CSE Clerical Operations Reviewer: Alphabetical Filing

Alphabetical filing is a fundamental way to organize documents in both our private and personal life. Filing papers and documents in alphabetical order allows us and others to find and replace each file quickly. In this CSE Clerical Operations reviewer, we are going to learn alphabetic filing. These type of questions appear on the Civil Service Sub-Professional exam. If you are a Sub-Pro exam taker, I suggest that you familiarize yourself with the process of alphabetical filing.

Understanding alphabetical filing is crucial not only in our day-to-day personal affairs but also in the administrative realm, particularly for those preparing for the CSE Sub-Professional exam. The proficiency in organizing documents alphabetically streamlines information retrieval processes, whether in professional settings or personal endeavors. In the context of the Civil Service Exam, grasping the principles of alphabetic filing is indispensable, as questions on this topic often arise in the Clerical Operations section. By immersing oneself in the intricacies of alphabetical filing, aspiring examinees can navigate such questions with confidence, thereby optimizing their performance on the Sub-Professional exam. Familiarizing oneself with this fundamental practice not only bolsters organizational skills but also ensures efficiency and effectiveness in handling administrative tasks, making it a valuable asset for success in both the examination and future professional endeavors.

1st Rule

When alphabetizing, names of persons should be arranged in this order: Last Name, First Name, Middle name (or Middle Initial).  Let’s have an example. Consider the following names to be arranged in alphabetical order.

• Ronnie B. Magdaong
• Jane S. Crisante
• Karla V. Bolante
• Sam F. Valdemor
• Valeria G. Handong

The first rule states that to alphabetize, we must first rearranged the name as in the order stated above. The rearranged names will look as follows.

• Magdaong, Ronnie B.
• Crisante, Jane S.
• Bolante, Karla V.
• Valdemor, Sam F.
• Handong, Valeria G.

Important: Don’t forget to place a comma ( , ) after the surname of the individual. After doing so, we can now alphabetize the names in its correct order.

• Bolante, Karla V.
• Crisante, Jane S.
• Handong, Valeria G.
• Magdaong, Ronnie B.
• Valdemor, Sam F.

Congratulations! You now know the basics of filing alphabetically. You will now have an easier time tackling the clerical part of the Civil Service Exam.

But wait. There’s more! What if we are given this list?

• 77 Company LLC
• Barn Sanders Corporation
• W. V. Apparel
• Plumbing Management Co.
• Plummet and Soar Careers
• W. X. Shades
• The Clandestine Association

Now how do we arrange this if we saw one in the CSE Clerical Operations part of the test?

The Numbers go first

77 Company LLC will go first.  Don’t go by what the WORD begins with (i.e. eight, with an E).  Searchers will look for the file header, not some hidden message.  So your system should start with numerical headers. I bet even the Civil Service Commission also uses this type of system when it comes to filing their own records.

Initials go first within their letter designation

W.V. Apparel and W.X. Shades both begin with the letter W.  So which one goes first?  Look at the letters that come after W. V comes before X in the alphabet, so there.

W.V. Apparel is followed by W.X. Shades.

If you had W.V. Locks and W.V. Lamps, then you look past the identical letters to the first different one. W.V. Lamps would go first because La comes before Lo.  The same is true for Plumbing Management Co. and Plummet and Soar Careers. B comes before M, so Plumbing Management Co. is first.

If a person’s name is part of the title, use the first letter of the first name

Barn Sanders Corporation would be filed under B, not S. It’s part of the title. When someone refers to this company, they’ll say “Barn Sanders Corporation,” or maybe just “Bob Sanders”. If you’re filing by the actual person’s name instead of a company, remember the 1st Rule.  So the header would look like this:  Sanders, Barn.  Then he would go under S. Again, refer to the 1st Rule at the beginning of this CSE Clerical Operations reviewer.

Ignore the article “The”

Where does The Clandestine Association go?  Not under T, although many people make this mistake often.  File headers typically don’t begin with “A” or “An”, although technically if it’s part of the name, such as An Ideal Coffee Maker, it would go under “A”. Most systems ignore “The” because it’s too common. Ignore it and file them under C for Clandestine.

So this is how the completed file batch should appear like this:

• 77 Company LLC
• Barn Sanders Corporation
• The Clandestine Association
• Plumbing Management Co.
• Plummet and Soar Careers
• W. W. Lamps
• W. L. Logistics

Alphabetical Filing Reviewer Exercise

Here’s a CSE Clerical Operations reviewer for you to practice. These are alphabetical filing exercises that will help you get familiarized with the process. A bit of reading comprehension is also required.

Directions: Arrange the given entries in alphabetical order.

2. A. Janine Guillermo Pedrosa
     B. Felix Emerande Moreno
     C. Maria Clara Sabino Valle
     D. Sam Porridge Callante
     E. Fe Rabida Tumbao

1. 1.  BDACE          c. BDCAE
   2.  DBAEC          d. DBACE

3. A. Arnel L. Jacobs
     B. Rachel Anne S. Paulate
     C. Naomie F. Bernardino
     D. Shane G. Usbao
     E. Ibrahim J. Alfonso

1. 1. ECABD             c. CDEAB
   2. EACBD             d. CDAEB

4. A. Cruz, Edward J.
     B. Cruz, Edmund B.
     C. Cruz, Edwin Z.
     D. Cruz, Edmundo C.
     E. Cruz, Edwardo H.

1. 1. BADCE            c. BADEC
   2. BDACE            d. BDAEC

1. 1. EDCAB           c. DECAB
   2. CEDBA           d. CEDAB

6. A. Patrick McDonald
     B. Ashley Mcadams
     C. Phil Mcdonald
     D. Ashley K. McAdams
     E. Phillip Mcdonald

1. 1. BDCAE            c. BDACE
   2. BCDEA            d. BACDE

1. 1. CABED             c. CEADB
   2. CADEB             d. CAEBD

1. 1. CDABE             c. DCBEA
   2. DCABE             d. CDAEB

1. first
2. second
3. third
4. fourth

1. first
2. second
3. third
4. fourth

1. first
2. second
3. third
4. fourth

1. first
2. second
3. third
4. fourth

1. first
2. second
3. third
4. fourth

1. first
2. second
3. third
4. fourth

1. first
2. second
3. third
4. fourth

Once you are done with the CSE Clerical Operations reviewer exercises, you may check out the answers that follow. Just click on any of the social media buttons below to reveal them.