Module 1 - The Office and Management

• The Office in enterprises, its activities, its concern with information

• Efficient management of the Office, what modern management involves
• The ‘technical’ and the ‘human’ aspects of a manager’s job
• Policy formulation, planning, organising, co-ordinating resources, motivating, controlling

Module 2 - The Office Environment

• Modern commerce and industry, the public and private sectors, trading and service enterprises
• The organisation of enterprises, organisation charts, office location, office layouts
• The Office work environment, space, distractions, comfort, O&M studies, supervision
• Preventing accidents in the Office, Office furniture and furnishings

Module 3 - Office Activities and Responsibilities

• Gathering and recording information from internal and external sources, records and their
importance
• Collating, analysing and presenting information in suitable formats
• Storing information, filing systems, filing schemes, referencing, indexes, filing equipment
• Communication, definition, principles, two-way, vertical and horizontal, lines of
communication
Module 4 - Human Resource Management
• The importance of selecting, training and retaining good staff, internal and external
recruitment
• Job analysis, job descriptions, employee specifications, advertising vacancies, application
forms
• The selection process, employment interviews, their aims and conduct, selection tests
• Letters of appointment, terms and conditions of employment, trial or probationary periods

Module 5 - The Management of Personnel

• The induction process, workgroup members, developing good relations, training, training
methods
• Remuneration, fair balance, job evaluation, job grading, ability, knowledge, skill, experience
• Managers and subordinates, honesty, understanding, encouragement, delegation of
responsibility
• Disciplinary action, employee counselling, resignations, stress, equal opportunity, trade
unions

Module 6 - Office Equipment, Telecommunications and Computer Mediated Communication

• Office machinery and equipment, factors in buy or rent decisions, supplies, training users
• Computer systems, characteristics, telecommunications, phones, cellphones, SMS messaging
• Email advantages, problems, networks, remote access, firewall, data processing, database
systems
• Data security, antivirus software, cyber security, data backups, disaster recovery, the cloud
Module 7 - Forms and Business Documents
• Forms as the basic ‘tools’ of Office work, uses of forms, factors in designing forms
• Accurate completion of forms, guidance on completion, copies of forms, serial numbers
• Computerised forms, files, records and fields, master data, file updates, invoice systems
• Quotations, estimates, order form, invoices, statements of account, receipts, delivery notes
Module 8 - Business Letters
• Objectives of business letters, style, tone, special features of business letters
• Wording and layout, importance of attractive appearance of business letters
• Pre-planning and drafting letters, stock sentences and paragraphs, shorthand, recording and
dictation
• Letter-writing by compute, letters of complaint, references, postscripts, copies to others
Module 9 - Memoranda, Reports & Meetings
• When and why memos might be written, differences from business letters, features of
memoranda
• Management information, statistical and financial reports, producing reports, compiling data,
spreadsheets
• Formal meetings, organisation, notices of meetings, agendas, the chairman, minutes of
meetings
• Audiovisual equipment, computer software, presentations, conferences, conventions, video-
conferencing
Module 10 - Checking Letters, Word Processing, Text Editing, Outgoing Mail and Despatching
• Types of errors to look for, features to be checked, enclosures and attachments, letters and
emails
• Word processing advantages, software, spell checks, OCR and scanning, circulars, printer
choice
• Despatch by post, postage rate, types of mail, special postal services, courier services
• Electronic and manual scales, stamps, franking machines, the despatch department, online
services
Module 11 - Incoming Mail, The Office Reception, Stationery and Printing
• Types of mail received, procedures for deliveries, sorting mail and their contents, distributing
mail items
• Visitors and callers, appointments, the reception area, duties of reception staff, telephone
operators
• Ordering stationery items, printing orders for reprints and new jobs, desktop publishing
(DTP)
• Storing stationery and printed items, protection and security needed, managing stocks, stock
records
Module 12 - Financial Matters, Final Accounts, Cash and Cashiering, Budgets
• Bookkeeping, the ledger, the cash, sales, purchases and returns books, journals, computerised
accounts
• Why final accounts are prepared, trading accounts, profit & loss accounts, balance sheets
• Cashiering Work, methods of payment, banking, checking and paying bills, receipts, petty
cash control
• Budgets, budgetary control, budget review statements, investigating variances