This series is the main general correspondence file series for the department of External Affairs for the year 1947.
 
For the years 1945; 1946 and 1947, the Department maintained a separate series for each year and incorporated the year in the control numbers as a second element. In the case of this series it is 1947. Ideally each of the three series should contain only files raised during that particular year. However there is some overlap and particularly in the "PI" (Political Intelligence) and "P" (Pacific) Divisions there can be files that at first glance appear to belong to one of the two previous series, A1066 or A1067. Examples of such numbering are: P45-46/31/3 and P46-7/10/33/6. There has been some top numbering between the three linked series. However it is more prevelant in CRS A1066. Further top numbering has taken place into CRS A1838, which series follows on from this.
 
The alpha prefix, which is the first element in the multiple number system reflects the various divisions operating within the Department. These Divisions are:-
 
 A American
 DL Defence Liaison
 E European
 ER Economic Relations
 F Finance
 IC International Co-operation
 L Library
 M Middle East
 O Organisation
 P Pacific
 PI Political Intelligence
 R Relief
 S Staffing
 T Travel
 UN United nations
 Z New Zealand
 
There is one portion of the series that has DSC as the secondary element in the multiple number system e.g.47/DSC/5. This stands for Diplomatic Staff Cadets.
 
The second part of the first element in the control system is the year that the file was raised e.g. P47/ is Pacific 1947.
 
The second element in the multiple number system gives a particular subject within that division. The numbers were allocated from 1 as each Division needed a separate file for each subject. The subject headings are too numberous to list here, however examples are:-  A45/1 means A=Americas, 1945 is the year that the file was raised and all files with 1 as their second element deal with Canada.  E45/E translates to E=European, 1945 is the year the file was raised and all files with 3 as their second element deal with Austria.  
The multiple number system used by the Department invariably goes to a third and even fourth element. Generally items have a maximum of three elements. The third number was used to indicate separate files within the main subject area, each having a different title.
 
Where there is a fourth element, this item would be linked directly to the item with the same third element but where the Department considered a separate file should be raised. An example of this is illustrated in the IC Division where IC46/23/1/1 translates to:  IC=International Co-operation and 46 means raised in 1946
 23=Welfare enquiries
 1 =General
 1 =The title of the individual file
As each individual made a welfare enquiry, that persons name was made the file title and a separate file for each person was raised Thus:  IC46/23/1/1 has a file title of Zoccali,Mr.G.
IC46/23/1/2 has a file title of Lederman,Pte.P. and so on.
 
In extreme cases there can be a fifth element.
 
A departure from this system is evident in this series with the DSC (Diplomatic Staff Cadets) where the DSC becomes the second element.