voice messaging Telemarketing Teleconferencing Telecommuting Electronic funds transfer E-commerce Electronic mail Impact of office automation Advantages Disadvantages The internet Advantages Disadvantages The use of computer networks in various fields The hotel industry Education Banking Home Supermarkets

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This vast body of information was compiled to form this booklet. It includes what office automation is and its purposes either in a school, a business or in any organization. This booklet also includes the features of office automation and how computer networks are used in various fields such as in the hotel industry, education, banking and other businesses. While going through this booklet I hope that you the reader will understand and comprehend most of what is needed to know about office automation.

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WHAT IS OFFICE AUTOMATION?

Office Automation has both a narrow and a broad meaning. Narrowly, OFFICE AUTOMATION is the use of computer systems to execute a variety of operations such as word processing, accounting, electronic mail etc. Office automation almost always implies a network of computers with a variety of available programs. Broadly, OFFICE AUTOMATION is a general term that includes a wide range of applications of computer, communication and information technologies in the office environment. Though automation is constantly changing, the size of the market is huge, with annual investments measured in billions of dollars. Automation has altered not only our work environment but also our very own concept of work. The use of modern office equipment in Businesses is intended to facilitate faster processing and delivery of information, accurate analysis of facts and figures, higher efficiency and productivity, and elimination of fatigue arising from performing repetitive jobs manually. The most dramatic shift for business in communications technology has been the internet. Increasing use of the internet in the form of e-mails and websites is transforming the work environment. The internet has broken down traditional geographic barriers to communication, information, opened up markets, and created an environment of almost instantaneous feedback.

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FEATURES OF OFFICE AUTOMATION Office automation products are used in the office to make all official work happen at a faster speed without any mess. Office automation products include computer, calculator, printer, copier machine, fax machine (facsimile), laminating machine, note binding machine, typewriter, voice messaging, telemarketing, teleconferencing, ecommerce, electronic funds transfer ,electronic mail, telecommuting, to name a few. Computers help in storing data in various files and folders which otherwise had chances of getting misplaced. ATM and MISCS help in withdrawing and transferring money anywhere and everywhere. They are required to keep your money secured. Office automation products effectively help in decreasing manual work and also save time through their automatic functional features. These office automation products perform every task in the office and are very convenient to use.

Facsimile This is a device that codes and encodes documents so they can be transmitted over telephone lines. The term fax refers to documents that you send via a fax machine. Fax machines scan printed text and graphics and convert the image into a digital code, 1 represent the dark areas and 1represents the white areas. The code is transmitted through the telephone network to similar devices, where the documents are reproduced close to their original form. The fax machine that is receiving the incoming data, converts the digitized data back into an image, and prints or stores a copy of the original image. The concepts for fax technology were developed in the 19th century but it became widespread in the 1970s when inexpensive means of adapting digitized information to telephone circuits became common. 4

Picture showing a fax machine

Voicemail This is much like an answering machine which allows someone to leave a voice message for one or more people. Unlike answering machines, a computer in a voice mail system converts analog voice message into digital form. Once the message is in digital form, it is then stored in a voice mailbox.

Voice messaging Voice message refers to a message that could be sent to a destination using voice media. Voice itself could be 'packaged' and sent through the IP backbone so that it reaches its marked 'address'. In a sense, the process of sending 'voice packets' is a semi passive way of communication. However, given the speed at which it could be delivered can make the communication sound seamless.

Telemarketing Telemarketing is a method of direct marketing in which a salesperson solicits to prospective customers to buy products or services, either over the phone or through a subsequent face to face or Web conferencing appointment scheduled during the call.

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Telemarketing can also include recorded sales pitches programmed to be played over the phone via automatic dialing. Telemarketing has come under fire in recent years, being viewed as an annoyance by many.

Picture showing persons conducting telemarketing business.

