Prepare for the Office Administrative Assistant Exam with our comprehensive quiz. Master key concepts and skills with flashcards, multiple choice questions, and detailed explanations. Boost your confidence and ace your exam!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.


If a patient's file number is 89-22-00 and the assistant files it starting with 00, which filing method is being used?

  1. Numeric Filing

  2. Alphabetic Filing

  3. Terminal Digit Filing

  4. Color Coding

The correct answer is: Terminal Digit Filing

The method being used in this scenario is Terminal Digit Filing. This filing system organizes files based on the last digits of the file number, which allows for easier retrieval and storage of information. In this case, by starting with the last two digits (00), the assistant is aligning with how Terminal Digit Filing operates. In Terminal Digit Filing, files are arranged in ascending numerical order starting from the last pair of digits to the first. This approach helps to minimize disruption in a filing system as new records are added; it also allows for more efficient use of space and improves the ease of finding specific files. This system is particularly useful in medical and financial offices where frequent additions to files are common. Understanding this method can distinguish it from other filing systems, such as Numeric Filing, which organizes files in straight numeric order; Alphabetic Filing, which arranges files based on names or titles; and Color Coding, which uses colors to categorize documents but does not inherently involve numerical organization. Each of these filing methods has its own logic and application, but the use of Terminal Digit Filing is specifically denoted by focusing on the last digits of the file number for organization.