Complete step-by-step guides for all 7 e-Office exercises — scanning receipts, creating files, writing Green and Yellow Notes, preparing Drafts, signing, dispatching, and closing files.
Important — Exam Marking: For the COA CBE Practical Examination, the practical marks are split equally between MS Office tasks and e-Office. You must complete both to score full marks.
| Exercise | Action | Who Performs | Exam Mode |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | Scan a document and add it to Receipts | Dealing Hand / Clerk | Practice Only |
| 26 | Create a File and put a Receipt in the file | Dealing Hand / Clerk | Marked |
| 27 | Create a Green Note with referencing | Dealing Hand / SO | Marked |
| 28 | Create a Yellow Note with referencing | Senior Officer | Marked |
| 29 | Create a Draft | Dealing Hand | Marked |
| 30 | Sign and Approve the Draft | Approving Officer | Practice Only |
| 31 | Dispatch and Park/Close the File | Dealing Hand / Dispatch | Practice Only |
Login URL: Access the e-Office portal at the URL provided by your examination centre. Use the login credentials issued to you. The portal used for COA training and exam is typically the DOTE/TNDTE e-Office training instance — not the live government system. Practice the exercises using the demo credentials provided in your training centre.
Digitise a physical document and register it as a Receipt in the e-Office system
Receipt (Tapal) is the first step in e-Office. Every document received from outside (letter, application, order) must be scanned and registered as a Receipt before any file can be created. Each receipt gets a unique system-generated Receipt Number.
Connect the flatbed scanner to the PC via USB. Turn on the scanner. Windows will detect it automatically. Open Start → search "Windows Fax and Scan" → press Enter.
Lift the scanner lid → place the physical letter/document face-down on the glass, aligned to the corner guides → close the lid gently to avoid any movement.
In Windows Fax and Scan → click New Scan:
• Scanner: select your connected scanner
• Profile: Documents
• File Type: PDF (preferred for official documents)
• Resolution: 300 DPI
• Colour format: Grayscale (or Black and White for plain text documents)
Click Preview to see a thumbnail. Verify the document is correctly placed and fully visible. Adjust crop area if needed. Click Scan. Wait for the scan to complete (10–20 seconds).
The scanned file appears in Windows Fax and Scan. Right-click → Save As → navigate to Desktop → name the file: Receipt_[Date]_[Subject].pdf (e.g., Receipt_14042026_BudgetRequest.pdf) → Save.
Ex25_Receipt_Confirmation.pngOpen a new official file and attach the registered receipt to it
A File is the central unit of work in e-Office. It collects all related receipts, notes, and drafts for one subject. Every action on a government matter must happen through a properly created file with a unique File Number.
In e-Office portal: left sidebar → File Management → Create New File. The file creation form opens.
Subject: Type a clear, descriptive subject — "Budget Allocation for Department of Technical Education 2026-27".
Category: Select appropriate category (Budget/Finance, General, Administration, Examination, etc.).
Department: Technical Education.
Section: Accounts Section.
Year: 2026.
In the Hashtags field, type relevant keywords one at a time and press Add/Enter after each:#budget · #2026 · #allocation · #finance · #DTE
These make the file instantly searchable later.
Select Routine (for standard processing) or Urgent if the matter requires immediate attention.
Click the Save/Create button. The system generates a unique File Number (e.g., TN/DTE/BUD/2026/0041). Note this number carefully — it is the official reference for the entire file.
Inside the newly created file → click "Put Receipt in File" button → a search box appears → type the Receipt Number from Exercise 25 (e.g., REC/2026/0892) → search → click the receipt in the results → click Attach.
The file now shows the receipt attached. The receipt is visible in the "Receipts" section of the file. The original scanned PDF can be viewed by clicking on the receipt entry.
Press Win+Shift+S to capture the file creation confirmation screen. Save screenshot as Ex26_FileCreated.png. Record the File Number in your record book.