Teleconferencing A teleconference is a telephone or video meeting between participants in two or more locations. Teleconferences are similar to telephone calls, but they can expand discussion to more than two people. Using teleconferencing in a planning process, members of a group can all participate in a conference with agency staff people.

Picture showing persons having a teleconference meeting.

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Telecommuting This is a work arrangement in which employees work away from a company’s standard workplace and often communicate with the office through the computer. Employees who telecommute have flexible work and personal responsibilities. A successful telecommuting program requires a management style which is based on results and not on close scrutiny of individual employees. Types of technologies that are being used in the telecommunication process include: 1. Computer 2. Cellular phone 3. Mobile devices 4. Printer

Picture showing person conducting telecommuting business through various devices.

Electronic funds Transfer Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) refers to the computer based systems used to perform financial transactions electronically. It allows users to connect to a network to 7

transfer money from one bank account t another via a transmission media. One of the most widely-used EFT programs is Direct Deposit, in which payroll is deposited straight into an employee's bank account Although EFT refers to any transfer of funds initiated through an electronic terminal, including credit card, ATM, and point-of-sale (POS) transactions. It is used for both credit transfers, such as payroll payments, and for debit transfers, such as mortgage payments.

E-commerce E-commerce (electronic commerce) is the buying and selling of goods and services on the Internet, especially the World Wide Web. E- business can be used interchangeably with e- commerce. For online retail selling, the term e-tailing is sometimes used. E- Commerce can be represented in three forms either consumers to consumer (C2C), Business to consumer (B2C) or business to business (B2B). E-bay is an example of C2C. Popular uses of e-commerce by consumers include shopping, investing, and banking. Products that can be purchased on the web include computers, prescription drugs, flowers, airline tickets, cars, books, music etc. When using e-commerce, customers can pay using different methods example: credit card, debit card, pay pal etc.

Picture showing one of the major companies that conduct consumes to consumer e-commerce.

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Electronic mail, often abbreviated as email or e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages, designed primarily for human use. E-mail was designed so that scientists and researchers working on Government- sponsored projects to communicate with colleagues at other locations. You can use e-mail programs to create, sends, receive, forward, store, print and delete messages.

Picture showing how to send an e-mail.

IMPACT

OF OFFICE AUTOMATION

The computer is changing the office environment much like the automobile has changed the city. Effectively integrated office automation systems may result in the restructuring of entire organizations, with the emergence of new structural configurations and the elimination of departments or entire divisions. The new information technologies have led to a large reduction in the size of the average organization's middle ranks. Moreover, the workers who remain are no longer tied to a centrally located office: telecommuting has become a new trend in the business world. On the positive side, this trend enables individuals to work from the comfort of home; on the negative side, this lack of a common office environment may contribute to the erosion of the city core. The new technologies may also have the potential to strengthen the power of trans-national corporations in Jamaica, Canada and other countries, contributing to the erosion of country’s autonomy and displacing many people whose jobs will be automated. In most 9

organizations office automation has been viewed as a means to computerize old procedures and to make employees more productive, rather than to make the organization more effective.

Advantages of Office Automation Office automation can get many tasks accomplished faster, eliminating the need for a larger staff. Less storage space is required for data, and copies can be easily transferred off-site for safekeeping in case of fire or other emergency. Multiple people can be updated simultaneously in the event of schedule changes.

Disadvantages of Office Automation Older staff members may have a harder time adjusting to the new technology and be unable to use it efficiently. Also, if something is misfiled, it can be a lot harder to find. Other disadvantages include the amount of money required to implement and the cost of maintenance of certain equipments.

