JCE Commerce & Office Procedures 25 key terms

An organised method for storing and retrieving documents so they can be found quickly, using rules such as alphabetical, numerical, chronological or subject order.

Deciding the name, number or heading under which a document will be filed, so that it can be located later by the same heading.

Placing a note or duplicate entry in a second location so a document filed under one heading can still be found through another related heading.

A written plan stating how long each type of record must be kept and what should happen to it afterwards, such as destruction or permanent archiving.

The duty to keep private information secret and share it only with people who are authorised and need it for their work.

Rules and practices that control how personal information is collected, stored, used and shared, protecting individuals from misuse of their details.

A situation where a person's private interests could improperly influence their work decisions, and which should be declared and managed openly.

The standards of behaviour expected at work, including punctuality, honesty, respect for colleagues, appropriate dress and compliance with workplace policies.

The formal steps an employee follows to raise a complaint about treatment at work, and the process management uses to investigate and resolve it.

The documented process for dealing with alleged breaches of workplace rules, normally including investigation, a hearing, a decision and a right of appeal.

The order of authority in an organisation showing who reports to whom and through which levels instructions and approvals should pass.

Passing a task and the necessary authority to another person while the person delegating keeps overall responsibility for the outcome.

The number of staff who report directly to one manager, which affects how closely they can be supervised and supported.

A short internal written message used to inform staff or request action, usually with a heading showing sender, recipient, date and subject.

A formal written communication sent outside the organisation, following a standard layout with sender address, date, inside address, salutation, body and complimentary close.

The official written record of what was discussed and decided at a meeting, including attendees, apologies, resolutions and actions assigned.

A planned list of items to be discussed at a meeting, usually circulated in advance with times and the name of the person leading each item.

The minimum number of members who must be present for a meeting to be valid and for its decisions to be binding.

A line at the end of a letter or email indicating that additional documents are attached or included with the communication.

The accepted rules of polite and effective behaviour when communicating electronically, covering tone, clarity, timing and respect for the recipient's time.

Paying full attention to a speaker, noting both words and feelings, and confirming understanding by summarising or asking clarifying questions.

An expression of dissatisfaction about a product or service, which should be acknowledged, investigated and resolved promptly and courteously.

A written commitment setting out the standard of service a customer can expect, such as response times and how problems will be handled.

A document sent by a seller to a buyer listing goods or services supplied, quantities, prices and the total amount payable within stated terms.

A buyer's written authorisation to a supplier to provide specified goods or services at agreed prices and terms.

A document accompanying goods that lists the items dispatched, which the recipient checks and signs to confirm what was received.

A document issued by a seller to reduce the amount a buyer owes, typically after returned goods, an overcharge or an agreed allowance.

A periodic summary sent to a customer showing invoices issued, payments received and the balance still outstanding at a given date.

A recording method in which every transaction is entered twice, as an equal debit and credit, so that the accounting equation always stays in balance.

A book or computer record containing accounts to which transactions are posted, showing increases, decreases and the balance of each account.

A list of all ledger account balances at a given date, used to check that total debits equal total credits before financial statements are prepared.

A small fund of cash kept in the office for minor day-to-day expenses, recorded in an imprest book and topped up periodically.

A written acknowledgement that payment or goods have been received, showing the date, amount or items and the name of the person issuing it.

A written order in which one party instructs another to pay a stated sum to a named person on demand or at a fixed future date.

A transport document issued by a carrier that acts as a receipt for goods shipped, evidence of the contract and often a document of title.

A bank's written undertaking to pay a seller a stated amount once specified shipping documents are presented, reducing risk in international trade.

Standard international trade terms defining who arranges and pays for transport, insurance, duties and risk transfer between buyer and seller.

An office machine that produces paper copies of documents by scanning the original, with features such as duplex printing, sorting and stapling.

A machine that scans a document and transmits a copy over a telephone line to a receiving machine, now largely replaced by email attachments.

A device that cuts paper documents into strips or particles so that confidential information cannot be read once the record is no longer needed.