Write the current active note on the file and link related previous files/orders
Green Note is the current officer's active noting area. When you are holding a file, the Green Note is where you type your analysis, recommendations, or proposed actions. Once you forward the file to the next officer, the Green Note becomes a Yellow Note (read-only history).
In e-Office → My Files or Inbox → find the file created in Exercise 26 (TN/DTE/BUD/2026/0041) → click the file number to open it.
Inside the file → click the "Note" tab or "Noting Sheet" button. The noting interface opens showing the Green Note area at the bottom (active) and any Yellow Notes above (historical).
Click inside the Green Note text area. The system automatically fills in: Note Number, Date, Your Name, and Designation. Begin typing your note using the standard noting format.
Standard government noting structure:
Line 1: Reference to the receipt/subject
Line 2: Brief summary of the matter
Line 3: Analysis or observations
Line 4: Recommendation / proposed action
Last line: "Submitted for orders." or "Placed before [officer] for orders."
Click "Add Reference" button → a dialog appears → enter the old File Number (TN/DTE/BUD/2025/0038) or order number you are referencing → click Add. The reference appears as a hyperlink in the note — clicking it opens the referenced file.
Click "Submit Note". The Green Note is saved and locked — it cannot be edited after submission. The file is now ready to be forwarded to the next officer.
View previous Yellow Notes and add a new noting — which then becomes Yellow when forwarded
Yellow Note refers to the historical noting records — notes written by previous officers that have been locked (read-only). When you receive a file that already has notes, those earlier notes appear as Yellow. You add your new Green Note, which then becomes Yellow once you forward the file onward.
After Exercise 27, the Section Officer receives the file. Open e-Office → Inbox → find the file (TN/DTE/BUD/2026/0041) → click to open.
The Noting Sheet shows the Yellow Note from the Dealing Hand (Note No. 1). Read it carefully to understand what action is requested. Yellow Notes cannot be edited.
The Green Note area is available for the Section Officer's remarks. Click inside → the system fills in Note No. 2, current date, SO name and designation automatically. Type the response note.
Click Add Reference → enter the G.O. number or order reference (e.g., G.O. (MS) No. 45/Finance/2025 dated 12.03.2025) → click Add. This appears as a reference link in your note.
Click Submit Note. Note No. 2 is saved. When the file is forwarded to the next officer (Dealing Hand for draft preparation), Note No. 2 also becomes Yellow.
Click Initiate Action / Forward → select the Dealing Hand as the next recipient → add Remarks: "Please prepare draft approval letter as per Note No. 2" → set Priority: Routine → click Send.
Prepare a proposed official outgoing communication using the e-Office draft editor with a template
Draft is a proposed outgoing communication — a letter, order, circular, or notice — prepared inside e-Office using a standardised government letterhead template. The Draft is submitted for approval and digital signature before it can be officially dispatched.
Open the file (TN/DTE/BUD/2026/0041) → in the file view, click the "Draft" tab or button → click "New Draft".
Choose the communication type:
• Official Letter — most common for approval communications
• DO (Demi Official) Letter — for officer-to-officer correspondence
• Office Memorandum — for internal department communication
• Office Order — for issuing orders
• Circular — for general instructions to many recipients
Select Official Letter → the letterhead template loads automatically.
The template auto-fills the department name and file number. Fill in:
To: The Director, Department of Technical Education, Chennai – 600 025.
Subject: Budget Allocation for 2026-27 — Approval — reg.
Date: 14.04.2026 (or today's date)
In the body area:
Opening: "With reference to the letter cited above, I am directed to inform that..."
Content: State the decision/approval clearly with amounts in figures AND words.
Closing: "Yours faithfully," → space for signature → designation below.
Click "Add Reference" in the draft toolbar → enter the receipt number (REC/2026/0892) → Add. This appears as a clickable reference number in the draft header (e.g., "Ref: Your letter No. REC/2026/0892 dated 14.04.2026").
