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Most Common Filing Systems

There are three main types of filing systems: alphabetical, numeric, and alphanumeric. Alphabetical systems classify information alphabetically by topic or name. Numeric systems assign numbers sequentially or in multiple sets. Alphanumeric systems use both letters and numbers to denote categories, allowing for more categories than numeric alone. Within these types are subgroups like topical, encyclopedia, geographic, straight numeric, duplex numeric, and chronological systems, each suited to different information amounts and needs. An effective system chooses the most logical type for its specific information.

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1K views

Most Common Filing Systems

There are three main types of filing systems: alphabetical, numeric, and alphanumeric. Alphabetical systems classify information alphabetically by topic or name. Numeric systems assign numbers sequentially or in multiple sets. Alphanumeric systems use both letters and numbers to denote categories, allowing for more categories than numeric alone. Within these types are subgroups like topical, encyclopedia, geographic, straight numeric, duplex numeric, and chronological systems, each suited to different information amounts and needs. An effective system chooses the most logical type for its specific information.

Uploaded by

Mea Luis
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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What Are the Various Filing Classification

Systems?
By: JanetB
Updated January 22, 2019

RELATED

MOST COMMON FILING SYSTEMS

LEARN MORE →

Filing and classification systems fall into three main types: alphabetical, numeric and
alphanumeric. Each of these types of filing systems has advantages and
disadvantages, depending on the information being filed and classified. In addition,
you can separate each type of filing system into subgroups. An effective filing
classification system uses the most logical, practical and flexible type of system for the
information involved.

Alphabetical Topical Filing Systems


Alphabetical topical systems classify information according to topic, then file the topic
labels in alphabetical order. Related topics are not kept together in this system.
Usually this type of system is best when small amounts of information are involved.
This type of filing and classification system is sometimes known as a "dictionary"
system. When personal names are being filed, last names are used as the primary
sorter, with first names used only in the case of identical last names.

Alphabetical Encyclopedia Filing Systems


In an "encyclopedia" filing and classification system, information is first broken down
by general category, with sub-categories being placed in alphabetical order. This type
of filing system is particularly useful for handling large amounts of information because
users of the system don't have to keep a particular file's name in mind to find it.
Instead, they can start by looking for the general category and search within it to find
the specific file they need.

Alphabetical Geographic Filing Systems


A subset of the encyclopedia filing and classification system is the alphabetical
geographic filing system. In a geographic system, the major categories are broken
down by locations. You can use any size or type of location, from countries to cities to
field offices. Users of this type of system start by choosing the geographic area
relevant to their search, then search alphabetically within that topic to find the specific
information they seek.

Straight Numeric Filing Systems


Straight numeric filing and classification systems are very simple to use, since they
generally start at the number one and label each file with the subsequent number.
However, the use of this type of system is limited, as it often requires an index to help
users find the files they seek, and high-activity files can become congested around the
same numeric area.

Duplex Numeric Filing Systems


In duplex numeric filing systems, files are given numeric labels with several sets of
numbers involved. This type of filing system can handle large amounts of data. The
different sets of numbers can correspond to major categories and sub-categories,
paralleling the encyclopedia system of filing and classification. One drawback to such
a system is that an index is required to understand what each grouping of numbers
refers to. A very familiar type of duplex numeric system is the Dewey Decimal system,
which most libraries use to catalog their collections.

Chronological Filing Systems


Another subcategory of numeric filing systems are chronological systems, in which
files arranged by date. Typically files are first grouped by year, then by month, then by
day. Correspondence files, such as email lists, are typically organized in this fashion,
with the most recent pieces of data listed first.

Alphanumeric Filing Systems


In alphanumeric filing systems, information is classified by category in an encyclopedic
system, but using both letters and numbers to denote categories. The use of both
letters and numbers allows for a much greater field of categories than does the use of
numbers alone. Thus the Library of Congress filing and classification system, which is
alphanumeric, allows for a greater array of categories than does the Dewey Decimal
system, which is limited to ten major categories.

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