When indexing columns of information,

Terry Nicoll

When indexing columns on information, do you go down the first column and then start at the top of the second column to complete the batch? That is the way I have always understood it.

Dave Morris6

Some place in the instructions it shows to start on the left column, work to the bottom and then do the next column, top to bottom, etc. I have done some that have 3 or 4 columns.

John Empoliti

Yes, generally we index top to bottom, then left to right, unless a record extends horizontally across multiple pages as in a wide 2-page ledger, or the indexing order is otherwise apparent. Here is the Knowledge Article you might be thinking of. As is noted, indexing order is not as important as it once was, but Reviewers appreciate the predictability of the general rule.

How should I index records with multiple pages?

Article Id: 1683

April 20, 2020

When multiple pages or records appear in one image, index the records in the order they were written, if that can be determined. Otherwise, index from top to bottom and left to right, as if reading a book. 

Note: In web indexing, the order of indexing is not as important as it once was. However, this method is still preferred.