Five Requirements for Success
1. Vision
2. Methodology
3. Tools *
4. Time
5. Motivation
A suggestion for a great tool that will help you get organized and save time … The Paper Tiger Document Management Software and Filing System is a very powerful, yet simple indexing system for the hanging files in your filing cabinet. It works like a search engine for your paper files! You can waste over 150 hours per year, just looking for lost information.
There’s many other uses for The Paper Tiger as well! Here’s to your success!
Managing paper in any office is an overwhelming task, because there is a seemingly ever-increasing mountain of paper files.
Whether you’re a small or large company, you must practice good time management and office organization techniques in order to control costs and provide excellent service. Constantly increasing staff productivity is a must. What is needed is a simple, but effective document management solution such as Paper Tiger Filing System Software and Document Management.
David Lawrence of David Lawrence and Associates said in a previous article, “Consider how much it costs to maintain inefficient paperwork and filing systems. If, as a direct result of not having efficient systems, it costs you and/or your staff one hour each day (this is probably conservative), and you used a $50-per-hour cost factor over the course of an entire year—the cost of inefficiency could top $12,000 in lost time ($50 x five days per week x 48 weeks).
There is an old saying in business that goes, As much as is possible, handle a piece of paper only once. Those of us who scan through paper mail and set it aside in an inbox, promising to deal with it later, may find that same piece of mail a couple of months later buried in a pile. Deadlines can be missed, important mail can be commingled with unimportant (or junk) mail…”
In that Financial Advisor Magazine article, Mr. Lawrence recommended Paper Tiger; and financial firms from around the world have found this software to be an invaluable tool for helping them better manage their office and get organized to stay on top of the virtual mountain of paperwork that they must deal with each day. It is the most efficient filing system available. You get all the power of the computer WITHOUT the risks and time commitment of paper scanning.
The Paper Tiger allows you to go ahead and set up hanging files with numbered tabs, so they are ready to drop your paper filing into.
When going through mail, decide what needs action, what should be filed, and what should be tossed. Stacks of paper files all over the office lead to frustration and inefficiency, which is costly in both time and money, so you must prioritize and decide on procedures to handle the paper that comes through your office. To create an even more efficient office, be sure to document your paper handling system and retention guidelines. This will ensure that everyone is organized in the same way and training on these procedures will be a cinch in the event of employee illness or staff turnover.
-Decide what is junk, and toss what should be tossed immediately.
-For items that need to be filed, the best practice would be to open the Paper Tiger database and input Item Name and Keywords for each item, then immediately drop into the corresponding hanging folder.
Or you could have a tray or folder on your desk where you can immediately place items to be filed. Then set aside 15 minutes to clear your desk at the end of each day, enter the necessary information regarding the ‘to be filed’ into the Paper Tiger database, and place the files into the corresponding hanging folder. (remember, the hanging folders are already set up, so you don’t have to worry about finding folders and making tabs)
-Prioritize action items. Decide if the action can be done immediately. If not, either delegate or check the deadline. Decide how long it will take you to complete the task, and work backward on your calendar. Schedule this start of action on your calendar. Input the Item Name and Keywords information regarding the action file into the Paper Tiger, and select the Action date to start. Place the item in the corresponding Action Item hanging folder.
The Paper Tiger is great for short-term action files, as well as long-term storage of files. Of course, purging of files should be a task that is done regularly according to your office retention guidelines and compliance with regulations to ensure your filing cabinets do not overflow with unnecessary or outdated files.
When you’re ready to purge files to archives or to recycle/shred, simply conduct a Transfer of the file(s) in the Paper Tiger database, print a report and then remove the physical files from your filing cabinet or desk drawer. (If transferring to archives, don’t forget to set the action date in Paper Tiger when a file should be removed from archive to recycle/shred. That way, you’re sure to keep up with the life-cycle of your document management system.) Then box the files you’ve removed and send to archive location or recycle/shred, whichever the case may be.
Making decisions regarding how paper should flow through your office and the life-cycle of document management and retention will go a long way in your staff time management, increased productivity and organization. As mentioned previously, when you document your paper handling system and retention guidelines (the schedule in the life cycle of documents in your office), you will reduce cost and legal liabilities. Keeping unnecessary files will result in over-stuffed filing cabinets or storage space. In addition, different types of files need to be kept or destroyed based on legal reasons and time-lines, which could result in civil or criminal issues.
See our Blog Category for Records Retention: How long should you keep records? for articles written from different sources, including the IRS, to help you decide document/records retention schedule for your specific needs.
By Stephanie Calahan, of Calahan Solutions and a Paper Tiger Expert
For years I have been telling people about one of my favorite personal productivity software products — Paper Tiger Filing System and Document Management Software. We’ve helped slews of clients implement the software along with other productivity systems as they claimed their Office Miracle™!
