One of the most common New Year’s resolutions ever made is that of getting organized. Every year, at least a few of the people that you know, yourself included, will announce that things are going to get organized in their home office, their business office and their entire home. But, just like the resolutions that involve weight loss efforts, these are often started with great enthusiasm, but left unfinished by the end of January.
There is no need to think that because January has come and gone that you have missed your window of opportunity. It is never too late to commit yourself to finally getting organized.
Paper Tiger Filing System Software for Document Management cannot help you lose extra pounds, but it can help you finally get organized. Choosing just the right system will not be one of those that require expensive and tedious scanning of papers to organize. Instead, you can leave your physical paper files already set up in your filing system, and index each document into the software’s database with keywords. When you need a file, you can then conduct a google-like search in the filing system software. When you file away your documents and you have confidence that you’ll be able to find them again because you’ve indexed all your paper files in the software, you will be better organized and won’t have to shuffle through stacks and stacks. You will know exactly where things are and what you want to find.
In addition to saving you time when you set up your organizational files and when you need to look for something, this filing system software saves you effort and frustration as well.
There is another bonus since you are not required to scan to be able to index items, so you’re not limited to just flat papers and files with your organizational efforts. With the document management scanning systems, you are limited to just the items that can be scanned … in other words, nothing bulky, nothing oversized and nothing oddly shaped. But what if you have a number of file folders, thick books and other items that need to be organized? With the other systems, that might mean that you have one system in place for papers and a complete different system in place for everything else. The more systems that you have in place, the more likely you are to find that everything is completely out of place, and defeating your purpose because it will be harder to maintain the organizing system you’ve put in place.
The advantage of choosing just the right system is that you can index anything that you can put a number onto. You are not limited to paper files.
After indexing your items into Paper Tiger Filing System Software for Document Management, you click the mouse, type a keyword to search in the database, and then you’ll know exactly where to find what you need.
Accomplishing the task of getting organized will free you of clutter and the time-consuming frustration of looking for lost information and other items; and that will give you the time to tackle another resolution. Finally, a new year’s resolution that you can keep!
Here is an interesting fact that you should know: while most people assume that they can throw away or destroy their tax papers and other documents after a few years, that is not always true. In some cases, you might be legally required to hold onto all of these documents forever. The minimum period that you will have to keep them is three years. Three years is a very long time to have to deal with an unorganized and slap dash mass of papers and receipts. Even if you are one of those people who can actually get rid of your papers in three years time, isn’t it worthwhile to have them filed correctly for that time period? Paper Tiger Document Management Software can help you get organized and stay organized. You will be rotating papers in and out of your system every single year. Taking the time to get organized once now can save you years of grief as well as possible legal issues.
During an audit, you might be asked to provide documentation that goes back many years. The IRS will not care that you don’t have your papers in a file nor will they give you benefit of the doubt if you say you cannot “find” something. That is not their problem, and they may penalize you further for everything that you do not produce when asked. And, once you have been audited once, your chance of being audited again will increase for many years in the future; making it absolutely vital that you keep the files and papers organized and easy to find. That is where the Paper Tiger filing system is going to become a vital and life saving tool.
Scanning items can be very time consuming and some things just can’t be scanned. By the time you are done scanning all receipts, tax forms and other documents, you will still have to figure out where to store them digitally and a way to find what you’ve scanned. Why bother? Paper Tiger is not a paperless filing system, so you do not have to scan your paper documents. You would simply input the information into the document management database relating to your physical files so that you can find everything that you need with nothing more than a simple to use search on your computer. If you have ever used a search box to look for information, you are capable of using the Paper Tiger filing system.
Imagine that you are searching for documents and receipts for the fiscal year ending 2010. You type that information into the search box and you see the corresponding item number so you can go directly to that file without any time consuming searching or fumbling through drawers or boxes or stacks depending on how you stored them previous to indexing in Paper Tiger. As you cycle new documents into the filing system, you just add new item names and keywords into the database to match your physical files. New files and new documents that are created will fit seamlessly into the Paper Tiger filing system.
And how to archive is simple with Paper Tiger. You would have a Location in your database named ‘Archives’, then simply conduct a Transfer Move of the file or files being moved to the Archive Location within your database. Paper Tiger will assign a file number in your Archives file to move the file to in the physical location. You can archive the previous year’s tax information to a box or filing cabinet in storage room or basement. (wherever you keep the files that you don’t need in your main filing cabinet)
In addition, if you need the same hanging file folders under the same name for the current year’s files, you could instead conduct a Transfer Duplicate to duplicate these files to Archives. Then you would simply change the date of the original file tabs (both in the database and in the physical file location) to be able to have a location for your current year’s files.
