The tabulator could be wired so that different information could be counted at each pass of the card though the machine. Hooked up electrically to the tabulator was the sorter box. At the same time, the sensor advanced the counter, an appropriate box on the sorter would be activated and the lid would pop open. The operator would place the card in the appropriate box and proceed to the next card.

Although slow by today's standards, this was exactly what was needed to make order out of the uncontrolled mass of data.