In the Hashtags field → add: #budget · #approval · #2026-27 · #officialletter
Review the draft carefully for errors → click "Submit for Approval". A dialog asks: select the approving officer → choose the Joint Director (or the designated approving authority) → add Remarks: "Please approve and sign the draft letter" → click Send.
Screenshot the submitted draft confirmation page. Save as Ex29_DraftSubmitted.png. Note the Draft Number assigned by the system.
Review the draft as the approving officer and apply digital signature
Draft Approval is the process where the designated authority reviews the draft letter prepared by the dealing hand, and either approves it (with or without changes) or returns it with remarks for revision. An approved and digitally signed draft becomes an official government communication.
In the training environment, use the approving officer's credentials (provided by your training centre). In the real system, only the designated authority can approve — typically the Joint Director or above.
e-Office Inbox → find the file (TN/DTE/BUD/2026/0041) with status "Pending Approval" → click to open the file → click the Draft tab → find the submitted draft.
Read the entire draft carefully:
• Is the recipient address correct?
• Is the subject line accurate?
• Is the amount stated in both figures and words?
• Are all references correctly mentioned?
• Is the closing and designation correct?
If the draft is satisfactory → click "Approve Draft" → add optional remarks (e.g., "Approved. Please dispatch.") → click Confirm. The draft status changes to "Approved".
If corrections are needed → click "Return Draft" → type specific remarks (e.g., "Please correct the recipient address. The designation should be 'Joint Director' not 'Director'") → click Return. The file goes back to the Dealing Hand's inbox for revision.
After approval → click "Sign" or "Digital Sign" button. In the real system, this requires a Physical DSC (USB token with certificate). In the training system, a simulated signature or uploaded signature image is used. The status changes to "Approved and Signed".
| Action | Effect | Next Step |
|---|---|---|
| Approve | Draft cleared. Status: Approved | Apply digital signature |
| Sign | DSC applied. Status: Signed | Ready for dispatch |
| Return | Sent back to creator with remarks | Creator revises and resubmits |
| Countersign | Second officer's signature added | Proceed to dispatch |
Digital Signature (DSC): A Digital Signature Certificate is a USB token device that stores the officer's digital identity. Plugging it into the computer and entering the PIN applies the officer's legal signature. Under the Information Technology Act, 2000, a digital signature is legally equivalent to a handwritten signature on paper.
Send the signed communication to its recipient and manage file status after completion
Dispatch is the final action of sending the approved and signed communication to the recipient. After dispatch, the file may be Parked (awaiting reply) or Closed (matter fully resolved). Both actions change the file's status in the system.
Open file TN/DTE/BUD/2026/0041 → click the Draft tab → confirm the draft status shows "Approved and Signed". A signed draft shows the approving officer's name and digital signature timestamp.
In the file's action menu → click "Dispatch" or "Despatch" (government spelling). The dispatch form opens.
e-Dispatch: Electronic dispatch — sends the signed PDF directly to the recipient's e-Office inbox or email. Best for other government departments using e-Office.
Physical Dispatch: Generates a dispatch number, prints the letter, and hands to the physical dispatch section for postal/courier delivery.
Despatch To: Enter recipient name and address.
Mode: e-Mail, Post, Courier, Fax, or By Hand.
Date: Today's date.
Urgency: Routine / Urgent.
Click "Confirm Despatch". The system generates a Despatch Number (e.g., DSP/2026/0892). This is the official reference of the outgoing communication. Note it in your record book.
Ex31_FileClosed.png.| File Status | Meaning | Can Add Notes? | Can View? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active | File is in an officer's inbox — being processed | Yes ✅ | Yes ✅ |
| Parked | Waiting for reply or information — on hold | No ❌ | Yes ✅ |
| Closed | Matter concluded — file archived | No ❌ | Yes ✅ |
| Reopened | Closed file brought back into active processing | Yes ✅ | Yes ✅ |