If someone has the printer tied up with a long print job, those waiting for their work will tend to spend a few minutes chatting rather than returning to their stations. The laser printer may replace the water cooler as the gathering point in the office. If these practices are not managed, they will result in a decline in secretarial productivity, instead of the expected increase. Computer file naming . The standard DOS file name format contains 8 letters, a dot and a 3-letter extension.
Computer users tend to develop their own obscure short forms and codes for file names.
If anyone else is to have access to files on the computer when the main user is not available, the new user will have to be able to get around the hard drive. Protocols for file and directory names will be needed, even if the firm invests in document management software. A related issue is making sure that the latest version of documents are clearly identified as such. Precedents take on a different importance in a technologically advanced law office. Document generation programs based on the merge function of word processing software require a re-thinking of what is involved in developing a precedent.