Office automation refers to the varied computer machinery and software used to digitally create, collect, store, manipulate, and relay office information needed for accomplishing basic tasks and goals. Raw data storage, electronic transfer, and the management of electronic business information comprise the basic activities of an office automation system. Office Automation helps in optimize or automate existing office procedures. Such systems can increase the productivity of managerial end users and other professional and staff personnel by significantly reducing the time and effort needed to produce, access and receive business communications.
The backbone of office automation is a LAN, which allows users to transmit data, mail and even voice across the network. All office functions, including dictation, typing, filing, copying, fax, telex, microfilm and records management, telephone and telephone switchboard operations, fall into this category. Office automation was a popular term in the 1970s and 1980s as the desktop computer exploded onto the scene. One critical variable affecting the success in office automation is user acceptance. No matter how technologically superior the equipment is, there may be failure if users reject it.
An overview of office automation systems are given below:
- Office publishing systems are word processing and desktop publishing systems.
- Image processing systems are image processing, optical scanning and storage, document management and interactive video systems.
- Electronic communication systems are electronic meeting, tele-conferencing and telecommunicating systems.
Office support systems are electronic calendar, ticket file, notebook, directory system, work scheduling and task management systems. The above are described in brief:
Office Publishing Systems
- Word processing – It is the use of computer systems to automate the transformation of ideas into a readable form of communication. It involves manipulating text data to produce information products in the form of documents (letters, memos, forms and reports).
- Desktop publishing – Organization’s can use and develop publishing systems to produce their own printed materials. They can design and print their own newsletters, manuals, brochures and books with several types of styles and graphics and colors on each page.
- Voice store and forward systems – It is also known as voice mail or structured verbal-response exchanges. It has the capability of storing verbal data and/or communicating it to another location. It is one of the latest systems and found useful to corporate houses and the society at large.
- Electronic Meeting systems – If electronic meeting systems are used, people may not appreciate spending money on travel to attend meetings away from their normal work location. It involves the use of video and audio communications to allow conferences and meetings to be held with participants who may be scattered across a room, a building or a country.
- Teleconferencing – Participants at remote sites key in their presentation and responses whenever convenient for their online terminals or workstations which are connected to a central conference computer. Since all participants don’t have to do this at the same time, this form of EMS is called computer’s conferencing. Sessions are held in real time with major participants at remote site who take part with voice input of questions and responses.
- Telecommuting – It is the use of telecommunications by workers to replace commuting enabling them to work from their homes. It is also used to describe the use of telecommunication to carry on work activities from temporary locations other than offices and homes. Some people consider telecommuting as the creation of virtual offices.
- Multimedia – Another evolving set of technologies for systematically managing graphics, drawings and photographs in addition to text and data are multimedia data management systems . Some of these are called hypermedia systems.
Image Processing Systems
Image processing systems, also known as electronic image management system, allow users to electronically capture, store, process and retrieve images of documents. Image database management systems are becoming more versatile. The LAN-based image processing systems are also being common, which include several servers each dedicated to a specific function.
Document Management Systems
These systems are sophisticated image processing systems. These often interface with other office systems such as word processing, desktop publishing, electronic mail, voice mail etc.
These systems allow digitized ‘voice notes’ to be attached to specific document images and may have other special features as well as the ability to store multi-color documents and color photographs.
Attributes and Advantages of Office Automation Systems
It is observed that, there is rapid growth in the use of Office Automation systems from the past few years. This growth can be attributed to the following reasons.
- Value of information and information explosion
- Increase in office cost and need to improve office productivity
- Availability of equipment and skills
Large number of organization’s are being benefitted by office automation due to the following advantages related to the human resource information system.
- Better utilization of human resources
- Improved quality of work
- Efficient decision
- Better service for customers
- Increased organizational effectiveness
Office Automation Functions
Different offices perform the same basic functions and operations irrespective of the type and size of the office. There can be creation of original documents and providing inputs to the automation system from documents received outside. There is extraction of data for further presentation as required, storing and retrieving it for subsequent reference. Additional comments, notes and references can be helpful for decision making and duplicating the documents for distribution. For transferring documents and communications to different individuals, the office automation makes extensive use of data communications and networking facilities. Another function of office automation is presentation of data either on screen for visual inspection or in the form of printouts or in any other form required by the users.