Office Filing Cabinet

The humble office filing cabinet is still indispensable in every office. Although computers and related storage media can meet store much of your information requirements printed documents and materials remain an important part of everyday office life. To maintain efficiency those sales brochures, colour charts and spec sheets, product documentation, or support information need to be organised and filed whilst remaining accessible to those who are using them.

Filing cabinets fall into two main categories those that are primarily functional and are generally manufactured from metal and those, which whilst providing filing space, form part of a range of office furniture and are manufactured from the same materials as the desk and other storage units.

Whether its functionality, or practicality and design, that you are looking for the questions you need to ask to find the right solution for your filing and storage needs are the same.

The key question is whether space is a premium. If space isn't an issue then regular drawer filing cabinets are the answer. These filing cabinets come in 2, 3 and 4 drawer versions and depending on your requirements and budgets can offer a variety of features including 100% drawer extension if you have sufficient room, anti tilt mechanisms as well quiet opening and closing mechanisms.

Drawer filing cabinets are available in a number of styles and colours and some of the more expensive metal filing cabinets are powdered coated to provide an extra hard wearing finish. Amongst the furniture ranges you can choose from filing cabinets that act as the pedestal for the desk or are sized to fit conveniently under the desk. The filling capacity of these close to hand filing cabinets can be enhanced by matching 2, 3 or 4 drawer filing cabinets to create a practical but stylish office.

Side filers and tambours are ideal where space is limited. They incorporate all the design features of standard filing cabinets but with greater filing capacity. These filing cabinets can store one row of files side facing or two rows of files facing forward. Like drawer filing cabinets they incorporate anti tilt mechanisms and locking features. If floor space really is at a premium you could consider using a tambour unit for your storage and filing needs.

You will also need to take into account how much weight a drawer needs to hold and whether a locking mechanism for confidential or sensitive documents is required. Effective locking mechanisms provide the answer where you keep paper based client and staff records of any sort. Keeping them in a locked filing cabinet will ensure they are safe from prying eyes, and that your client or personnel details are securely stored so there is no chance of any documents getting lost or falling into the wrong hands.

As security is so important in the modern office, you'll be able to keep your important items under lock and key in your office filing cabinet, as well as the key in your safe.

If you have a specific filing or storage requirement you can choose from multi drawer, card and media storage filing cabinets that offer versatile storage for cards, CDs, DVDs and other small items that you need to store.

Depending on the importance of what you are storing, you might want to choose a fire resistant office filing cabinet. If you've got trademarked designs, patents, confidential details, perhaps backups of your databases and company systems, or all your business is conducted on paper, then you'll be lost if there is a fire in your premises. Why not ensure that you have all the protection you need with a fire resistant office filing cabinet?

And one other thing you need to decide is whether you need to store A4 or foolscap files in your office filing cabinet. Most accommodate foolscap files which of course means that will take your A4 files as well.

With many brands of office filing cabinet available, with different features, you'll easily be able to pick the right office filing cabinet for you.