There are many other occasions when the use of this form is appropriate. Refer to the middle section of the form  in  figure  4-7  that  shows  you  the  different occasions. When you use this form, make sure you keep a copy of the form for your activity file as a tickler file or for future reference. DIRECTIVES In this section, you will learn about instructions; notices;  making  changes  to,  filing,  reviewing,  routing, inventorying,  and  preparing  directives.  A  directive  is an  instruction,  notice,  or  change  transmittal  that prescribes  or  establishes  policy,  organization,  conduct, methods,  or  procedures.   Directives  require  action  or contain  information  essential  to  the  effective administration  or  operation  of  naval  activities  or contain authority or information that must be published formally. INSTRUCTIONS Instructions are directives that contain authority or information of continuing reference value or requiring continuing  action.  Instructions  remain  in  effect  until superseded  or  canceled  by  the  originator  or  higher authority. Figure 4-8 shows a sample of the front page of  an  instruction. NOTICES Notices (fig. 4-9) are directives of a one-time or brief nature that have a self-canceling provision. They have the same force and effect as instructions. Notices usually remain in effect for less than 6 months, but they cannot remain in effect for longer than 1 year. Any requirements for continuing action contained in notices, such  as  the  submission  of  reports,  use  of  forms,  or following specified procedures, are considered to be canceled when the notices are canceled. Requirements may  be  incorporated  into  another  suitable  document, thereby  continuing  their  validity. MAKING CHANGES TO DIRECTIVES Your   command   often   receives   changes   to instructions, notices, and manuals. Usually, additional or replacement pages are received. However, there are occasions when your command is instructed to make pen-and-ink    changes. Replacement   pages   are considered  to  be  more  economical. They  provide neater, more legible copies, and decrease the chance for errors because of the time expended by recipients in making changes. If  you  are  responsible  for  making  changes  to instructions  and  notices,  make  sure  you  make  the changes  as  soon  as  the  changes  are  received  whether they  are  page  changes  or  pen-and-ink  changes.  Making changes  as  they  are  received  ensures  that  your instructions, notices, and manuals are up to date. In the case of manuals, make sure you verify the list that contains the effective pages to make sure they are all accounted  for.  Obtain  copies  from  other  commands,  if necessary, to replace obsolete or unaccounted for pages. It does not do the command any good to have the instructions, notices, or manuals filed very neatly in brand   new   binders   if   they   are   not   up   to   date. Instructions, notices, and manuals are used daily to make  decisions  that  affect  individuals’  careers. Therefore, it is imperative that they are up to date. FILING ARRANGEMENTS The  following  paragraphs  contain  a  discussion  on the  filing  arrangement  of  instructions,  notices, cross-reference   sheets,   directives   in   general correspondence files, and manuals. Filing  Instructions Normally,   instructions   are   filed   according   to subject  identification  number,  consecutive  number,  and issuing authority. Checklists of directives issued by Washington   headquarters   organizations   must   be organized in this manner. If local conditions require, however, another sequence may be followed, such as by issuing  authority,  a  combination  of  subject identification  number  and  issuing  authority,  or  security classification. Filing Notices Notices  ordinarily  need  not  be  filed  in  the  master file because of their brief duration. If it is necessary to temporarily interfile them with instructions, the notices should  be  tabbed  so  that  each  may  be  easily  and properly removed as soon as their cancellation dates are reached.  Copies  may  be  filed  in  separate  suspense binders  when  necessary. Filing  Cross-Reference  Sheets Cross-reference  sheets  must instructions.  Locator  sheets  are be  interfiled  with inserted  in  normal 4-13