The Internet The internet, otherwise called the net is a worldwide collection of networks that links millions of businesses, government agencies, educational institutions and individuals. ADVANTAGES OF THE INTERNET TO INDIVIDUALS

Nowadays internet has become so common that people who are unaware about internet are referred as clumsy. This is due to the speedy development of technology and globalization. Societies are becoming more and more unified. You can easily contact to the person sitting in a different country. You can share your knowledge, thoughts by making the use of an internet. Study results have also traced the popularity of internet 10

usage. E-mail is the topmost task which is conducted online, followed by general surfing, News reading, shopping etc. Internet shopping has also become popular amongst users especially in developed nations; this is because 'shop on internet' is more efficient than physically going into the stores. The internet endow with the surroundings where shopper's demands are fulfilled. Shopping on the internet also saves time and we can select a better product without having to travel a long distance. Using the internet, shopper can scrutinize the product's prices from various stores by sitting on one place. Also they can now shop online for the goods which normally get sold in a foreign nation. Rather than having to travel to the country to take the delivery of the goods, they can place the order online and get it efficiently delivered. Internet also gives us the prospective to communicate effectively and efficiently. For example, sending an email costs lower than posting a letter in the mail, especially for people who have to communicate internationally. Besides this, an email can be sent within a minute after it is written. For sending a mail we don't need to complete the official procedure such as Post Office and a mail box etc. The recipient of the email can view it at any time and from any place, as it is a virtual means of communication, as opposed to having a mail box where the letters get delivered. Internet use is not only limited to shopping and communication with people, but it also provides the environment for news distribution and endorse the people to be updated with the latest news. We can access the data easily wherever it may be across the world. Internet is also a very good form of communication for people who want to express their own view points and feelings. For youngsters, internet is not only a place of knowledge but it also has an entertainment aspect such as online games, downloading movies, music etc. But this is not the only reason the internet appeals to the younger generation. They also agreed that the internet provides ease to research and university students. This is because a large number of articles on the same topic can be found on the internet by just one search. To put it briefly, the popularity of the internet have contributed in the most part of development of the society. You can say that people are nowadays becoming more reliant 11

on the internet for their day to day work. Or we can also say that they are making the use of this facility for their routine life to save time and cost. Ultimately, it's a tool that is effective if used properly and effectively.

Disadvantages of the internet to individuals The disadvantages of using Internet include not being able to find what you are looking for. You may also find so much good information that it may be difficult to decide which source to choose. This can be more of a problem for people who are new to the Internet. Due to this, many searches turn out to be non-productive. Isolation- Using the Internet for long periods of time can isolate people from family and friends. Though many develop online relationships these "cyber" buddies cannot replace "real life" socializing. Addiction- It is possible for Internet users to become habitually addicted. Though different from chemical addiction it is a real problem as some lose employment and suffer other adverse effects from overuse. Inaccurate Information-Though there are many legitimate websites full of factual information there are a plethora of sites with inaccurate information and it is often hard to tell the difference. Hacking of Personal Information- Providing personal information online when shopping or banking can result in hackers gaining access to private data that can be used to steal your funds and even your identity. Viruses- Going online often means subjecting your computer to viruses that can crash your system causing you to lose important files and sometimes destroying your operating system.

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Inappropriate Websites- Children can often stumble upon or seek out inappropriate websites when using the Internet at home, which can be dangerous if the child shares personal information.

THE USE OF COMPUTER NETWORKS IN VARIOUS FIELDS

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Computers are electronic devices operating under the control of instructions stored in its own memory. Many businesses, institution and even the home depend on computers to do daily calculations and storing of information. Major innovations such as the personal computers, mobile phones, and of course the internet have influenced various fields to make changes in the way they operate. The greatest change of all is in the way they market their products and businesses. The computer has changed the society today. People interact directly wit computers I field such as education, banking, the hotel industry, the supermarket, and even in the home.

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APPLICATION OF COMPUTER NETWORKS IN THE HOTEL INDUSTRY

Personal computers enable the persons in the hotel industry to: •

Create and build data bases to maintain valuable information for customer service management.

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Sales lead follow-up and front office/accounting/sales management.

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Simplify the budgeting process.

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Reduce their dependence upon paper file records.