To start with Paper Tiger Document Management Software, you would first set up all hanging file folders in your file cabinets at one time using the numbered tabs that you print out from the software and they never change. You input information relating to each document in the database’s digital file location. You can give the document any name you want without any worry about finding it later. This is because the system will allow you to tag keywords that describe all documents that you put into your hanging file folders. For documents that you want to add to the same file, simply edit the Item in the database and add additional keywords necessary for the new document(s). When your physical files have been indexed into the database, the easy-to-use search engine virtually eliminates lost information in your office, as well as eliminating filing the same subject matter under different names because you’ve forgotten what you filed it under previously.
Because the hanging file folders are already setup and waiting for your information, you also eliminate the time-consuming hassle of having to find and create a file folder tab each time you want to file something.
See also our blog post Tax Time Organizing by Deanne Kelleher of Kaos Group for tips on how to get organized for tax time and how to transition old tax files out to get ready for the current year filing system.
Do you also need to know how long to keep records? We have several articles under the Retention Guidelines: How Long Should I Keep Records? category that you might find helpful.
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Click below to listen to interview with Sherry Borsheim. Play
JANET: Hi, I’m Janet Baker, office manager of The Monticello Corporation, makers of Paper Tiger Filing System Software for document management. We have with us today, Sherry Borsheim of Simply Productive. Sherry is also the founder and past chair of Professional Organizers of Canada, British Columbia Chapter and she’s also an authorized consultant and trainer for Paper Tiger Software System. She is a certified productivity training authorized consultant and as a speaker, trainer and coach, Sherri shares proven strategies and solutions that work in the real world and can be customized to fit with her clients then motivates the audience to take specific action steps. They will leave feeling informed, motivated, and energized. Her clients are individuals whose demanding roles require that they perform at peak efficiency. From corporations to small businesses and homeowners, Sherry’s clients have received maximum results in paper, space, e-mail, and time management. Sherry’s unique approach to organizing provides a seamless integration between technology and the working environment. With a number of unique software programs and her personal touch to organization, Sherry has assisted many in finding what they need, when they need it. Her mission is to streamline and simplify!
Sherry is the author of the books, Conquer Your Chaos, Fast Forward to Office Efficiency and Conquer Your E-Mail Chaos. She has also been a guest on local radio and television programs, including the Makeover Wish on HGTV and The Xpress on Shaw TV.
Sherry, wow that’s some bio you have there! Welcome!
SHERRY: Thanks but more importantly it’s about how clients feel at the end of the day in their office and how the systems work for them.
JANET: Absolutely! We thank you for agreeing to meet with us today. We admire what you do and especially appreciate you helping clients implement Paper Tiger when they need it.
SHERRY: Well I love Paper Tiger and it was actually when I started my business that I found out about Paper Tiger Filing System and it completely revolutionized and my business did a complete turn of events and I love Paper Tiger because of what it does, so I’m a big fan.
JANET: Thank you! Tell us, what is your most favorite thing that Paper Tiger fixes? or your most favorite thing that your clients use Paper Tiger for
SHERRY: Paper Tiger solves a huge issue in offices whether there’s one person or there’s multiple staff and where did I file it? So what happens is people leave paper all over their desk in fear of not being able to find it again, so how you’re able to do that which leads me to my favorite feature is the keyword search, because in companies before for 23 years when I was creating a filing system, I only had so many words that I could get on a file label and I had it all indexed in Excel and files were all numbered, but what was missing was the keyword search. If I had thought of that, it would’ve been a different story because if I wasn’t in the office, a lot of times I’d get a phone call “where is that file?” because the keywords I associated with a particular file will be different than someone else in the office and so the keyword search just allows everyone in the office or those using the filing system to be able to enter in those trigger words or those keywords that they associate to the file or the box or whatever you’re using Paper Tiger for because there are just so many applications. So the keyword search is so powerful and when I showed my clients, they just all of a sudden have an ‘aha! moment’ and they get it and the light bulb goes off. So it just revolutionizes the way people retrieve their information.
JANET: What are the problems that the majority of your clients hope to solve when they hear about Paper Tiger?