Today, I’m thrilled I can let the cat out of the bag and let you know that not only is the Monticello Corporation (makers of The Paper Tiger) re-branding, but they will also be launching an awesome new product very soon and you could be in on it by being a beta tester. Keep reading to learn more.
In 1998, The Paper Tiger software was released to the market and has since become the #1 Paper Management software product in the world! Tens of thousands of companies – large and small rely on it each day to “Find Anything in 5 Seconds or Less…Guaranteed!” Want to know more? Check out Paper Tiger Filing System and Document Management Software to learn more.
The Online Version Is Coming Soon!
In their formal news brief Monticello says:
“Now, we are very pleased to announce that The Paper Tiger software will soon be available on the Internet as a Web-based application! The full functionality of The Paper Tiger Windows-based software can now be found in your Internet browser (Microsoft Explorer, Firefox, Safari, Chrome, etc.) – very easy to setup and to use. If you like the Windows version of The Paper Tiger software, you will love the Internet version!”
I could not be more excited about this and about being on the Alpha testing team. I will be among a small group of professionals that will be trying out the software very soon. We’ve been providing our thoughts based on client comments and I’m “chomping at the bit” to get my hands on the software.
Screen Shot of the Soon to be Released Paper Tiger Online
For those of you that know and love your Paper Tiger, you’ll note that the interface looks very familiar.
“Conversions to Paper Tiger Online will be Painless”
The development team has assured me that anyone that has a current version of Paper Tiger will be able to seamlessly convert their data to the online version. That is one of the first things I’ll be testing when the Alpha opens. Do you have things you think I should test or suggest?
Mac Users Will Have Easier Access for their Document Management
While the desktop version of Paper Tiger could be used on a Mac, sometimes people had challenges making the Windows version work well. Mac folks out there…your day has come! You can now enjoy the full functionality of The Paper Tiger in the Online Edition.
Comment and Share
Are you a Paper Tiger lover? What do you think about the idea of an online version? If you sign up for the Beta testing, be sure to comment below and let me know. If you are an organizer interested in info on upcoming training, tweet me and let me know! @StephCalahan
We love getting your questions! Ask one or many! We review questions on a regular basis and publish in one of our blogs or newsletter.
To your success!
Steph
About the Author:
Stephanie Calahan is The Business Vision Catalyst and founder of Calahan Solutions, Inc. She works with purpose-driven entrepreneurs, visionaries, coaches, consultants, health practitioners, authors, speakers and all sorts of remarkable service professionals who are experts in their field, to help them embrace their brilliance, leverage their business and get their message out with power, ease and joy; so that they can make a powerfully positive difference in the world, exponentially grow their income and enjoy a highly-successful and meaningful business… while working less. Learn how you can have more freedom in your life! http://www.StephanieCalahan.com
To add your locations to The Paper Tiger Document Management Software and Filing System, follow these steps:
1. From The Paper Tiger main window, click the Locations button on the toolbar. The Locations window is displayed.
2. Click the New button. The Location Wizard is displayed.
Note: The first time you use the Location Wizard, you may wish to follow the instructions under the Step by Step tab…Or
3. Click the Summary tab.
4. Click in the Name field and type the name of the location, such as Action or Reference.
5. You can type notes related to the location in the Notes field. These notes may describe the physical location, such as lateral files in Bob’s office or the contents, such as Personal Files.
6. (Professional & Network Editions Only) The Paper Tiger can also remind you when you need to review the files in the location. To set up this reminder, select a time period from the Review Frequency drop-down list.
7. Type the number of files you expect to have in the location in the Capacity field, such as 100. This is just an estimate. You can always add more.
8. Click the Save/New button to save your new location and create a new one or click the Save/Close button to save your new location and exit the wizard. Your Location List is displayed again with the new location added.
9. Repeat Steps 2 through 9 for each new location.
These Location names can be anything you want them to be relative to what you are indexing The Paper Tiger way, i.e., CDs, DVDs, Books, Training Manuals, etc. For more examples, see our blog posts under the Category ‘Many Uses of The Paper Tiger‘ by Stephanie Calahan.
This article by Stephanie Calahan of Calahan Solutions and a Paper Tiger Expert, is a great source to get you thinking about how to set up your files in a systematic way so that you can find them again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
According to the National Association of Professional Organizers, it costs $120 in labor to track down a misplaced document or $250 in labor to recreate it. YUCK! Filing systems that work with the way you work are critical to cost management. The following tips will aid you in setting up systems to meet your needs.
File Only What You Need
Many of us (yes – I’m guilty sometimes) put things in files because it is easier to file it away than to make a decision. Recognize that your files are not dumping grounds. Do not put things in your files without first contemplating whether or not you can get rid of them.
