Part 14

In a very small business, one man could fill all the orders and make out all of the bills. In a little larger business it would be necessary to devote one person's entire time to filling orders, another's to making out the bills. In a business twice as large as the one just mentioned, it would be necessary for one person to devote his entire time to filling the orders from one floor only. In an exceptionally large business, it might be necessary for one person to devote his entire time to filling orders for some particular class of goods on one floor. These examples are given to illustrate the meaning of the word _specializing_.

=Simple Order Form.= The majority of firms transcribe their customers' orders onto their own order forms from letters or requisitions. The simplest form of order is one containing an original for use of the warehouse or factory, a duplicate to be mailed to the customer as an acknowledgment of the order, and a third copy which is held in the office as a record of unfilled orders. The requisition form illustrated in Fig. 18 conveys the idea.

The practice of sending an exact copy of the order to the customer eliminates the necessity of acknowledging the order by letter, and gives the customer an opportunity of checking over the order as entered. It is customary to print on acknowledgment of order forms the sentence: _This is an exact copy of the order as entered—if any errors are noted kindly advise us at once._ One firm in Buffalo saved $300.00 the first week they installed this scheme, through the detection of an error by the customer.

It is imperative that before a remedy or short-cut methods can be prescribed, it is necessary to thoroughly diagnose all of the conditions incident to the business. It should also be remembered that clerks and even department heads will see all of the imaginary difficulties of a new idea and overlook all of the benefits to be derived therefrom. It should be further remembered that if a new method shortens nine-tenths of any particular class of work and slightly increases one-tenth, the party involved will many times fail to see the net advantages accruing through the introduction of the new idea. If objections are raised to a suggested short-cut method it is always well to ascertain whether the objections apply to a majority of the work or a portion of it only. Most people in clerical positions rather resent new ideas, and seem to take a pleasure in trying to find some reason why a new idea will not succeed. This is one phase of human nature which requires the utmost tact and diplomacy to handle successfully. In advancing or suggesting new methods, it should be assumed as far as possible, that the idea has been suggested by the person to whom one is talking, for the reason that most people are willing to "father" their own ideas.

=Simple Order Form with Copy for Shipping Department.= The second short cut which was instituted in connection with order forms was the addition of a sheet on which was manifolded a copy of the order for the shipping department.

The idea is to give the shipper information in advance, in order that he may prepare his bills of lading and plan his work for his teams, order cars in advance from the railroad, call up express companies, and such other work as might be necessary to the proper shipment and delivery of the goods manufactured and sold, and to file the copy as his permanent record, in some cases.

Some firms desire to prevent the shipper from knowing the prices at which their goods are sold. This is accomplished by using for the shipping department a short sheet of paper which reaches from the left edge of the order-blank to the price column only. Another method is to use a narrow sheet of carbon paper with a full-size sheet of paper. This plan is not as satisfactory as the former one, as the carbon paper sometimes slips to the right and allows the prices to manifold.

=Acknowledgment of Order to Salesman.= In some lines of business, it is desirable to add an additional sheet which is termed _acknowledgment of order to salesman_. This plan enables the salesman to know that the order has been received and properly entered for execution (in manufacturing lines it is necessary to transcribe orders on order forms which contain too many copies for a salesman to manifold by pencil), and gives him the opportunity of checking the order as entered. It should be remembered that in some lines of business there is such an enormous amount of detailed information in connection with an order that neither the customer nor a salesman would check over an exact copy of the order as entered. This should always be taken into consideration when considering the addition of this sheet.

STATIONERY

The various styles of loose-leaf sheets and binders should be fully understood in order to appreciate their importance in order and billing work.

=Loose-Leaf Sheets.= The first loose-leaf sheets were punched with closed holes, as shown in the illustration of Kilby Mfg. Company forms in Fig. 18. The trouble with the closed-hole punching is that, when placed over the metal posts of the binder, it is impossible to remove a sheet in the center of the binder without removing all of the sheets immediately above the one desired.

To obviate this difficulty, the slotted hole was devised. This is illustrated in the forms of the Commercial Sash & Door Company, in Fig. 19. The slot from the edge of the paper to the punched hole permits the paper to be placed over the posts of the binder between any two sheets. Holes are punched in both the closed and slotted styles in various sizes, ranging generally from a ¼ to 5/16 of an inch in diameter. In late years, manufacturers have introduced punched holes of different shapes from that of a circle.