SHERRY: The biggest problem that Paper Tiger solves and the reason why people call me in the first place is their paper. Whether it’s in their home or their office. They don’t know where to file things and if they do file it away, they can’t find it. So what it solves is the ability to share their information and it gives them a filing system that now becomes a retrieving system. So when I set up a central file location, most offices have either done away with their central files or if they have a central file, it’s like a black hole and nobody can find anything in the filing cabinet. But when you use the Paper Tiger filing system in a central filing or in a storage room of which I do a lot of those of archiving boxes and maps, annual reports, all this historical information, financial records and stuff, people are able to sit at their desk, type in a keyword and Paper Tiger will tell them whether it’s in a central file or if it’s in someone’s office if you set it up that way or if it’s in a storage room and exactly what blocks of files it’s in, so that’s the problem that it solves and that’s why people call me.
It’s amazing that people will find out about Paper Tiger from the website and I have lots of different industries that call me, and I haven’t even talked to them about it. They call me to try and find out more in Canada about Paper Tiger so it really does speak for itself.
JANET: Do you find Paper Tiger is used mainly by the admins in the offices or managers or a mix of the two?
SHERRY: Everyone in the office from CEO down. It saves administrators a lot of time because a lot of people don’t like to file, but it actually becomes a fun-filing and I had that shift nine years ago. I had this love-hate relationship with filing so when I implement it in an office, it’s from the top down. Everybody uses it, so it’s not just for administrative assistants, or just managers, it’s for everyone.
JANET: That is quite a bit of a difference between the old alphabetical system, isn’t it?
SHERRY: Oh, night and day! You have no idea because the alphabetical breaks down over time and you have to shift everything in the filing cabinet or there’s no space on the shelf for the next box. It just doesn’t work. So if you have more than 75 files, Paper Tiger is definitely going to solve a whole bunch of problems down the road. And the other cool thing is, if you are in an organization where you have turn over of staff in the administrative positions as well, it takes less than 30 minutes to train somebody on how to use Paper Tiger because an 8-year-old can use it. So it solves that problem as well and as to a previous question, it solves that turnover or someone coming in and setting up a system that’s so foreign to everyone else. So when someone takes over a position within an organization, they literally could open up the filing drawer and go ‘hmm, there’s only numbers on here; I wonder what those mean.’ If someone has told them about the software, they just have to type in a keyword and they’re up and running. So they don’t have to revamp a filing system and that’s a huge time-saver for those stepping into new positions.
JANET: Absolutely. I have had a number of new jobs, and it is overwhelming to try find files for a new boss and there is no way of knowing what the past employee thought.
SHERRY: Yeah, believe me I’ve seen everything. I had one filing system where the file folders were labeled on both sides of the file folder and for three years, they would open up the filing cabinet and they didn’t know which way to stand and which side, because the files were all mixed up. So for three years, they couldn’t find anything. It was a black hole. Very stressful.
Yes it is very stressful for something as simple as filing seems to be, it is a very stressful thing, especially if you can’t find what you’re looking for.
SHERRY: No so then you’re probably re-creating it or wasting all this time trying to find it so it’s a huge time waster.
JANET: Can you tell us briefly how you implement Paper Tiger in your clients’ offices most effectively?
SHERRY: I will do a quick little demo and I can do that either live on my laptop or I will take them to the Paper Tiger website and they can see a quick little demo on Paper Tiger and then when they think this could solve their problem. Then what I’ll do is, we will implement it in the office and I love that you have the online version now, because it just makes it so simple and easy. I send you an email and it’s up and running. I will work with the staff person either over the phone who implements the first 20 files into the Paper Tiger filing system or if I’m on-site I’m entering them in, setting it up, attaching the numbers and once we get a few files set up, and then I turn it over to them to give them the hands-on experience, and that’s when they have the ‘aha! moment. So they’re up and running literally so quickly versus any other filing system, the learning curve or the process in figuring out how to set it up, is a lot more and saves a lot of time just getting it up. It really is as quick as just starting with a piece of paper on the desk and asking what are some keywords that you would associate with this piece of paper. If you want to file it away, type them in and in less than 30 seconds you’ve got the file set up, you attach the number and you’re done. So it’s really quick.
JANET: Do you find that your clients’ are easily maintaining Paper Tiger after you leave their office?
SHERRY: Yes, as I mentioned, I’ve been using Paper Tiger for nine years and I have clients that have been using it for nine years. I recently had someone who had moved from one city to another. His first phone call within the first hour of him arriving at his office, was a call to my office asking me to send him a new license of Paper Tiger filing system software. I said, wow you don’t waste any time, and he said I cannot live without it. And I have another client, he’s moved to four different offices and every time he calls me, and tells me I got to have Paper Tiger filing system, because I can’t find anything and so they just want to get up and running as quickly as possible. So yes, they are still using it after all these years.