The Internet gave the hotel industry the ability to communicate, computer to computer around the world, in real-time. It has become the greatest communication tool ever devised which revolutionized world travel and hotel marketing. In the olden days the Internet, hotel franchises dominated the marketplace; they had sophisticated voice and electronic reservations systems and the financial where-with-all to market their member properties using all forms of broadcast and print advertising. Independent hotels couldn’t compete with this power. Nowadays, hotels of all size have the ability to attract travelers from all regions of the world market, effectively and affordably. Perhaps the most amazing fact is that there are still many hoteliers who have not embraced the Internet as a viable and affordable marketing tool. The Internet is changing the way consumers select hotels. The Internet has become the most important hotel search and find tool in the hotel selection process. Gone are the days of the dominance of offline hotel directories and the need to call hotel 800 reservation numbers to gather information. Persons find it easier to make reservations over the internet.

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Picure

showing persons checking in a hotel through making online reservations.

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APPLICATION OF COMPUTER NETWORKS IN BANKING Many people and companies use computers to help mange their finances. Some use finance software to balance checkbooks, pay bills, track personal income and expenses, manage investments, and evaluate financial plans. There are two types of online services: online banking and online investing. Online banking allows users to access account balance, pay bills, and copy monthly transactions from the bank’s computer. Online investing allows investors to buy and sell stocks and bonds without using a broker. With online investing, the transaction fee for each trade is usually less than when trading through a broker.

Picture

showing online banking

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APPLICATION OF COMPUTER NETWORKS IN EDUCATION Interaction through networks helps break down communication barriers and connects students and teachers with the outside world. Access to a computer, a modem, and phone lines frees students and teachers from the physical limits and time constraints of the school environment. Networking allows them to send electronic mail, participate in computer conferencing, and access information from remote sources. In the traditional model people learn from other people such as parents, teachers, and employers. Many forms of printed material such as books and manuals are used as learning tools. Today, educators also are turning to computers to assist with education. Many schools and companies are turning to equipped labs with computers. Some schools require or urge students to have a notebook computer or PDA to access the school’s network or internet wirelessly. Sometimes, the delivery of education occurs at one place while the learning at other locations.

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Picture showing the use of computers in education

APPLICATION OF COMPUTER NETWORKS IN THE HOME Computers in the home are no longer a convenience but a basic necessity. Each member in a family spends time on the computer whether it’s budgeting, web access, entertainment and even personal financial management. On the internet home users can access a huge variety of information, take school courses, plan traveling, play games, read books, watch movies, make reservations, book airline tickets, and even make telephone calls though internet telephony otherwise called VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol). Home users can even communicate over the internet and be apart of social networks. They will communicate through instant messaging, e-mails, blogs, chat rooms, PDAs and smart phones.

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APPLICATION OF COMPUTER NETWORKS IN SUPERMARKETS

Many people prefer to buy their groceries on the internet and they usually say: -

It’s easier to buy than in non-internet malls

- There are a lot of products that you can’t find in usual malls -

You save time on going to malls

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You save money because there are a lot of discounts

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It’s more comfortably to buy your groceries from home after a hard day

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You don’t have to stay hours in lines

On the internet you’ll find the products that you usually buy in your near-house supermarket and a big amount of other products and be sure that here you’ll buy your groceries on a better price. Computer systems are used in a variety of ways in the modern, large supermarket, from stock control to maintaining temperatures in fridges and freezers. The supermarket uses several computers which are located in a room known as the system office and form the supermarkets own Local Area Network. These computers are used to control stocks and are connected to the checkouts; these are known to be branch computers. The computers are multi-functional, and each can access the data, which give the management a number of access point. Located at each checkout in an ELECTRONIC POINT OF SALE (EPOS) till; this EPOS is comprised of a keyboard, a digital display, a scanner which reads bar codes, a set of scales, a printer, a credit/debit card reader and a till drawer. JUST IN TIME Vs STANDARD METHOD OF STOCK CONTROL 20

