Welcome to Paper Tiger Online, our web-based version of our original document management software for getting your paper files organized, the software designed to help you organize not only the paper in your life, but anything else that you can put a number onto. You will find our approach to dealing with paper not only easier than anything you’ve done before, but also, we predict, life-changing! For a glimpse of what is in store for you, we recommend previewing the training videos. Please note that the software screens in the Tutorials will not be exactly the same, but the thirty-minute multimedia presentation segments will show you step by step how Paper Tiger file management system works. Listen and watch as the team plans their attack on the paper jungle! They will show you how to reduce your paper pile; how to organize your files; and, how to launch Paper Tiger filing system software so that your document management system will run smoothly and efficiently—not just for now, but forever! Happy paper taming!
Here are a few key terms used in Paper Tiger:
Location is a physical Location for storing Folders, such as a file cabinet or a desk drawer that relates to a Location within Paper Tiger Filing System Software. A Location can also be used to index CDs, DVDs, Books, Keys, Storage Boxes, etc. See our Not Just For Filing Paper page for other suggestions.
Folder is a file folder, containing one or several related items. A hanging file folder may contain other file folders for subdividing papers or for taking files with you. “Folder” is sometimes used interchangeably with “file”, “hanging file”, or “item”.
Item Name is the descriptive name you give a Folder. “Museum Board Directory” might be the Item Name you give a Folder that contains a current phone and address list of museum board members. “Sales Reports 02” might be the Item Name you choose for a Folder containing each regional sales reports for 2002. A Folder or Item Name labeled “Warranties” might include sub-files for “Electronics,” “Major Appliances,” and “Outdoor Equipment.” Item name could also be a book title, or the singer on the CD, or the name of the movie on the DVD.
Keyword is any word, or words, in addition to the Item Name, which you associate with the contents of a Folder. Keywords for your Folder, “Sales Reports 2002” might include: NW region, monthly sales, or Tom Jones. You can find any Folder quickly by entering any of the keywords for the Folder, or the Item Name, into Paper Tiger’s Find function. Additional keywords for your books might be the author’s name and generally what the book is about. For CDs, it could be the names of the songs. For DVDs, it could be the actors and generally what the movie is about. Whatever keywords that you relate back to the item you are indexing, what you might think to search for when you need to find it later.
Category is a word or words you may use to classify groups of related Folders. For example, you may use the Category “Benefits” to classify the Folders, “401K,” “Stock Options,” and “Day Care.” The Category, “Services,” might include Folders for “Accountant,” “Graphic Artist,” and “Organizing Consultant.” You might assign categories for the different books you are indexing, such as, Self-Help, Gardening, Cooking, Sports, Novels, etc.
Action Files are files you use most frequently. There are two categories of Action Files:
Temporary Action Files are files of current projects or events that will come to an end, e.g., files on a new committee assignment or presentation notes for an upcoming meeting.
Permanent Action Files are files for tasks that require ongoing action, e.g., “Call,” “Pay,” and “Write.”
Reference Files are files you need to refer to from time to time. “Auto Insurance,” “Taxes – Current Year,” and “Time Sheets” are examples of reference files.
For a sneak preview of Paper Tiger’s plan of attack, crouch low, keep a keen eye, and follow the trail markers below:
1. After creating a Paper Tiger Online account, viewing the videos on our Why Paper Tiger page, either of the webinars, and/or the tutorial, log onto Paper Tiger Online at https://app.thepapertiger.com. You will first need to create a Database or import a Database from Paper Tiger Desktop version. If you do not already have Locations, Paper Tiger will ask you if you want to add a new Location now. Click on Add a Location. The Location dialog box will appear for you to enter information relating to the new Location. After entering each Location, a Location List window will appear. It will display all Locations entered, the capacity (number of Folders) for each, and the number of occupied items in the Location and the Review Frequency you chose for each.
We recommend you establish a physical Location for your Action Files—Permanent and Temporary—and for your Reference Files. Decide how many Folders you will need, approximately, in each Location. Tiger Tip: Place your Action Files in a file drawer or desktop file holder within hand’s reach!
2. Decide what type of filing system you will use—numerical or alphabetical. We strongly recommend a numerical filing system. Files easily stay in order in your file drawer and you don’t have to create new file tabs each time you add a file folder! And, you never have to move files to make room for a new one. Just put the new file wherever you have space in the first available open item that Paper Tiger will assign when you add a new item. Paper Tiger will help you create and maintain either system. You may even want a numerical system in one Location and an alphabetical system in another. It’s up to you; Paper Tiger allows its users to decide! Note: Paper Tiger’s default is numerical, so you would need to re-sort in the database by clicking the Item Name header to view alphabetically.
3. Gather your hanging files and your hanging file plastic tabs. Print hanging file tab inserts from the ‘Print Tabs/Labels’ tab in your database for each Location. Insert tabs into plastic tab holders. Slip each plastic holder, with tab inserted, into the inside front slots of your hanging files. With tabs on the front of the file folder, you can drop in papers easily by pulling the file tab toward you! Note: You can order pre-printed tab inserts for an additional $15.00 by contacting our office. These pre-printed tab inserts include Permanent Action Folders (e.g., Call, Write, Pay); numbered tab inserts for Temporary Action Folders (#1-60), and numbered tab inserts for Reference Folders (#1-320).
4. Now enter Item Names for your Folders into Paper Tiger. Click the Location in which you want to add a new item. Click on the New button at the top right of the screen, or to the left of the empty slot where you want to file the Item. In the pop-up box, name your Item, give it the appropriate keywords and any other additional notes, select or add a category, give it an action date if needed (If not, the action date will default to the date based on your Location’s Review Frequency, meaning if your review frequency is 2 weeks, the action date will be two weeks from the time you file the Item and every 2 weeks thereafter)
Each time you enter an Item Name for a Folder, Paper Tiger will automatically assign the Item Name to a numbered Folder. The total number of available Folders for any Location will correspond to the capacity you entered for each Location in the Location Wizard. (You can edit the capacity later, if for example, you want to add more Folders to a Location.)
5. After entering Item Names for your Folders, you will need to print a Item List Report, a report that lists, alphabetically or numerically, all Folders in a Location. Click on the Reports tab. Then choose which Report you want to view or print. In Paper Tiger Online, you can view Item List Report, Action Date Report, Transfer Report, and Cleanout Report.
This will be your back-up for when you’re traveling or in the event your computer is down for any reason.
6. Now, begin filing your papers! Refer to the Item List Report to locate appropriate Folders. If you forget a file name, remember, it’s no problem! Just click the Browse tab, enter any keyword for the file you need into the Search box, and the computer will pop up the Item Name and corresponding number for the Folder.
You are now well on your way to using a file system that takes the Aaagh! out of filing and retrieving. We will share more with you along the way, but we know you are eager to tackle the tiger, so… assume your position, and Take Charge!
The Fine Print: Our Company will proudly accept responsibility for our users’ big smiles, free time, salary raises, kudos from the boss, lowered blood pressure, or smug behavior toward those who have yet to discover this wonderful tool.
