What does lateral mean in a file cabinet?

What Are Lateral Filing Cabinets? Lateral filing is when papers are added from the side of the file and the identification tab is on the side of the file. To pull the document out, you grab the sides edges. The main benefit of this type of filing system is that it is more space efficient.

What is the difference between lateral and vertical filing cabinets?

Lateral storage systems arrange folders perpendicular to the front of the drawer. That makes the depth of a lateral storage cabinet around the same length of a standard storage folder. Vertical storage systems arrange the folders on the same plane as the front of the drawer.

What is the opposite of a lateral file cabinet?

Front-to-back filing is the opposite of side-by-side and refers to filing folders that are organized in a column from front to back. This is the most common way to file letter-size hanging folders in a vertical file and legal-size hanging folders in a lateral file.

What is the advantage of lateral filing?

In a lateral filing cabinet, the files are side by side through the length of the drawer. This makes it easy to store large numbers of files and still be able to locate needed papers quickly, making these cabinets perfect for high-volume businesses.

What does a lateral file look like?

Lateral files are identified by labels on the side edge of a file, and they’re organized horizontally rather than vertically. They don’t always require drawers but instead can sit inside open shelving systems. Files are pulled in and out of the shelves by their edges.

What is vertical filing system?

Vertical filing indicates the vertical position of the files. The files are kept in a standing position under this method. Vertical filing method is developed to overcome the difficulties of horizontal filing. In large scale organization, more papers are filed and there is a need of referring many papers.

How does lateral filing work?

Unlike vertical cabinets, lateral files allow you to store files in the drawers horizontally rather than vertically. The drawers are also less deep and don’t pull out as far, which means that seeing and finding files is much quicker and easier than it is in the long drawers of vertical files.