How to Keep a Darta Chalani Register Properly

A darta chalani register has one purpose: to prove that a letter arrived or left, on a certain date, and to let anyone find it later. The method is simple, but offices often skip steps when busy, and the result is a register nobody trusts. This guide sets out the columns, the numbering, the daily routine and the common slips, whether you keep the register in a book or in software.

Two registers, two directions

Darta records letters coming in. Chalani records letters going out. Keep them separate, each with its own serial number series. Mixing them in one running list makes searching harder and invites mistakes. Some offices also keep a third list for internal memos; if so, give it its own series and name.

The columns every register needs

Darta (incoming)

• Darta number, in sequence for the fiscal year.
• Date received, in Bikram Sambat.
• Sender and office.
• Date and reference number written on the letter itself.
• Subject, in one clear line.
• Number of pages and enclosures.
• Person or section the letter was passed to, with the date.
• Action taken and the chalani number of the reply, if any.
• Remarks, such as urgent, confidential or copy only.

Chalani (outgoing)

• Chalani number, in sequence for the fiscal year.
• Date sent, in Bikram Sambat.
• Receiver and office.
• Subject and reference to the darta it answers.
• Signed by, and prepared by.
• Mode of delivery: by hand, post, courier, email or fax, with the receipt or acknowledgement noted.
• Copies sent and to whom.

These columns follow common practice. Your office may use a prescribed format, so follow it where one exists.

Numbering

Number letters in the order they are received or sent, one at a time, with no gaps. Many offices restart numbering at the start of the fiscal year, which begins in Shrawan, so number 1 is the first letter of the new year. Write the number on the letter, usually on a stamp at the top corner, together with the date. For outgoing letters, write the chalani number on the file copy before the letter is signed or immediately after. If a number is cancelled, do not reuse it. Mark it cancelled and write the reason. An unexplained gap in numbers invites questions.

A daily routine that works

1. Receive. One designated person receives letters at the counter or from the post. A letter that goes straight into someone\'s drawer is a letter that will be lost.
2. Stamp and number. Apply the darta stamp, write the date and number and add them to the register.
3. Scan. Scan the letter and enclosures the same day. Name the file with the darta number.
4. Route. Show the letter to the head of office or the person who allocates work. Record who gets it and the date.
5. Act. The responsible person drafts a reply, makes a decision or files the letter, and records what was done.
6. Reply. The outgoing letter is numbered in the chalani register and linked to the darta.
7. Close. Mark the darta closed when the matter ends, with the date.

Filing the paper

Paper still matters. Keep a file for each subject, department or year, and write the darta or chalani number on the top of each page. Keep outgoing file copies in number order. Keep a simple index or use the register itself as the index. When the file is closed, record its location. A digital scan reduces risk, but the original is usually what an auditor or inspector wants.

Common slips

Slip	Result	Prevention
Entering letters days later	Wrong dates, missing letters	Enter on the day received
Vague subjects	Letters cannot be found	Use a clear one-line subject with names
No record of who took the letter	Letters go missing	Record the person and date of each hand-over
Reply not linked	Nobody knows if it was answered	Write the chalani number against the darta
Skipped numbers	Suspicion of removed letters	Cancel, never delete or reuse

Confidential and urgent letters

Mark letters as confidential or urgent in the remarks column and handle them accordingly. Confidential letters should be entered with limited detail, or in a restricted register, and handed to the head personally. Urgent letters need a deadline, and the pending list should be checked each morning. Your office\'s rules decide what counts as confidential.

Where software helps

A digital register keeps the same columns but adds search, scans, reminders and a pending list. It writes the numbers for you and logs who did what. The routine above stays the same; the effort of finding and tracking falls. See our darta chalani software for a system built on this method. For wider filing of contracts and policies, look at document management software.

Next step

Take one week of your letters and test: can you find any letter in under a minute, and can you tell who is handling it? If not, ask WebsNP for a demo on WhatsApp at +977 9846280400 and we will show you the same week in a digital register.

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