In the standard method, a shop selling cookers etc, keeps it stock in a shop and in an attached warehouse. When stock in the shop runs low it is replenished from the warehouse. A check is kept on how much stock is in the warehouse. When the warehouse needs new stock, an order is placed with the appropriate suppliers – or with the organization’s main warehouse – and the goods are delivered. The just-in-time system takes advantage of a stock information system. As products pass through the electronic points of sales (EPOS), the relevant data is sent to a database containing information about stock levels. When stock falls below a set level more is ordered. Thus only a bare minimum of necessary stock is ordered and there is no need to maintain a large, fully stocked warehouse. In some cases the system is fully automated, working out how what stock is needed and electronically processing and communicating the order.

Advantages •

Money is saved because less warehouse space needs to be purchased and maintained.

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Economies can be made in regard to labour costs, i.e. fewer staff is needed.

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The business is more aware of and more responsive to changes in supply and demand

Disadvantages •

If there is disruption to the transport system, shops and businesses will quickly run out of stock.

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Shops can still be caught out by sudden changes in buying patterns. In such cases they often find themselves without the stock the customers are asking for.

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An ICT system can be costly to set up and maintain, and expertise - which may also be costly – will be needed to run it.

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Picture showing the use of computers in supermarkets

Conclusion When office automation is incorporated into an office environment, many improvements become possible, but they are mostly improvements in the speed with which work is done rather than in the kind of work that is done. Office automation in the 1980s began a new trend - the integration of previously separate capabilities into single powerful work stations. Even the most basic home office today contains, through the use of a single computer, the following capabilities: word-processing and home publishing abilities; access to information previously stored on files at other locations, together with the ability to communicate with other stations on the Net or on other nets; electronic mails including any combination of text, graphics and voice, connecting users to others on the same net to people on different nets in other places; activity-management systems, including time management, project planning and scheduling, and electronic calendar capabilities. Information management systems range from straightforward storage and retrieval systems, where the user does much of the work of storing and retrieving, to sophisticated natural-language expert systems. These provide assistance for people who deal with large volumes of diverse types of rapidly changing information. Decisionsupport systems incorporate sophisticated programs on large databases that allow the user 22

to perform complex analyses in a way that improves the speed and quality of decisions that are made. Today, we continue to see major developments in several areas. The power of the computers driving most technology continues to increase rapidly. Not only can computers process and hold more information, but they also process this information with greater efficiency and speed. More significantly, computers allow the individual to perform a multitude of tasks almost simultaneously. For example, on a single computer a worker can be connected to several websites at the same time, receive e-mail, and work on a number of different files. As well, the cost of the technology continues to diminish to such an extent that computer literacy in the workplace is now expected.

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WWW.ENZINESARTICLES.COM

2.

WWW.EASYSOURCE.COM

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WWW.ENCYCLOPEDIAZ.THEFREEDICTIONARY.COM

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WWW.WEBOPEDIA.COM

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WWW.EHOW.COM

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WWW.ANSWERS.COM

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WWW.FHWA.DOT.GOV

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WWW.NGFL-CYMRU.ORG.UK

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WWW.SEARCHWINIT.COM

10. WWW.SEARCHC10.COM 11. WWW.HOTELMARKETING.COM 12. WWW.KIDSSOURCE.COM PICTURES 23

13. WWW.TELEPRESENCEOPTIONS.COM 14. WWW.MLIVE.COM/SPECIAL-SECTIONS/ANNARBOR/IND 15. WWW.INCEGROUP.CPM/PORTFOLIO.HTML 16. WWW.CAINSOFTWARE.IN/IMAGES.OFFX_AUTMTN2.JPG

BOOKS Discovering computers 2008 Voicemail- page 468 Telecommuting- pg 30, 59 Electronic funds transfer – pg 470 E-commerce –pg-28, 30, 60, 91-92 Electronic mail – pg 92

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