Also see this article “Did You Know Paper and Other Things in Your Office Hold Emotion?” by Stephanie that you should find helpful when deciding what to file or not.
Create a File Index
A file index is one of the most important items that you can have to help you keep control of your ever growing pile of papers! List the location of each category and folder. That way, when you need to find your documents, you will have an easier time locating what you need. I use Paper Tiger Document Management Software and Filing System for my file management both at home and at work. I love it! Find Anything in 5 Seconds or Less With The Paper Tiger Software
Keep Fingertip Files at Your Desk
Fingertip files are those that you refer to all the time — phone lists, school directories, catalogs. They can be built into a great action system. What? You don’t have an action system? See my next point.
Reduce the Piles into Files
If you keep your files in piles on your desk because you need to see them, try using a rolling file cart. This keeps piles off your desk but in a place where you can see them at all times.
Or maybe you have those piles on your desk because you are afraid that you will forget to do something. Then, make an action system that will work for the way you work! Check out this demonstration for info on how to make your own action filing system.
Consider Off-Site Storage
If you are low on space, consider allowing a document management storage company to store your old records in an off-site facility, or you could relocate your files to a storage facility.
Avoid Paper Clips
Clip multiple-page documents together with staples or a binder clips, but avoid paper clips because they have a tendency to get caught on other pages.
Remember You Are Ever Changing, So Your Filing System Should Be Too
Your filing system should be a dynamic and ever-changing creature. Don’t be afraid to get rid of a category if you don’t use it anymore — or to add a new one if you need it. Consolidate folders that seem to go together under one larger heading, and split up categories into smaller pieces if your folders get too stuffed. Once a year, you should set aside time to purge the old and obsolete information from your files. If you follow these instructions, your filing system will serve you well for the rest of your life.
Use Color Coding for Your Files
Consider using a different color folder or tab for each section of files ex: all “financial” folders are green or have a green label. This makes it easier to find the file you need quickly and makes it easier to put folders back in the right place. You will now be able to put your hands on the folder you want almost instantly and run down the row of major categories until you find the right one.
Don’t Overstuff Filing Cabinets
There’s nothing worse than having to file papers in a file cabinet that is overloaded! Leave enough room in file drawers so you’re not using all your energy to get a piece of paper in or out.
That is it for now! I suggest that you only try to implement a few of these things rather than a bunch of them at once. Pick one or two that really speak to you, make them a habit and then add a few more.
To your success!
Stephanie
support@calahansolutions.com
Twitter.com/StephCalahan
Facebook.com/StephCalahan
PS: Don’t forget to keep your paper files in order with Paper Tiger Document Management Software and Filing System, which Stephanie highly recommends and also includes in her in-person or remote/virtual Office Miracle.
About the Author:
Stephanie Calahan is The Business Vision Catalyst and founder of Calahan Solutions, Inc. She works with purpose-driven entrepreneurs, visionaries, coaches, consultants, health practitioners, authors, speakers and all sorts of remarkable service professionals who are experts in their field, to help them embrace their brilliance, leverage their business and get their message out with power, ease and joy; so that they can make a powerfully positive difference in the world, exponentially grow their income and enjoy a highly-successful and meaningful business… while working less. Learn how you can have more freedom in your life! http://www.StephanieCalahan.com
Large corporations and government bodies deal with thousands of records every day. They come in different formats including paper based, emails, faxes, scanned photos and documents and digital recordings. But where do your records really go? What happens when you finish using them?
Many files are kept in a variety of different, and sometimes confusing, ways. Paper based files are tossed into filing cabinets with no rhyme or reason to a structured document management system, or left on an employee’s desk to be buried in an ever-increasing stack of documents. Emails are filed on someone’s computer or even deleted. CDs and DVDs get tossed in a drawer never to be seen again. Books, binders, training manuals all get shuffled and mixed on a shelf somewhere.
Add to that the fact that different people label files differently. For instance, if you currently use an alphabetical filing system, there’s a good chance that files will be stored differently using the company name, or by a person’s name, or even by the industry. A lot of duplication can occur in this kind of filing system, which can lead to employees only seeing part of a file instead of every document pertaining to the file. These methods can be bad for business, especially if critical information can’t be found because it is in a different file under a different name.
As time passes, and a company grows, these type problems keep escalating. That’s why a major change needs to be implemented to enable your company to streamline the management of all documentation into one single, workable method that can be applied to every file in the company.
A document management software like The Paper Tiger Document Management Software and Filing System that uses an indexing system is the smart, logical choice for such a filing system. Basically, anything you can number, you can easily index. With a document indexing system, you can keep every document, binder, CD, DVD, etc. easily accessible for everyone to find. You decide how to name the files using letters, numbers, keywords and contact names to uniquely identify every file for future retrieval. You simply enter the details of the file and its contents into the software database, print off the file title onto a label and attach it to your hanging folder tab or affix to the corresponding item. And the exact same method can then be used by every staff member to locate information needed.
