Office Machines, Equipment and Information Technology
This domain tests knowledge of office equipment by function, criteria for selecting machines, and the role of computers and networks in office work. Expect application questions such as choosing a machine for a stated volume of work.
Equipment by function
- Communication: telephone, EPABX, e-mail, fax, video conferencing.
- Computation: calculator, computer.
- Reproduction: photocopier, duplicator, printer, scanner.
- Recording: dictaphone, voice recorder, attendance and biometric devices.
- Mailing: franking machine, letter opener, folding and inserting machine, stapler.
- Destruction and security: shredder, CCTV, access control.
Selection criteria
Need and volume of work, capital and running cost, speed, durability, ease of operation, staff training, after-sales service and spares, compatibility with existing systems, safety, and risk of obsolescence.
Computers and IT
Hardware, software, operating systems, application packages, databases, LAN and WAN, internet, e-mail, cloud storage, MIS and ERP. Benefits: speed, accuracy, neatness, storage capacity, quick retrieval. Costs and risks: capital outlay, breakdown, obsolescence, need for training, data loss and security threats.
Worked example
A department must produce 15 copies of a 200-page monthly report with double-sided printing and stapling. Reasoning: a digital photocopier with duplex, collation and stapling is chosen - the volume favours a machine with low cost per copy and high speed; a desktop inkjet printer would be slower and costlier per page; an offset duplicator would be economic only at much higher volumes. Check the annual cost per copy before deciding.
Traps
Choosing the cheapest machine while ignoring running cost and service; forgetting staff training; ignoring the need for data backup and passwords; confusing a duplicator with a photocopier.
Key points: classify equipment by function; selection considers volume, total cost, service, training, compatibility; computers give speed and accuracy but need security; duplex and collation reduce paper cost; shredders protect confidential waste; plan for obsolescence.