Handbook on e-Office Implementation

Purpose and authority

The Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency prepared the Handbook on e-Office Implementation, Version 1.0, dated 01 June 2024. The handbook refers to G.O.(Ms). No.12 of the Information Technology (e.Gov II) Department, dated 24 September 2019, which gave administrative approval to implement e-Office in Government departments, Public Sector Undertakings, Boards and Agencies under the administrative control of the Government of Tamil Nadu.

The Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency is the designated nodal agency for the rollout. The e-Office application provides an Electronic File Management System for paperless file processing, tracking, communication, data security and data integrity.

Who the guidance affects

The Handbook on e-Office Implementation is operational guidance for Tamil Nadu Government offices and their staff. It particularly affects:

• Departments and their subordinate offices adopting e-Office.
• Heads of Departments, Directorates and Commissionerates.
• Public Sector Undertakings, Boards, Agencies and Government societies.
• Record Clerks, Tappal Assistants, Junior Assistants, file handling staff, local administrators and senior officials.

The handbook does not set land prices, alter land classification or create property registration requirements. A property buyer or owner may encounter e-Office indirectly when a Government office processes a file electronically, but the handbook itself does not change property rights.

Hardware and procurement guidance

The Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency states that e-Office is browser based and can be accessed through desktops, laptops or mobile phones with an internet connection. Key recommendations include:

• Provide a computer to every file handling employee.
• Provide scanners to Record Clerks or Tappal Assistants for incoming tappals.
• Continue using working computers, regardless of their age.
• Procure new systems only for staff who do not have a system.
• Use at least an i3 or equivalent processor, 8 GB RAM and 512 GB SSD for new desktops.
• Use A4 colour scanners with an automatic document feeder, duplex scanning and the listed imaging, connectivity and operating system features.

Departments with sufficient funds, along with Public Sector Undertakings, Boards, Agencies and societies, are requested to procure their own hardware. Procurement may be undertaken through the Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu, with guidance from the Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency on request.

Rollout and training

The Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency asks each department to appoint a nodal officer and contact the agency for rollout. The process includes submitting user requirements, creating name based email accounts, providing organisation charts and employee data, configuring users, mapping subjects and file heads, assigning roles, identifying local administrators and completing training. The handbook recommends one local administrator for every 400 users.