Handling mail is a process of receiving, recording and dispatching the receiving and sending letters and documents in properly. The incoming mail is received and recorded by the office in the entry book or register book. The outgoing mail is drafted by the office in the dispatch book. This outgoing mail is dispatched by the office through the post office or messenger. Handling mail is also known as 'Darta Chalani'. Handling mail is one of the important routine functions of every office which should be performed by the office assistant efficiently.

The process of receiving all letters and documents and recording them in entry book in a systematic way is called handling incoming mail. The process of handling incoming mail are as follows:

1. Receiving the mail
   The incoming mail is received by the mailing department brought to the office by the postman or messenger. Such mail may also be collected by the employee from the post box.
    
2. Recording the mail
   The mailing department records the incoming mail in a book called entry book.
    
3. Stamping the mail
   The mailing department stamps on the top of the first page of the letter. The stamp contains the information relating to the reference number, entry number, and date.
    
4. Disturbing the mail
   The mailing department distributes the letters to the concerned selection or authority for processing and clearing them.
    
5. Clearing the mail
   The concerned section or authority processes and clears the letters on the basis of their importance and priority.

Handling outgoing mail

The process of drafting the letters and documents and sending them to the concerned office or authority after recording in dispatch book in a systematic manner is called handling outgoing mail. The processes of outgoing mail are as follows:

1. Drafting the mail
   The outgoing mail is prepared by the concerned section or authority. The letter is typed on a computer. It is signed by the responsible officer for its validity.
    
2. Collecting the mail
   The mailing department collects all the outgoing mail from concerned section or departments. The concerned section can also send the outgoing mail to the mailing department for final dispatch.
    
3. Recording the mail
   The mailing department records the letters in a separate book called dispatch book. The dispatch book is a primary record of all the letters dispatched by the office to different persons and offices.
    
4. Stamping the mail
   The letter is folded and inserted in a sized envelope. The address of the receiver is typed and the envelope is sealed with gum, adhesive or cello tapes. A letter should be stamped which are being sent through the post office. The amount of postal ticket differs according to the weight of the letter, type of the letter and distance.
    
5. Dispatching the mail
   The letter is dispatched to the concerned person or office by the mailing department through the post office or messenger. The message issued by an office or organization on a given topic for the knowledge of people inside or outside the organization is called office information. It is found in written form. It basically includes notices, circular and mandatory order.

Notice

Notice is an act of giving information on a given topic to the concerned people inside or outside the organization. It is effective means of passing short messages to a group of people. It contains essential information on a subject which is displayed attractively in order to get their cooperation. It is found in both written and oral form. The notice is issued by the social organization, educational organization, business organization, and governmental organization for informing people on different matters for different purposes. While drafting and designing a notice the following basic guidelines should be considered:

1. The notice should be as short as possible.
2. It should contain a clear heading.
3. It should contain sub- heading to break up the main information.
4. It should be printed with different font size.
5. It should display the message attractively.
6. It should contain the name of the writer, position and date at the bottom.

Kinds of Notice

1. Social notice
   The notice issued by a social organization like red cross society, Maiti Nepal, Nepal scout, etc. is called social notice. Such notice is issued for informing social, cultural, religious and political environment activities. It aims at uplifting the social, cultural, religious and political environment through a number of welfare activities for the people and society.
    
2. Geographical notice
   The notice issued by an organization addressing the people of a particular geographical area is called geographical notice. Such notice is issued by the different organization to the people of a particular locality like village, districts, and region to inform social, educational, health, business and government activities.
    
3. Physical notice
   The notice issued by the social organization for the purpose of making people aware of their health and physique is called physical notice. Such notice is issued to inform the concerned people for the activities being carried out to take care, maintain and improve the condition of their health and physique.
    
4. Educational notice
   The notice issued by an educational institution like a school or campus or university is called educational notice. Such notice is issued for informing the matters relating to academic, circular and extra circular activities to the students, teachers, guardians and other concerned parties.
    
5. Business notice
   The notice issued by a business organization is called business notice. Such notice is for informing about the matters relating to business activities like launching a new product, opening a new branch, changing the design, quality and price of the product and appointing a new agent.
    
6. Government notice
   The notice issued by a government office like ministry, department, constitutional body, government project and district level offices about the matters relating to public interest, welfare, and security. It is also issued for giving instruction to clear task to the general public.

Circular

A circular is one which is sent out to many people or offices at the same time. It is issued by the head office to its branches or by the central level office to its operating level offices instructing to do or not to do the things as mentioned in it. It passes the information from the top level to middle level to lower level; it is also known as downward communication.

Importance of Circular

1. It should be as short as possible.
2. It should be drafted in a particular letter head.
3. It should be drafted using simple, polite and correct language.
4. It should contain all parts like inside address, salutation, body, signature and position of the concerned officer properly.
5. It should be drafted mentioning the instruction as it is requested to follow the statement mentioned below in stepwise circular after writing the full text of circular received the upper-level office.

Types of Circular

The circular issued by the head office to all its branches directly or through its different levels. The circular can be classified as follows:

1. Direct circular
   A direct circular is one which is issued and distributed to all the branches or the head office itself. The central level office of the government or the head office of a business circulates the message to all operating level office branches directly.
    
2. Stepwise circular
   A stepwise circular is one which is issued and distributed to all the branches through different levels. It is an indirect circular in which the message is passed from the first level office to second level office, second level office to third level office and so on until the message reaches the lowest level office.

Mandatory order

The mandatory order is an instruction given by concerned authority to his subordinate staff to take action as per concerned rule for the written request made by an individual or organization on a specified work. Once the order is issued by the chief in writing, it becomes a compulsion for the subordinate staff to take appropriate action as soon as possible. The mandatory order is also known as 'Tok Aadesh'