For permanent records where the sheets are filed serially according to page number, order number, etc., the closed-hole loose-leaf sheet is perfectly satisfactory. For records which are to be removed from any given part of the binder and reinserted in another part, the slotted-hole loose-leaf sheet is the most satisfactory style to use.

=Binders.= Binders are generally made of two covers and a set of posts, which ordinarily are attached to one of the covers. The other cover is movable in order to accommodate the increased thickness of the binder as loose-leaf sheets are added. Great strides have been made in the manufacture of improved binders. There are so many styles of posts and other ingenious arrangements, where the two covers are held together and closed or opened by the use of a key, that only reference to catalogs of manufacturers will supply detailed information.

In buying binders and loose-leaf sheets, it is well to buy both of the same firm. Heretofore, trouble has been experienced where the punched holes of the loose-leaf sheets were probably 1/64 inch further apart or closer together than the metal posts in the binder in which they were to be used. The manufacturer of the binders will always claim that the sheets were punched incorrectly by the printer, and _vice versâ_.

It is pretty generally understood now that all punched holes should be placed with the center of the hole ½ in. from the edge of the paper. This allows enough margin to permit of the paper being held firmly over the posts. In all cases where the holes are punched too near the edge of the paper, the narrow margin between the edge of the paper and the hole becomes torn very quickly.

=Stationery Printed for Typewritten Work.= Very few people recognize the great value of properly designed stationery for typewritten work. The law of usage and custom is so strong that invariably invoices and order forms are printed the same as if they were to be hand-written. The headings are printed with the first letter of each word lined up vertically. This plan causes great waste of time on the part of an operator.

All billing and order work should be done on machines equipped either with a column stop or a decimal tabulator. A column stop is a device on a writing machine which automatically stops the carriage at any one of several predetermined points. A decimal tabulator is a device on a writing machine which automatically stops the carriage at the units, tens, hundreds, etc. place in any predetermined column.

It should also be understood that all typewriters and billing machines are equipped with marginal stops. These stops are adjustable, and can be arranged on either side of the machine in such a manner that the carriage will always stop at any given point at either edge of the paper.

It is vitally important that either a column stop or a decimal tabulator should be used in connection with marginal stops on writing machines, and these three points should be taken into consideration when designing stationery for use with a machine. The following illustrations show poorly designed and correct invoice headings.

J. B. WILLIAMS & BRO. NASSAU, N. Y.

NAME SALESMAN SHIPPING ADDRESS ORDER NUMBER P. O. ADDRESS REQUISITION NUMBER VIA

This blank form has purposely been shown in order to contrast it with an invoice printed in the same way with the headings properly filled in.

J. B. WILLIAMS & BRO. NASSAU, N. Y.

NAME, _Geo. Brown & Co._ SALESMAN, _Jenkins_ SHIPPING ADDRESS, _Flat Rock, W. Va._ ORDER NUMBER _2246_ P. O. ADDRESS, _Wenonah, W. Va._ REQUISITION NUMBER _A341_ VIA _N. & W. R. R. Co._ OUR ORDER NUMBER _9422_

Contrast this heading with that of an invoice which has the last letters of each line lined up vertically. This makes it possible for the operator of the billing machine to draw the carriage to the extreme right, as the first letter to be written in every line of the heading starts at the same point.

NAME _Geo. Brown & Co._ SALESMAN _Jenkins_ SHIPPING ADDRESS _Flat Rock, W. Va._ ORDER NUMBER _2246_ P. O. ADDRESS _Wenonah, W. Va._ REQUISITION NUMBER _A341_ VIA _N. & W. R. R. Co._ OUR ORDER NUMBER _9422_

The latter form does not have as good appearance before being typewritten as afterwards. However the change is made for the sake of utility and speed. In the first form it is necessary for the operator to position the carriage at a different starting point for each line, whereas in the last illustration it can be readily seen that all the operator has to do is to draw the carriage to the right to the marginal stop, and write without any loss of time.

At one time a speed contest between pen billers and machine billers was held on one of the large railroads of this country, and permission was given the machine people to change the position of the headings of the freight bills. The salesman in charge of the test studied to eliminate certain wasted movements of the typewriter carriage. He succeeded in arranging the printed matter on the bill in a manner which permitted of three starting points in the heading and body of the bill. By pressing his tabulator stop after writing a name or figure, the machine would immediately jump to the next printing point on the line. This arrangement greatly facilitated the work, and enabled him to prove the superiority of machine over pen work. If he had endeavored to use the old stationery with its irregular headings, he would have made a failure of the test.