This is an easy to use system because the next file you create goes right behind the last one created and there’s no need to stuff a file drawer just to make something else fit alphabetically.
The computer index can easily be accessible by everyone in the company. This means you reduce the amount of time staff members spend filing and trying to locate needed documents. If anyone needs a particular piece of a file, they simply check its location on the index and then retrieve it for themselves.
And documents will no longer get misfiled. Meetings and reports can be handled much more easily because you can locate relevant information by simply pressing a few keys on the computer. Thousands of hours that previously were wasted searching for paperwork can now be used more productively, which means you not only save money, but employees can also tackle more projects in less time. It is estimated that an employee can waste over 150 hours per year, just looking for lost information.
A hard copy printout of the index serves as a backup in case you have a computer crash or power failure. And you can even store a copy of the index offsite as well.
As companies expand their operations, there is a growing need for more space. Usually this means having to uproot furniture, file cabinets and more, possibly even moving to a larger facility. Using a document management system can actually eliminate this need, because so much of a company’s needed space is for documentation. Old files can be archived in boxes and moved without uprooting the employees.
Because every possible keyword associated with each file is entered into the index, you can easily see whether a document you need has been archived or is in the office without searching for untold hours. In some cases, this can mean that you have room to even expand your operations without having to move to bigger offices.
Document indexing saves money and time and increases productivity. These are all huge wins for the company. And they’re all positive factors that can be clearly demonstrated when discussing budgetary issues. In fact, the very files you need to prove the value of this system can be more easily found when the system is installed.
There is no longer a need to keep everything stacked on your desk for fear of losing it. With a document management software system, you can find things at the click of your mouse … oh, what a stress-free way to manage your paperwork!
If you’re wondering where your records really go, that becomes an easy question to answer with a few simple keystrokes when you opt for document indexing software.
You can better control and improve the whole process of document management so your company is more than capable of tackling whatever projects are put on its plate. Document indexing can free your staff to devote time to the really important work of doing their jobs, because all the filing hassles are now under control, both for today and for the future.
There are numerous ways to manage your organization’s documents, but this is still a task that companies struggle with every day. The war on document management is rapidly increasing in intensity as — through the use of computers that were supposed to get us to a paperless office environment — companies find themselves with more and more paper to manage all the time.
More than 40 percent of the workforce were born after 1975 and have grown up using computers. In fact, most of them couldn’t comprehend life without a desktop or laptop in today’s society. Because of this, document management systems need to change to keep up with the times and also to help these up and coming employees cope with the rapidly increasing volume of records to keep.
When paperwork is filed using a document indexing software system that can track file and document locations, as well as reduce the stress of losing documents and reorganizing files to make more room, not only would it leave space to file those newly added documents, but filing time would be greatly reduced as well.
With legal requirements that make it mandatory to keep some records for a certain period of time, or forever, older files that exist in paper form are typically archived to take up less space and make room for current files. The best way to maintain those archived files and make them easy to retrieve is with a computerized, indexed document management system that can label files as you specify and allow you to store them anywhere while still providing a way to find them when needed.
If your company chooses the right document management software, there could be a huge rise in productivity, without the need to increase one single hour of staff time, or add one single employee. This is true simply because document indexing can save hundreds or thousands of hours per year in filing and retrieving previously filed documents because of its uniquely smart process.
There are numerous reasons why computerized document indexing is winning the battle in the war on document management, and many benefits from its implementation:
• Staff morale will increase because employees are free to complete the more important tasks assigned to them when they don’t have to spend as much time filing and searching for documents they need.
• Staff members can attend meetings armed with all the pertinent information they need, so educated decisions can be made more readily regarding company procedures.
• And never again will a customer’s questions have to go unanswered because of a misplaced document.
Using an index filing system to manage your company’s documents means that all staff can have access to the same system. Everything can be filed correctly and uniformly so that any employee can locate needed information at any time.
This also eliminates the problem of file duplication and prevents the accidental loss or misfiling of paperwork. Desks remain free from excessive files and it’s much easier to get work done when you’re not buried up to the neck in paper.
You can move files from one location to another easily as well. Simply go into the document management software on your computer and change the location to where you will move your files and then just move the physical file to the new location. It’s that easy. This means you can archive files anytime they’re completed instead of waiting for a “free day” or “when you have the time.”
A computerized document management system can free employees for more incoming work, and allow them to better prioritize their work … a much easier task when they can actually see the tops of their desks!
