Office mechanization aims to increase efficiency and accuracy while reducing costs through the introduction of machines. Key factors in deciding whether to mechanized include the usefulness of machines in providing benefits, their ability to increase accuracy, potential for continuous utilization to avoid idleness, and reducing repetitive work that can become monotonous. If mechanization is pursued, choice of machines should consider durability, adaptability for multiple uses, and portability when possible. Overall, mechanization can help save labor costs and time while improving quality, but high installation and operating expenses as well as potential worker issues must be weighed.

1. Module 5
Office Mechanisation and Data
Processing

2. Meaning:
Mechanisation means the process by which machines and equipments are introduced with a view to speeding up the administrative process. Office cost is
reduced substantially by the introduction of machines. The introduction of mechanisation leads to saving in time and reduced operational costs.
Objectives: I) To increase efficiency: Machines speed up office work and save time which can be utilised for some other operations in the office, Thus, efficiency of
office work is increased',
2) To save labour time: Machines are installed to save labour time and clerical costs. To arrive at such decision, the cost of a machine 'should be compared with
the estimated savings in labour costs over the life of that machine. However, economy in labour cost is not always the deciding criterion. Sometimes, machines are
introduced to get better quality of work and also to minimise mistakes and fraud.
3) To achieve accuracy: Mistakes are quite common when office operations are performed manually. Mechanisation helps in promoting accuracy and minimising
mistakes. Many offices use calculating and accounting machines to provide a check over manual work because benefits obtained from accurate work are far more
valuable than the cost of such machines.
4) To minimise chances of fraud: Office machines may be installed to reduce the chances of fraud in the organisation. For instance, a cheque writing machine may
be introduced to minimise chances of fraud even though the number of 'cheques to be issued, everyday may~be small.
5) To increase employee morale: Office activities which are repetitive and monotonous in nature, if carried out manually, will amount to drudgery. Use of
machines in such cases eliminates monotony of work. This, improves the morale of employees because machine operations provide considerable relief to them by
elirninitlrig manual efforts in repetitive jobs.

3. Importance of Office Mechanization:
(i) To save labor: properly designed office machine saves labor. It helps in saving labor cost. Machines work faster than men.
Total wage bill can be reduced.
(ii) To save time: machines work faster than men. The office machine helps to save time. The speed of official work is
increased with the help of machine. It helps in completion of work in a faster way. It increases efficiency and effectiveness of
work.
(iii)To provide accuracy: office machines works accurately. It increases in accuracy in all types of works. It reduces the error,
fatigue and helps in supervision
(iv)To reduce chance of fraud: there may be barratry inside the organization. Machines help to check for the accuracy and
correct method of works done t also keeps systematic records of all employees. Thus, it helps in reducing the fraud
(v) To retrieve monotony of work: some jobs are routine in nature. They are repetitive in nature. Repetitive works are
monotonous. Office machine s help in retrieving the monotony of the employees
(vi)To improve quality of work: office machines help to maintain the neatness, accuracy and quality of work done.
(vii) To increase goodwill: when there is saving of labor and time and increment of accuracy of works done, then there is less
chances of errors and fraud which improves the quality of work done and helps in satisfaction of customer and the
employees. This helps in increasing the goodwill of the office.
(viii) To lower operating cost: office machines reduce the operational cost. It helps to reduce the wage bill. It also helps in
reducing the excessive filing cost.

4. Office Mechanisation: Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages of Office Mechanisation:
The advantages of mechanisation are:
1. It Relieves Monotony: A job which is repetitive in nature brings about boredom and a feeling of being monotonous amongst the employees.
Hence if the same work is repeated in the machine then the worker will not feel the pinch of the same, hence a machine reduces boredom and
monotony.
2. Maintains Standardization: If facilitates standard of the work in terms of qualitative output. In turn, this enhances a working spirit and better
coordination amongst the employees.
3. Accuracy: Machines ensure better accuracy. Chances of error are eliminated. Thus the work goes on smoothly and the delays and bottle-necks
are eliminated which may prove very costly.
4. Better Control: Using a proper set of machines facilitates a better control of work as it helps the subordinates to use them and complete the
work, not only within the stipulated time but within the eaconomy—with precision and accuracy.
5. Greater Efficiency:Machine brings about a speed and efficiency to all types of office work. The work that may take hours to finish may be
finished in motion with their help. Improved efficiency leads to greater profitability and, at the same time, it creates a good image in the mind of
the people who deal with the organisation.
6. Lower Cost of Operation: The operating cost per hour of work declines with the use of machines. Of course, there is no doubt that they
require a large amount of initial capital investment. However, in the long run, they prove beneficial.
7. Better Quality of Work:Mechanisation and machine helps in improving the quality of the work done in the office. Not only the work will be
neat but it will be more systematic

