It seems that pretty much everyone has stepped into the computer age, and there is not a business in the world that does not rely on computers for a lot of their work. Even organizations that are steeped in thousands of years of tradition, such as churches, are not immune to this, and you will find that most churches are finding ways to use computers to their advantage. Churches are using Paper Tiger Filing System Software for document management to set up their filing systems so that everyone on the church staff can find the files they need quickly.
You would probably be quite surprised to see just how much paperwork an average church has, and how many filing cabinets are filled to overflowing. The church is a business like any other, and it is necessary to be as efficient as possible so that time and money is not wasted. Most people don’t think of churches as businesses, but church staff must manage the money received just like any other business to be able to maintain the buildings and pay staff.
Church fundraisers are not the only way that churches acquire money, and everything they do must be accounted for. This means that they have to record information from all business transactions, which means a lot of paperwork. Don’t forget about all of the paperwork for weddings, funerals and other special services performed at churches. All of this information must be saved for future reference if needed, so again, there are more papers to be filed.
Then think about all the sermons and other service notes, and books that are referenced, and CD or DVD recordings. How are these maintained to be able to retrieve again when needed?
When church administrators make the switch from paper filing or document management software, they are doing their secretaries a huge favor. No longer will they have rely on memory or guess how someone else filed something or search through mounds of papers to find a particular file. After indexing everything into the software database, all it takes is a few clicks to conduct a Google-like search in the database and you’ll know exactly where the needed item is located. Not only does this make finding things easier, it also makes it so one can declutter the office.
If you work in a church office that is overflowing with paperwork, implement document management software to help you get organized. Even if your church is considering going to a paperless filing system, there are some things that can’t be scanned, as mentioned previously, i.e., books, CD and DVD recordings. In addition, things such as drama team props and costumes, children’s church items, youth group projects — basically anything that you can put a number onto, you can index so that your staff can find what is needed quickly.
It will make everyone’s work a lot easier, and if you are the person who usually takes care of keeping track of where everything is, it will definitely make your life easier, saving you time and energy.
See other information at Organizing Church Documents The Easy Way for tips on labeling and categorizing.
If your church is planning on scanning even some of the paper that flows through the church, try Google Docs. Unlike many digital filing systems, Google Docs is more cost effective in digital storage, and with Paper Tiger-Digital Tiger Filing System Software for document management, you’ll be able to search for both physical items and scanned or digital files from one search. This will make your time management and productivity even easier to maintain!