When you keep a regularly updated, printed master copy of all your files, you never run the risk of losing your file management information either. Even if you have a power failure, you can still complete some work because you can access needed files and staff won’t have to just sit around waiting for the computers to be able to do something.
The document management war will probably last for a while, but introducing an effective and efficient document indexing system like The Paper Tiger Document Management Software and Filing System to your organization, will make life easier for everyone, leaving your employees with more time to focus on growing the company, and taking larger steps toward reaching your corporate goals.
In 1998, The Paper Tiger software was released to the market and has since become the #1 Paper Management software product in the world! Tens of thousands of companies – large and small, non-profits, government agencies & professional firms, rely on it each day to “Find Anything in Their Office in 5 Seconds or Less…Guaranteed!”
The full functionality of The Paper Tiger Windows-based software will soon be found in your Internet browser (Microsoft Explorer, Firefox, Safari, Chrome, etc.) – very easy to setup and to use. If you like the Windows version of The Paper Tiger software, you will love the Internet version!
And, you Mac folks out there…your day has come! You can now enjoy the full functionality of The Paper Tiger in the Online Edition. Everyone who signs up for the Beta program will be automatically entered into the April 3rd, 2010 drawing for a NEW APPLE iPad in your honor!
The Beta version of the Web-based product is soon to be released. The number of Beta testers is going to be very limited – if you are interested in testing the new version, simply add your name and email to the Beta list. We will notify you shortly if you are selected to participate in the Beta. Beta testers will have direct feedback into the new product. If you don’t make the first Beta release, stay tuned because we will be adding people continuously during the Beta period.
by Sherry Borsheim of Simply Productive and a Paper Tiger Expert
It’s almost that time of year again — tax time. As the clock counts down, it’s apparent that the only way to tackle this unavoidable task is by taking an organized approach.
If you haven’t already developed a strategy to eliminate last minute panic, doing so should top your list of priorities, right after you get through the current tax time crunch.
Start off by contacting your accountant to learn what critical information you need to include with your tax return, such as documents to support wages or other income received. Once you know what you’re looking for, collect all the records you need to file your return.
Next, separate all the papers into file folders. Here are some file suggestions:
* GST
* Donations
* Accounts Receivables Collected
* Financial Statements
* Paid Invoices
* Credit Card Receipts
* Debit Receipts
* Tax Deductions
If you need to correlate your expenses with your calendar, put the receipts in chronological order in envelopes in the appropriate file. Make note of what should be in chronological order for next year and do it as you go to save time. Now you’re ready to take the information to your accountant or enter the information into the tax form yourself. If you’re doing it yourself, consider using a computer program that double checks the return to ensure you’re getting all the deductions you deserve.
To make tax time a little easier next year, consider these tips:
- Use your credit card to make it easier to track tax-deductible items.
- Use your Paper Tiger Document Management Software and Filing System to create locations to keep all tax relevant information at your fingertips.
- Look into a computer program that manages financial information
About the Author
Sherry Borsheim, owner of Simply Productive in Vancouver, BC, Canada, has been helping people to work smarter, not harder for years. She specializes in resolving paper, time and information management issues. To learn more about eliminating the paper pile-up and in vastly improving your productively, contact Simply Productive at 604-233-7076. Follow Sherry on Twitter @sherryborsheim
You can visit Sherry, access her free article archive and grab lots of free stuff at http://www.simplyproductive.com. Sherry lives in Vancouver, BC Canada with her husband (her high-school sweetheart).
Also check out Sherry’s Calm Your Choas special that will give you a JUMP-START on ORGANIZING your office, home and life. She will give you her trade secrets and steps to setting up your organizing systems, including recommending Paper Tiger filing system software for document management, to be organized and manage the paper files that you need to keep in hard copy format and other physical stuff in your life.
Published with permission.
You may wish to transfer items from one location to another in your Paper Tiger database. For example, an Action file may no longer be active but you need to keep it as a Reference file. To transfer an item from one location to another, follow these steps:
1. In the Browser, display your locations by selecting the Locations tab.
2. Select the location you wish to transfer from.
3. Select the item you are transferring by clicking on the row selector in the left-most column of the Browser. Click the Transfer button, and the Transfer Wizard is displayed.
4. Select the Summary tab. (Note: The first time you use the Transfer Wizard, you may wish to follow the instructions on the Step by Step tab.
5. Select the type of transfer you are performing:
• Select the Move option button if you are deleting the item from the current location and moving it to a new location.
• Select the Merge option button if you are merging the item from this location into another item. If the Merge option is selected, the Wizard displays an Item Description drop-down menu. This allows you to select the item that you wish to merge into. (option not available in Basic edition)
• Select the Duplicate option button if you wish to leave the item in the current location and copy it to another location. (option not available in Basic edition)
6. Select the location you are transferring the item to from the New Location drop-down list.
7. If you selected the Merge option button, select the Item Description from the drop-down list. If you selected Move or Duplicate, skip to step 8.
