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WELCOME TO AUGUST, 2010
FILE THOSE PILES!
CREATING AN EFFICIENT FILING SYSTEM
By Diane Snead
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WE’VE MOVED! |
| “Diane helped me organize my contacts and re-organize my client files. Now I can focus on getting new clients.” – R.F. |
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Diane loves sharing her efficiency tips with busy professionals like you. What would you accomplish with an extra hour a day? Set up a free consultation to see how much time and money your business could save! |
There are few words that strike fear in a business owner, and it seems like “filing” is one of them. But it doesn’t have to be. A few simple tricks will help you to create the filing system of your dreams (what, am I the only one who dreams about perfectly organized filing cabinets?).
It’s helpful to know there are actually 4 different methods to organize a filing cabinet, but this month’s newsletter will focus on the alphabetical method. The alphabetical method refers to using words for the titles on your files. This method works well if you have 2 or fewer filing cabinets, or less than 10 people trying to access the files. If having only 2 filing cabinets seems like a wonderful fantasy, call us to discuss the other 3 methods that will work for you!
Remember April’s newsletter, about electronic files? (April Newsletter 2010) Your paper files should be treated the same as electronic files. Information is information, and having one place to look for it, whether in paper or electronic form, will dramatically decrease your file retrieval time.
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What the world really needs is more love and less paper work. – Pearl Bailey |
To create some sense out of your paper files, you’ll need to establish a Master Filing Structure. Similar to a draft outline, your Master Filing Structure is a guide to help separate out your masses of files into a logical hierarchy. Begin with determining your highest level categories in your business – Clients, Financial Statements, Contract Documents, for example. Now, add your sub categories – maybe under client files, you include “Client A”, “Client B”, “invoices”.
Most importantly, think about how you will retrieve the information rather than grouping like with like. For example, should you file all of your client correspondence in one “Client A” folder, or does it makes sense to keep some correspondence in a “Project B” folder?
To physically place the paper documents, designate hanging folders for your highest level categories (“Clients”). The manila folders should then be used for your sub categories (“Client A”).
Should you use color? Absolutely. Color can be very advantageous. But, use it only to distinguish your large categories. You don’t want your filing cabinet to look like a party exploded in there. If you deal with a large number of paper files, or multiple people have access to them, consider creating a master index – derived from your Master Filing Structure – and keep in the filing cabinet.
Filing doesn’t have to be the most dreaded task in your office, and your filing cabinet doesn’t have to be a black hole. If you always file with retrieval in mind, you’ll be well on your way to an organized paper system.
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NEXT MONTH: Did you know that your furniture layout can contribute to your productivity? A few changes could dramatically decrease interruptions and increase efficiency. |
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Want more efficiency tips?  As a bonus, we'll send you our |
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Surprising Cost of Disorganization-- Executives waste 150 hours every year looking for misplaced information
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Quick ContactDiane Snead Email: diane@TypeAPO.com |