=Designing Stationery.= In designing invoices, order forms, and statistical forms, it should be always borne in mind that the ordinary typewriter or billing machine spaces ten letters to the inch, sometimes twelve spaces to the inch with elite type, and sometimes eight spaces to the inch with large Roman type. Therefore, all vertical lines separating various columns of the form should be ruled in multiples of tenths, twelfths, or eighths of inches, according to the spacing (escapement) of the machine to be used. The different styles of type are shown in Fig. 20.

In estimating the distance between lines, it should be borne in mind that all typewriters and billing machines are arranged for spacing one line, two lines, and three lines. By adjusting the spacing device, the paper can be advanced the width of one, two, or three lines. All headings on the invoice should be arranged so that the next writing point below, on the invoice or order, will be one, two, or three spaces, and the beginning of the body of the bill should be arranged for in the same manner. This prevents any waste of time, and eliminates the necessity of throwing off the ratchet spacing device of the machine and turning the carriage by hand.

The first printing point on an order or billing form should be placed in such a manner that the marginal stop of the typewriter carriage, instead of a tabulator stop, will be available for use. The second writing point on the form should be the first column stop (the column finder on the billing machine is the device which automatically stops the carriage at certain given points). The third writing point on the line should be the second column stop, or decimal tabulator stop, according to the one which is on the machine.

In Fig. 21 is shown an illustration showing the top sheets of an order form designed to facilitate the work of the billing machine. In addition to having all of the printed headings aligned vertically on the last letter of each word, each line is either one space or two spaces of the billing machine platen (rubber roll). This eliminates any waste of time in spacing the order form through the machine.

The last sheet of the form of the McCaskey Register Co. is cardboard, with the numbers _1_ to _31_ printed along the top. A movable metal "spud," or tip, is used to show the due dates of each invoice, and to enable the collection clerks to quickly find the desired copies of charges for the purpose of sending out statements from three to five days ahead of due dates.

=Styles of Type.= The size and style of type is a very important factor in all classes of work where legible manifolding results are wanted. There are several classes of type used in connection with billing machines. Different companies use different names in describing them. The four sizes of type used are as follows:

ELITE PICA MEDIUM ROMAN LARGE (or full) ROMAN

_Elite._ This style has come into general use in connection with correspondence. It gives a dignified style to a letter. It is the hardest type to keep clean—the most destructive to the rubber roll and typewriter ribbon of any type made. It also manifolds very poorly where a number of copies are used, as the type is so small that the sixth or seventh copy, and many times the third and fourth, are so blurred that it is impossible to tell an _e_ from an _a_ or an _o_.

This style of type is sometimes used for making up tabulated statements where it is desired to crowd a large number of figures to the inch.

_Pica._ This is the most generally used type of any. It manifolds quite well up to six and seven copies. It is possible to write only ten figures of this size to the inch.

_Medium Roman._ This is the next larger size type than the pica and, on account of it being larger, it gives better manifolding results. It also writes ten letters to an inch.

_Large Roman._ This is the size type which is used by railroad and steamship companies for typewriting their way-bills. It is possible to write only eight letters to an inch.

_Gothic Type._ The term _Gothic_ indicates the style, and not the size of the type. If the small points at the top and bottom of the Roman type were removed (these points are called _serifs_) the effect would be that of Gothic type. A very pleasing combination on a billing machine is two different sizes of Gothic type, the larger size to be used for capital letters, the smaller size for the small (or lower case) letters. Recent practice has demonstrated the value of using capital Gothic letters of one size, as it increases the legibility of an order or an invoice.

In manifolding, numerals should always be of the "open" kind, that is, 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0, and not _1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0_, as the former are much the more legible.

=Carbon Paper.= There is no article which is so generally misused in the commercial world and which is so little understood as carbon paper. In order that the correct usage may be clearly understood a brief description of its manufacture is given.

The chief ingredients of carbon paper are oil, wax, paper, and color. Oils and waxes are used to give wearing surface, elasticity, and body to the color mixture. Tissue paper—generally of imported quality—with a fine, strong fiber is used. The quality must be first class in order to insure absence of holes and other imperfections in the sheets. Generally the sheets are cut 20 x 30 inches. A ream is regarded as containing 500 sheets. Three weights of paper are used, 4lb., 7lb., 10lb., respectively, meaning that 500 sheets of the above size of paper will weigh the number of pounds named, according to the thickness of the paper.