8. To add an action date to the new item, select the Action Date field and type the date, or select a time interval from the drop-down list.
9. If you wish to confirm the transfer before it occurs, select the Require Confirmation check box.
10. Click the Transfer button. The file location is listed on the Transfers dialog.
Confirming Transfers
Transfers are items you are transferring from one location to another within the database. To display a list of your transfer items, click on the Confirm button or select Transfers from the View menu. The list shows all pending transfers, and allows you to confirm or cancel the transfer.
From the Transfers view you can:
This is a great source to get your desk organized and increase productivity, excerpted from an article, 5 Questions To Help Organize Your Desk from Productivity501.com. We suggest The Paper Tiger Document Management Software and Filing System to help you keep track of your files. The Paper Tiger is also an awesome tool to organize many other things in addition to paper files. See The Many Uses of The Paper Tiger
Look at your desk right now. Is it messy? If so, don’t feel too bad. It isn’t uncommon. This post is a series of questions to ask about the stuff that is currently on your desk. Asking these questions will help you find the cause of a messy desk and give you some ideas for stopping the disorganization at its root. This is vastly more beneficial than simply taking the time to clean your desk right now, because if you don’t change your process and organization, you’ll be back in the same position in a week or so.
Does your desk contain items that need to be filed?
If there are items on your desk that need to be filed, but haven’t yet been organized, ask yourself, “why”? Why are they still sitting on your desk? Is your filing cabinet too far away? Is the filing process a pain, so you set things on your desk rather than put them away? Right now on my desk I have several pieces of paper related to taxes that I haven’t filed. I really don’t have an excuse. There is a stack on a nearby desk that my assistant will scan into my paperless filing system, but I just put the paper on my desk instead of where it belongs.
Why would I do this? Over the past week, I’ve been very busy and I’ve set some items on my desk that don’t really belong there. If my desk were clean other than just those two or three pieces of tax-related papers, I would probably have put them away. So keep in mind that clutter causes clutter. Keeping an organized desk will help you stay organized. Keeping a cluttered desk will encourage you to put more on it because “one more piece of paper doesn’t really matter.”
Are there papers on your desk that require action?
This is a big area of desk clutter–things that require your action that you haven’t gotten to yet. Take a look at these types of papers and write a number in the corner (or on a sticky tab) indicating the number of minutes you feel it would take to deal with them, or at least take the first action that would be required. If you have a bunch of 2 to 5 minute items, you would probably be better off doing them as they come in. Is there a reason you didn’t just pay that bill when you opened it? Is there a reason you didn’t sign and send back that form when you got it? Understanding why you put off the action will help you understand how to keep those papers off your desk in the first place.
Papers that require longer action may be a bit more problematic. However, is your desk the best place to keep papers like this? At the very least, they should go into some sort of inbox so they will all be together. If you have a lot of papers that require action in the future, use some sort of tickler system to remind you when they need your attention. Of course, if you have papers that require attention, but not necessarily your attention, they can be delegated and put on your assistant’s desk or inbox.
Read the complete article 5 Questions to Help Organize Your Desk: http://www.productivity501.com/5-questions-to-help-organize-your-desk/7045/#ixzz0j1CMC9qx
Productivity501.com RSS feed or follow Productivity501 on Twitter.
Some people have lots of different jobs throughout their working lives. Others stay with the same company for many years. The long-term people see a wide variety of technological changes. Sadly, some find it hard to keep up. To maintain longevity, companies need to find a way to bridge the generation gap, technologically speaking. And the right document management system can help them do that.
In a large company, especially, there are often staff members ranging in age anywhere from 18 to 65 years of age, or older. If you stop to consider what type filing systems older people may have begun using when they began working or joined the business, you can easily understand why it may be difficult for them to manage a newer, computer-based system.
On the other hand, you have the younger people in their late teens and twenties who have literally grown up attached to a cell phone and a laptop. They probably don’t like the older, more tedious style of document filing, so you could even have a higher rate of turnover than you would like to see for this very reason.
No matter the age, people think differently about how documents should be filed. Then it’s a matter if those files can be retrieved later by any employee in the company!
The future of any company depends, in part at least, on how well it changes with the times and how well it handles new technological changes. The younger staff members of today will be tomorrow’s CEOs. The only logical choice to help bridge this technological generation gap, in both age and ability, is to introduce a system that is easy to learn, easy to use, and quickly standardized throughout the company.
That means every single member of the team, from the youngest new start, to the most senior CEO or company director, will work together as a team to initiate the change in document management all at one time.