5. Disadvantages of Mechanization:
1. Surplus of Staff: It has been observed that there are machines for which a skilled hand is needed for operation.
Sometimes, if this skill hand is not available for a very long time, then either somebody is trained to operate it, or on
immediate basis a recruitment is done to get a person to operate the machine. In both the cases, it involves cost, and it
adds up to the expense be-side swelling the strength of the staff.
2. High cost of Installation:Most of the office machines, like the Xerox machine, Electronic Scanning Machine and the
computers are expensive, and a large amount is spend not only to procure them, but on their maintenance. Hence the
installing and the maintenance charger are very high.
3. Under-Utilisation of Machines: Machine purchased spending a very high price, if not utilised to its maximum, or not
very frequently used, not only blocks the money which is spent to buy it, but it reduces the interest of the bank, on the
money that is blocked while purchasing it. Hence it is essential to make proper use of machines’ full utilisation potentiality.
4. Cost of Operation:Sometimes the costs of operation of certain machines are very high. For example Xerox machine, one
should find out the number of pages that a bottle of toner might copy before buying it. Similarly, one should also find out
whether the selenium drum of the copier needs an air-conditioned room for its maintenance.
5. Cost of Break-down:Sometimes the break-downs etc. prove very costly. A huge amount of money has to be spent for
repairing the same. Also, during the time of break-down, the work gets held up. This adds to the cost of the working
system of the office.
6. Monotony:In some cases, certain installation of the office machine relieves a worker of his job in the office. This
example holds true in production department of any company where the machines replace the workers and monotony
becomes an important problem in the office. The induction of the machine may reduce the interest of the worker as well
as it can kill the enthusiasm and the creativity of the worker.
7. Workers’ Hostility:Sometimes the attitude of the worker becomes very hostile when a new machine is installed in the
office. Some think that because of the advent of the machine in the office, they would stand to lose their job. They resort
to indiscipline, strikes etc. and sometimes the industrial peace of the office suffers on this account very badly

6. Factors affecting Office Mechanization:
1) Usefulness: The basic consideration in deciding upon office mechanisation
should be its usefulness in terms of the benefits expected from it. If a machine
is' really useful. it may be purchased even if it is little costly. On the other hand
•.if a machine is not useful. it should not be purchased even if if is cheaply
available. Here. both the present and the future utility of the machine
should.be taken into account. For example. if a particular machine is required
only for a short. ' period. it may be economical to hire one for the period
required.
2) Accuracy: Sometimes accuracy is the major purpose of mechanisation. The
machine which gives accuracy and saves time in checking as well as minimises
the possible annoyance caused by errors. should be introduced in the office.
3) Continuous utilisation: Office machines and equipment should be
introduced only if the volume of work is adequate to keep them fully utilised.
They should .not remain idle. Before selecting any machine, the possibility of
its continuous use must be explored.
4) Reduction of monotony: Sometimes the office work is repetitive in nature.
Therefore, it becomes monotonous. In such a case, office machines which
reduce boredom should be introduced.

7. 5) Choice of machines: Once mechanisation is decided. upon, the office man ager should select those machines
which are more suitable. Different types of machines for the same use are often available' in the market. Choice of
machines ought to be made taking into account the following aspects:
i) Durability: A machine is 'used by different people under varying conditions. Unless it is strong and d urablc. it
would not be a good investment.
ii) Adaptability and multiple use: A machine which is adaptable for various .uses has greater utility than a single-
purpose machine. A multipurpose machine may not remain idle as it may be used for more than one purpose. A
multipurpose machine may be relatively more costlier but may be more economical. omeeEqulpment and .
M.ehines-~
iii) Port ability; As far as possible. preference may be given to a machine which . can be ·moved from one user to
another user, or from one place to another, in the same work area. Compactness and ease Of handling save time
and energy-and increase the use of the machine.
iv) Standardisation: Standardisation means having a few different makes of machines as is consistent with quality
and quantity of work in the office. It is desirable to use machines of standard size and model in order to: a) obtain
lower prices through bulk purchases. b) develop. if necessary, company's own service department more
economically. c) train operators easily. and d) procure and use office forms to fit the makes of the. machines.
v) Easy operation and training of operations: While buying the office machines. you should prefer those machines
which are easy to operate and for which it is easy to train the operators for handling them. For instance; in the case
of an accounting machine. you should look for a convenient keyboard, simple motor bars. proper control keys.
uniform action of all the keys and levers. quiet operation, and neat printing.
vi) Availability-of repairs and maintenance services: Reliable and continuous operation demands quick repairs and
proper maintenance of machines. A machine which can be serviced promptly has advantage ov~.r the one which
cannot be so serviced. Thus, the availability of service facilities is also an important consideration. For this purpose,
the sincerity of the manufacturer and the supplier should be examined before buying a particular brand of
machine.

8. Kinds of Office machines: Duplicating and Photocopying
Duplicating is a process whereby a master copy is prepared
from which' a large number of other copies are obtained with
the help of a duplicating machine; It is a substitute for printing.
It is used when the number of copies required is more than, the
capacity of a typewriter and yet not large enough to justify
printing. Various makes of duplicating machines are available in
the market which can produce 200 to 500 legible copies of
letters, circulars, notices, reports, forms,price lists, etc. It may
be noted that duplicating is different .from photocopying; in.the
latter. the master is not created,but copies are made from the
original.
Different kinds of duplicators are available in the market. The'
more important among them are: 1) Stencil duplicator 2)
Electronic stencil duplicator 3) Spirit duplicator 4) .Offset litho
machine 5) Typeset duplicator

9. PHOTOCOPYING MACHINES:
Photocopying machines produce an exact photographic copy
of the original. A variety of such machines which operate on
photographic principle are available in the market. It takes
only a few seconds to get a copy of the original with the help
of such a machine. Thus, photographic copies of documents
can be obtained quickly whenever required. Moreover, when
a photographic copy is obtained, say of an invoice, it contains
all the details such as the letter heading, the telephone
number, the signature of the writer and all other information
contained in the original. This eliminates the need for
checking which is necessary in most other copying methods.

10. Accounting, tabulating and computing machines:
These machines are used for' doing accounting work,
and arranging and tabulating various kinds of data.
They include calculators, adding and listing machines,
billing machines, accounting machines, tabulating
machines, cash register, electronic computer, etc
Communication machines: Telephone, inter-
communication system, telex and telefax are widely
used by big offices for internal and external
communication.