_Color._ The only really indelible color is black; that is because carbon is the basis of the color. The colors which are used are powders which have been ground as fine as possible. They are mixed in proper proportions with oils and waxes. Formerly the mixture was applied by hand, but great strides have been made in machinery for automatically applying the color evenly to the paper. It is important that the color or pigment be applied evenly to the paper and that it penetrates the fiber. Unless the paper retains the pigment, the carbon paper will not wear properly. The longer the color adheres to the paper, the longer it can be used.

_Finish._ The finish of carbon paper is the factor which is so little understood by the public. Carbon papers are finished with soft, medium, and hard finishes. The first will hardly rub off on the hand under pressure, the next will rub some, and the soft finish will smudge if pressed against the hand. Each finish is intended for a definite use, which will be explained later. The manifolding power of carbon paper depends absolutely on the typewriter itself, the hardness of the rubber roll, the touch of the operator, and the weight of paper, and lastly, the finish of coating on the paper. Two operators on the same typewriter can secure totally different results because one will have light, and the other heavy, touch. The regular rubber rolls which are furnished with typewriters are medium hard—in six months or a year they gradually grow harder, eventually becoming as hard as slate. If a typewriter is to be used for regular work as well as heavy manifolding, it should have two different rolls, one for each kind of work. There is no reason for using a medium hard rubber roll on the machine, getting poor results, and then blaming the carbon paper. Use a hard rubber roll on the machine and there will be no difficulty. Some makes of machines have interchangeable rolls (known as _platens_) which are very useful. It is the work of a minute only, to remove one and place the other on the machine.

_Four-Pound Paper._ This class of carbon paper has a heavy, sensitive coating, and is intended for heavy manifolding—for making from five to twenty copies. Soft-finish carbon papers are always used where heavy manifolding is to be done. The finish of the paper which is being written upon is also a factor. Papers with a hard finish—that is, a shiny surface—do not allow the color of the carbon paper to take hold, and yet a paper with the soft finish will allow the color to spread, and make a poor copy. This class of paper is also used for making a few copies on very light-stroke machines like the Hammond.

_Seven-Pound Paper._ This weight of paper is adapted for making from one to five copies. Being heavier than the four-pound, it will wear longer. If coated heavily it will give more impressions than if lightly coated, but the impressions will not be as clear and clean.

_Ten-Pound Paper._ This weight of paper is intended for use where one or two copies are wanted. Its weight enables it to stand the hard usage to which it is put. On one or two copies, the additional weight or thickness of the carbon paper does not affect the imprint. This class of paper is used with billing machines of all kinds.

_Full Carbon Papers._ This is a paper which is coated on both sides for making a multiplicity of copies on tissue. The pieces of carbon paper are placed between _every other piece_ of tissue paper and manifold on the top of one sheet and the bottom of the next. This carbon paper is used to reduce the bulk of paper in the typewriter—one-half as much carbon paper being required. It is sometimes called _double_ carbon paper, and is mostly used by railroads in making up way bills on yellow (dandelion grade) tissue paper.

_Copy Carbon Papers._ This paper is for use where it is necessary or desirable to make a carbon copy from which to make a letter-press copy. Hektograph carbons are for making carbon copies to be used in a hektograph.

_Pencil Carbons._ This class of carbon paper is made in the heavy grades of paper from seven-pound to twenty-pound and is made full carbon in the seven-pound weight.

_Pen Carbon._ This class of carbon paper is made in the seven-pound and ten-pound weights.

_Troubles and Remedies._ Carbon papers made in summer have different treatment in the matter of color mixture than those made in winter. Users should always remember that carbon paper which has lain unused all year has gradually dried out and depreciated in efficiency. The fresher a carbon paper the better—therefore it is not economy to buy too large a supply if it is liable to stand for more than six months. Never store carbon paper near heat, nor in the direct rays of the sun.

The one great difficulty experienced with carbon paper is the streaked effect called "treeing." This is caused by the carbon paper being inserted unevenly between the sheets of paper used with it. Once wrinkled, it remains so, and gives the streaked result as long as it lasts. To guard against this trouble, the operator should watch that the carbon paper is not wrinkled when inserting it between the sheets of paper, and should press the release lever on the typewriter to release the paper-feed rolls on the machine, after the paper is inserted in it, so that the unequal tension of the paper and carbon paper may adjust itself.

_Durability of Color._ Black paper made of carbon pigment is indelible and most durable. Blue or purple papers are next in the order of durability of color, and are made of aniline dyes. Green next, and red next. The fact is that red and green carbon papers should not be used for permanent records, as they will fade quickly.