An indexing system that’s designed to allow you, as a company, to select the criteria for labeling your files is vital. However, merely using an alphabetical or numerical system is too confusing, simply because everyone thinks differently.
You must be able to choose your company’s own style and designate that to be the official way to label and file your business documentation. Then everyone can work together, easily add more documents to existing files without running out of room, have the ability to locate files simply by checking a computer or hard copy index, and be able to clear their desks at the end of the day.
Using an indexing system to maintain your corporate documents offers greater efficiency for your staff because it reduces the amount of time needed to file individual documents, as well as the time required to create new files and retrieve documents or files at a future date. This type system will save thousands of dollars and free up a lot more time for staff to focus on the more important aspects of their jobs. And better productivity typically ensures greater employee longevity for the company—meaning less turnover.
Technology can certainly replace some functions that were previously only carried out manually. However, technology shouldn’t stand in anyone’s way when it comes to work. More people are working to an older age due to the different economic climate in which we live today. Some of the more senior employees have a wealth of experience and are actually the mainstays of the company. It would be sad to see those same valuable employees feeling forced to retire simply because they couldn’t cope with new document management software or a system that was far too complicated for them to understand.
If you take the wealth of experience of those senior employees, and add that to the drive, enthusiasm and familiarity with new technologies afforded your younger team members, you have a powerful team. Add a document indexing system they can all understand will almost guarantee your company can stay strong and have that vital edge over its competitors—in this one area, at least.
How often have you, or one of your staff members, faced the issue of being unable to locate a specific document? Good record management is vital for any organization. Every department can be affected by how well documents are managed. That includes sales, customer service, maintenance, repair, dispatch, inventory management, accounting, and more.
Locating the information you need quickly to provide answers to your clients and customers, as well as to company employees who are handling various issues such as billing or customer care, can result in a happy ending when documents are managed properly. And a document indexing system, like The Paper Tiger Document Management Software and Filing System is the best way to do that.
So bridge the generation gap in your company by selecting a computerized file indexing system to manage your documents and paperwork. You’ll be able to offer better service to your customers, improve the productivity of your staff, and increase employee morale and longevity. That’s a win-win situation all around.
These articles from Computerworld confirm that the paperless office is still a long way from happening. No matter how sophisticated your filing system, use The Paper Tiger Document Management Software and Filing System to keep your office organized and have the ability to find anything in seconds!
Paper prevails over electronic documents
by Mitch Betts
March 9, 2010 — Computerworld
Office employees are loath to give up the vast amount of paper stored in their filing cabinets, much to the chagrin of companies that sell scanners and electronic document management systems.
A recent survey by AIIM, an industry association representing vendors of such products, found that 62% of important documents are still archived in paper form. Even when documents are sent off to be scanned for archiving, 25% are photocopied beforehand “just in case,” the survey found.
“We are at last in a situation where *electronic archiving of records* (see excerpt below) is efficient, effective and can save huge amounts of space, and yet most office staff seem to be hanging on to paper in the mistaken view that there is some legal reason to do so,” said AIIM President John Mancini, in a statement.
“Despite the fact that the legal admissibility of scanned paper documents has been established for nearly 20 years and is nailed down in legislation and standards around the world, there is still this suspicion among users that they may need to produce the original paper copy at some stage,” Mancini said.
The survey also found that many documents are “born digital,” then printed out to be signed and later scanned into document systems.
*Paper cuts: Renewed efforts in the move toward the paperless office*
by Robert L. Mitchell
May 29, 2006 – Computerworld
Paper has been around in one form or another for 5,000 years. Paper money has been the preferred medium of exchange for business transactions for about 1,000 years. For the past 30 years, organizations have been trying — with limited success — to eliminate paper from business processes.
Businesses have made strides in reducing paper flows…but in some areas, however, the use of paper is likely to continue for the foreseeable future. Many people still have a cultural preference for paper-based output. For example, Sonora Quest Laboratories in Tempe, Ariz., is automating its medical test lab processes, but at the end of the day, health care providers still want a printout.
“A lot of doctors still want a hard copy. [They] like to show it to the patient,” says CIO Bob Dowd.
People like to have paper copies of documents that represent the final outputs of transactions, says Richard Harper, senior researcher, socio-digital systems at Microsoft Research. “Paper can act as the physical embodiment of a transaction,” such as an insurance policy, he explains.
Even that could eventually change. More than 40% of the workforce was born after 1975 and has always used computers, says Dunn. “They’ve learned to absorb and retain information from screen displays … and they look at paper as redundant,” she says.
Compliance by Hard Copy
Other documents, such as contracts, must be retained on paper for legal or regulatory compliance reasons. “As much as we’ve gone electronic in our core business, we still have contracts, trust agreements, etc., that are required to establish a relationship with the bank,” says Thum. Such documents are scanned, but electronic versions are complementary.
