Office automation systems (OAS) are configurations of networked computer hardware and software. A variety of office automation systems are now applied to business and communication functions that used to be performed manually or in multiple locations of a company, such as preparing written communications and strategic planning. In addition, functions that once required coordinating the expertise of outside specialists in typesetting, printing, or electronic recording can now be integrated into the everyday work of an organization, saving both time and money.
Types of functions integrated by office automation systems include (1) electronic publishing; (2) electronic communication; (3) electronic collaboration; (4) image processing; and (5) office management. At the heart of these systems is often a local area network (LAN). The LAN allows users to transmit data, voice, mail, and images across the network to any destination, whether that destination is in the local office on the LAN, or in another country or continent, through a connecting network. An OAS makes office work more efficient and increases productivity.
Electronic Publishing
Electronic publishing systems include word processing and desktop publishing. Word processing software, (e.g., Microsoft Word, Corel Word-Perfect) allows users to create, edit, revise, store, and print documents such as letters, memos, reports, and manuscripts. Desktop publishing software (e.g., Adobe Pagemaker, Corel VENTURA, Microsoft Publisher) enables users to integrate text, images, photographs, and graphics to produce high-quality printable output. Desktop publishing software is used on a microcomputer with a mouse, scanner, and printer to create professional-looking publications. These may be newsletters, brochures, magazines, or books.
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The above write up is primarily detailing on the OAS function and the function that attracted me most is the Electronic Publishing. This function enables users to integrate text, images, photographs and graphics to produce high quality printable output. The big question is do people really understand and know how to use this function during their course of works.
This question struck me one day as I have instructed my assistant to finalise and print out letters to be forwarded to several contractors which is urgently required. I trusted and anticipated that she can accomplish the task in half an hour as I have already drafted the letter. What is required from her is just a simple task of key in the recipient address and print them out. But alas!. The day is almost over and the letters are yet on my table! It baffled me as what is taking her so long to prepare the letter and after seeing her busy running between her table and the printer station, I asked her about the letter. When she replied that she is in the midst of printing it. When began pushing for an explanation what is taking her so long to print the letter, she reiterated that she need to print the letter one by one where after each letter printed, she need to upload the paper with the letter head MANUALLY. I asked her why she is doing it that way and what if we need to send out hundreds of letters in a day. It will take ages to accomplish that. Upon insisting with her, she then explained that actually she is doing it manually whereby she will type and print the letter one by one manually. When I asked her about the mail merge in Microsoft Word, she just gave me a blank expression and utterly said “a what?”. My jaw dropped and my heart almost stopped upon hearing her response. You did not know about mail merge?. All the questions started to run in my brain. How come she didn't know it? How come she is not aware of this feature as she’s been using the Microsoft Words all this while? Is it just purely ignorance or..? Anyway , just to speed things up, I started doing the mail merge and at the same time taught her how to use it. At the end of the day, we managed to print the letters and subsequently forwarded it to all the intended recipients.
So the morale of the story is, you can have the best features in any software in this case the OAS, but if you are not aware of it and utilize it, it really defeats the whole purpose and will become USEFOOL. Time are wasted, an unaccomplished task and dateline not met are some of the predicaments. More time are being consumed in doing the TRADITIONAL way, whereby the OAS are meant to make it simpler and to simplified the routine and repetitive task.
The above write up is primarily detailing on the OAS function and the function that attracted me most is the Electronic Publishing. This function enables users to integrate text, images, photographs and graphics to produce high quality printable output. The big question is do people really understand and know how to use this function during their course of works.
This question struck me one day as I have instructed my assistant to finalise and print out letters to be forwarded to several contractors which is urgently required. I trusted and anticipated that she can accomplish the task in half an hour as I have already drafted the letter. What is required from her is just a simple task of key in the recipient address and print them out. But alas!. The day is almost over and the letters are yet on my table! It baffled me as what is taking her so long to prepare the letter and after seeing her busy running between her table and the printer station, I asked her about the letter. When she replied that she is in the midst of printing it. When began pushing for an explanation what is taking her so long to print the letter, she reiterated that she need to print the letter one by one where after each letter printed, she need to upload the paper with the letter head MANUALLY. I asked her why she is doing it that way and what if we need to send out hundreds of letters in a day. It will take ages to accomplish that. Upon insisting with her, she then explained that actually she is doing it manually whereby she will type and print the letter one by one manually. When I asked her about the mail merge in Microsoft Word, she just gave me a blank expression and utterly said “a what?”. My jaw dropped and my heart almost stopped upon hearing her response. You did not know about mail merge?. All the questions started to run in my brain. How come she didn't know it? How come she is not aware of this feature as she’s been using the Microsoft Words all this while? Is it just purely ignorance or..? Anyway , just to speed things up, I started doing the mail merge and at the same time taught her how to use it. At the end of the day, we managed to print the letters and subsequently forwarded it to all the intended recipients.
So the morale of the story is, you can have the best features in any software in this case the OAS, but if you are not aware of it and utilize it, it really defeats the whole purpose and will become USEFOOL. Time are wasted, an unaccomplished task and dateline not met are some of the predicaments. More time are being consumed in doing the TRADITIONAL way, whereby the OAS are meant to make it simpler and to simplified the routine and repetitive task.
Based on true story...real names are not revealed in this story..:)
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