Request Memo: Student Sample #1

Date: February 22, 2001
To: Center Team Leader
From: Caryn Mendez
Subject: Request Memo for Research into the Inventory Control Documentation

Introduction

I originally had the idea to create a project around family therapy since that is the field I plan to go into at this time. However, I am a Communication major and I do not feel that I know enough about the field of family studies or therapy, and I had a really hard time generating a project idea for that field that I would be capable of doing in a short amount of time. I wanted to create a project that I would be competent in doing.

Therefore, I am focusing my project on my current work situation, since it has been a very big part of my life in the past few months. I was promoted to a part time staff position here at The University of Arizona, working as a senior office specialist for the Molecular and Cellular Biology Department. My duties are basically to run the office: make copies; maintain department directories; assist students, staff members, salesmen, and the general public with their questions and concerns; reporting building problems; etc. My job also requires that I oversee the departmental supply inventory, which includes everything that the department needs to function from staples to copier toner. It is the inventory aspect that I wish to use as my project.

Currently, there is no method for keeping the supply inventory stocked. When I was trained for the position, I was merely told that the procedure for the upkeep of supplies was pretty much to eyeball the inventory and order what looks like it needs to be ordered. Now, either myself or the student worker will check our supply cabinets every now and then to see if we are missing anything obvious, but supplies are depleted fast and this "method" often causes the department to completely run out of important items. This lack of procedure is obviously causing the office to run more inefficiently than I would like, and being a staff member puts me in a position to solve or at least alleviate the problem.

Request

I would like to remedy the situation described above by creating an inventory control program, and this is what I ask your permission to do as my final project. This inventory control program will be designed to help me know what items I need to keep in stock, how much of each item I should have, and at what quantity will I need to re-order the item. This would help the ordering of items run smoothly and timely, and will aid in avoiding running out of necessary supplies.

Project Components

I plan to creating the inventory control program in three phases. First I will do a complete supply inventory, looking up all corresponding numbers, deciding how much we need to keep in stock and at what quantity we should replenish the stock. After categorizing the inventory (general office supplies, copier supplies, etc.) I would then create inventory sheets for each category in Microsoft Excel that lists all of the aforementioned information. Finally, I would write up a guide (which I would like to incorporate into my position handbook) that would tell how the inventory program would work (for example, how to set up a regular schedule for checking stock). I estimate that the project will take two to three weeks to complete.

Resources Needed

The main resources I will be needing are the University Stores supply catalogue and a computer, both of which I have access to at work. Other minor items I will be using, such as pens and paper, are also easily accessible.

Potential Benefits

There three major benefits to doing this project. First, it will make my job easier. With an inventory control program, ordering supplies will be fast and simple since I don't have to look up order numbers and figure out in my head what I should order. It may even help me save time at work! I have full confidence that my boss will be thrilled with this project and want to make it normal procedure. Second, if it does become normal office procedure, it will allow future office workers to utilize the same system; and if I plan on leaving this job I can easily train the new employee in ordering procedure. Third, I think that the overall opinion of the office will be improved, especially the opinions of the MCB professors. Right now, the office is very well-run; but we are not without the visible flaw of running out of supplies when they are needed most. I think that by fixing this one flaw will really mean a lot to the professors since it will indirectly effect them.

This project has significant benefits not only for me, but for The Center as well as this project will allow me to apply the things I have learned in working with The Center. Some of the skills I have been taught this semester that I will use include: producing written work in the form of a proposal and the program guide, and using technology to generate the body of the project, which will be Excel documents. Being able to apply what I've learned will be a true testament as to whether The Center is successful in teaching its interns the necessary skills of professional communication.

Potential Obstacles

One potential obstacle would stem from the fact that there are so many supplies that the office keeps in stock: the task of doing the current inventory and looking up order numbers will be very tedious, and will probably get boring. Another obstacle may be that I plan on implementing doing the first part of the project (inventory and order number search) on work time. This could potentially be a problem since other things may come up that I need to do at work which will take my time and attention from the project. I fear that I will not be able to stick to a schedule due to unforeseen tasks and busy days in general that won't allow me to work diligently on the project. However, I don't expect that there will be any true difficulties to overcome other than my own attention span. This project is very "do-able", and I know it will be greatly appreciated by my boss and the other office staff.

Conclusion

Overall, I want to do this project because I know that it will actually make a difference in my work. Not only does the office benefit because there is a little more organization, but I will have a chance to add something important to the job description for my job. Secretarial work is often thankless and overlooked, and I feel this project will help others see that there is real work and a real process involved in performing secretarial duties.