If you know how many sheets are in an inch, you can figure out how many will fit in a bankers box. Banker’s boxes are 12.5″ wide, 15.5″ deep, and 10.5″ high.
Vertical files are usually kept in libraries and archives. According to Merriam-Webster, a vertical file is “a collection of documents (such as pamphlets and clippings) kept (as in a library) to answer short questions or provide information that is not easy to find.” In other definitions, the entries in the file aren’t important enough to be cataloged separately. “Vertical” refers to the way the file folders are kept, which is standing up, usually in a filing cabinet.
A vertical file is an example of an artificial collection, which means it was put together by archivists from items already in the archive rather than being given to the archive as a whole.
According to the Society of American Archivists’ dictionary, these are “things, often of a temporary nature, put together and set up for quick reference” (source). “Ephemeral” is the key word here.
Vertical files are collections of information on a certain subject that have been put together over time to help the staff of an organization answer common questions or do research. They are often kept in file cabinets, like the one above from the Shepard-Pruden Library in Edenton, North Carolina. They are a good place to keep artifacts that the institution might not classify or formally document (either individually or in writing), but that are still useful for research. Depending on how the items got there over time, you might find handwritten notes, family trees, booklets, photos, and other items inside.
Because vertical files have deep storage drawers, they take up much less space on the wall. Even though they stick out from the wall a lot more, their small size may make it possible to use more wall space for storage or more furniture. Overall, there aren’t many ways to place this design, and it doesn’t work well in many situations.
Using a lateral filing system instead of a vertical filing system has some clear benefits. Documents the size of a letter or a legal can be stored in lateral files, which usually have up to a third more storage space than vertical file drawers. They can be both a file and a credenza because they come in different heights.
Think about who will use the files and how they will be used when choosing file cabinets for your business. The best lateral filing systems make it easy for inside sales agents or people who work in technical support to find papers quickly. Before deciding on either lateral or vertical filing, it’s a good idea to talk to the right people.
What does vertical filing mean?
The most common way to file is vertically, which is how most file cabinets are set up. The identifying tab is at the top of the files that hang vertically. Papers are either added to the top or taken off of it.
What’s the point of filing things vertically?
Vertical filing cabinets are easy to use and take up little space. They have anywhere from two to ten drawers where you can put files, papers, letters, and other things. The files are easy to get to and face the front of the drawer. Because the width and depth of the drawers have been increased, they can hold a lot of things.
What’s the difference between filing up and down and filing left to right?
In a horizontal filing system, files and folders are kept in horizontal drawers or in a “sleeping” position. This type of filing is also called “flat filing” Vertical filing is a way to store files in a drawer so that they stand up and are supported by each other.
What’s the difference between filing left to right and filing up and down?
Folders are stored in systems that run parallel to the front of the drawer and are called “lateral storage.” So, the depth of a lateral file cabinet is almost the same as the length of a standard file folder. In vertical storage systems, folders are stacked vertically on the same plane as the front of the drawer.
What does it mean to file something horizontally?
The most recent document is on top, and the other documents are stacked on top of it in order of when they were made. The flat file and the arch lever file are the best ways to show how to file horizontally.
What’s the difference between a vertical file cabinet and a rolling file cabinet?
Vertical files take up less wall space than shallow lateral files, but their deep drawers need more space to open. File cabinets, which are also called “movable files,” have wheels.
How many different kinds of file cabinets are there?
The most common types of file cabinets are vertical and lateral. The vertical file cabinet has drawers that stick out from the shorter side of the cabinet. On the other hand, the drawers on a lateral file cabinet stick out from the longer side of the cabinet.
What’s the difference between up and down and left and right?
Everything that is not parallel to the horizon is called “horizontal.” Since it is the opposite of horizontal, anything that makes a right angle (90 degrees) with it is called vertical. So, the line that goes from left to right is called a horizontal line.
What are the three different ways to file?
There are three different kinds of filing and sorting systems: alphabetical, numeric, and alphanumeric. Each of these ways to file has pros and cons that depend on the information being submitted and how it is categorized. There are also subclasses for each type of file system.
What are the most popular ways to file?
When there are fewer than 5,000 records, the most common way to organize them is by letter. When you “file by alphabetic order,” you put papers in the order they appear in the dictionary, based on the names of people, businesses, organizations, and places.
What kind of file system is used the most?
The most common type of filing system is the alphabetical file. Each letter of the alphabet has its own alphabetically organized file guide. In a numerical file, the records are set up by number instead of by name.
What’s it like to use a lateral file?
Labels on the side of a file help you find lateral files, which are set up horizontally instead of vertically. They can be put on open shelving systems and don’t need drawers. Files are put and taken off shelves by dragging their edges.
What does lateral file mean?
Unlike vertical cabinets, lateral files let you put documents in drawers on a horizontal plane instead of a vertical plane.