“I would be surprised to see actual, legally binding documents maintained in purely electronic form,” says Ernie Harris, product manager at Raymond James Financial Inc. in St. Petersburg, Fla. The financial services firm uses imaging technology for inbound documents and faxes, but the desire to eliminate paper-based transactions with customers is tempered by regulatory requirements and a cultural preference for signed forms. The company processes hundreds of thousands of paper-based requests to open, update or change customers’ accounts each month.
That paper adds up quickly. A new client who is retired typically opens at least six accounts and signs 20 to 30 pieces of paper, says Harris. Currently, 50% of the company’s transaction requests come in by mail or fax.
Raymond James aims to address that by creating dynamic documents that consist of a common form and modules that can be integrated based on a customer’s needs. “You only have to sign one contract. Now we’re talking about signing one, two or maybe three pieces of paper [instead of 30],” Harris says.
Even though many businesses are storing documents digitally, many originals must still be stored for compliance or legal reasons.
Will there always be paper in your office? Do you think we will ever get to a ‘paperless office environment?’ Comment and let us know your thoughts on paperless office or not.
Read Paper prevails over electronic documents by Mitch Betts full article here.
Read Paper cuts: Renewed efforts in the move toward the paperless office by Robert L. Mitchell full article here.
It does not matter what country you live in. Your sex and age are both irrelevant. Religion and race cannot alter the one thing everybody has in common. You only get 24 hours in a day. For businesses to increase profit without increasing expenditure, improve your productivity through better time management.
In every business there are jobs that staff enjoy. Then you have other jobs that are just as important, but staff and management do not particularly like doing. It is a proven fact that if you enjoy doing something, you do it well. Conversely, if you would rather not be doing something, you do it as quickly as possible and not usually in the most efficient manner.
The single biggest time waster in any business is record keeping/filing/document management. This is because most businesses use outdated systems that are no longer efficient. Staff generally hate the mundane tasks associated with record keeping and thousands of hours are wasted every year because everyone is too busy to spend time looking for a solution.
Stop looking! The answer is literally at your fingertips. The Paper Tiger Document Management Software and Filing System can free up hundreds, or even thousands, of hours currently being wasted using archaic filing systems. This is a company’s biggest hidden cost and is often overlooked. The best way for you to improve overall productivity and time management is through the utilization of a standardized indexing system.
No longer will staff make up their own minds about how to file things. Gone are the days of cluttered desks and documents being misplaced because people cannot be bothered taking the time to correctly file your important documents. You will no longer be forced to make uninformed major decisions because you could not locate a particular document at a crucial time.
The Paper Tiger is the right document management system and is easy to learn and implement because it blends in with whatever your current guidelines are. There will be a universal way of storing all documents so that everybody, from the CEO of the largest corporation to the newest girl in administration, can both file and locate any document at any time.
Simply make some decisions as to how you will name your files. They can be names, numbers or whatever combination you choose, then enter keywords and/or additional notes relating to each document.
Current files will be right at your fingertips whenever you need them. They can be kept in a desk drawer or a filing cabinet and the records are input into the software program for everyone to see and add to as required. This saves time if other people need a document from a file from anywhere in the office.
Older, archived files can be stored elsewhere, either on-site or off-site and still indexed in the exact same way. Anything not needed can be deleted or shredded. Gone are the days of cluttered desks, overflowing in-trays and piles of documents sitting wherever there is an empty space. A clean desk gives you more time to focus on the important work.
If you have 100 employees and each one saves one hour a day on filing, that equates to an extra 100 hours every day that can be used more productively. That is the equivalent of having an extra 12 people working for you each day. Productivity will soar without having to increase costs.
Imagine staff coming to work and sitting at clean desks each day. No more sad faces. There will be plenty of extra time to finish important tasks. Some data entry has to be done to manage their record keeping along the way, but not enough to get stressed about. Happier staff means less sick days and higher retention of current staff, which saves countless hours training new people.
An indexing document management software that is easy to learn, simple and quick to operate, and fits in without too much effort, will improve the time management skills of every single person in the company.
Record management is a vital part of any business and has to exist in one form or another. Utilizing the most efficient form of indexing means that you are meeting all the legal requirements of document retention. No more uninformed decisions because you cannot find the document you desperately needed for that last minute meeting. No more chasing receipts at tax time. Everything is fully indexed in your computer.
You can improve your productivity through better time management by changing the way you handle filing and document management. By making a small investment, increased productivity will save you hundreds or thousands of hours and dollars, both now and in the future.
Make sure you always keep your physical files in sync with The Paper Tiger Document Management Software and Filing System. When you increase the Capacity of a Location, print the corresponding number of new tabs or labels to match.