JANET: Awesome! Tell me, what do your clients have to say when you have helped them get their offices organized versus what they would have been able to do without your help? Basically what benefit do you provide to them?
SHERRY: The overall benefit is the peace of mind that they will find it, but the initial benefit is when I show up in an office or a scheduled time on the phone to help them get set up; the scheduled appointment and our focus is to get them up and running, to get their office, the top of their desk and their system set up as quickly as possible. A lot of people have good intentions, and they are just busy, and so they don’t set aside the time. So when we have a scheduled appointment to set up their Paper Tiger filing system, it just gets done, because I keep it focused and I keep it on track and I’m there for them to ask questions and also just clarity on how to use the software and also what is the best system for them because it is so easy to customize Paper Tiger filing system to any industry or any client I’ve worked with. So the end of the session, it’s like ‘wow a hundred pound weight was lifted off their shoulders’ and you can see it melt away and their body language changes and ‘wow, I can actually open up my filing cabinet and it looks organized and I know I can find something.’ It’s weight and also they love the dramatic result that the top of their desk is finally cleaned off and their papers are safely put away.
JANET: Wow that sounds really awesome! Well Sherry, thanks again for joining us today. I really appreciate your agreeing to interview with us. I know that your insight will be so helpful to those listening today.
SHERRY: My pleasure.
Sherry Borsheim of Simply Productive. Sherry 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.
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.
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Whether you are running a small business of your own or are employed in a large organization, office management is something that holds a lot of importance. With the right tools at your disposal, you can declutter and start getting organized. One tool to put in your arsenal is Paper Tiger Filing System Software for document management to make your life at work easier. For one, it saves you a lot of effort. Secondly, it assists with time management.
Many of us believe that filing systems are complex and difficult to use. In fact, these systems are extremely simple and can be learned very quickly. You can get a filing system that has an inherent document management system, paper management system and a record management system that allows you to declutter your office and manage your time more efficiently. These filing systems are not very costly and would not burn a hole in your pocket. Here are some advantages of using filing systems:
Keep Track of Changes Being Made
Every document has a life cycle. Once a document has been generated, it is filed and used over a period of time before it becomes redundant and is tossed into the wastebasket. You can keep track of the life cycle of the document with a document management system. A filing system that has a transfer feature helps keep track of each of the files that have been indexed. You can move your files, merge them with others, duplicate them or simply send them to the shredder – a record can be maintained.
Move Your Files Only After Confirmation
When you are using a filing system software, the decisions you make about your paper files are easier. You won’t have to worry about finding your files again when you’ve indexed them in the software’s database. You can move the files according to your own convenience. You can do your office filing from home or while you are on the road by using the file clean-out report. The physical files are moved only after you give the system confirmation. While the filing system does make your life easier, it would not perform actions on its own so you always know what’s happening with your files. Once you have moved files in the database, you can physically move them and synchronize the database in your filing system software.
Get Prompted When Your Files Need Attention
You can put action dates in advance so that the filing system can remind you when the actionable files are due for attention, or for those files that have to be moved, merged, copied or removed. You can also move files to archives so that you do not have to buy more filing cabinets. This makes it easier for you to get reminded every time you need to perform an action with the files.
How to archive is simple with Paper Tiger. You would have a Location named ‘Archives’ in Paper Tiger, then simply conduct a Transfer Move of the file or files being moved to the Archive Location within your database. Paper Tiger will assign a file number in your Archives file to move the file to in the physical location. You can add notes if you need to regarding the archived location.
Filing Systems Can Help You Manage Other Organizational Tasks
There are comprehensive filing systems that help you manage other tasks well. You can keep track of office supplies and also index books, video, CD and DVD collections. With Paper Tiger, virtually anything that you can put a number onto, you can index. There are many different functions that an efficient filing system can perform for you.
The words ‘office management’ should not make you uncomfortable. With Paper Tiger Filing System Software for document management at your disposal, you can get organized in no time!
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You will seldom come across an organization that has more filing work required than a government organization. There are tremendous amounts of paperwork generated in government agencies and these documents can simply overwhelm you if you do not file them properly. Alphabetizing and filing these papers can be extremely time consuming and very frustrating. Paper Tiger Filing System software for document management will not only save time, but it will help maintain a decluttered environment and impeccable office management. Filing systems can similarly benefit schools and professionals, as well as consultants. Both schools and professionals generate a fair amount of paperwork, and keeping track of it can be really exhausting.
In addition, with this amount of paper files, it would be also be extremely difficult and time consuming to move to a paperless office. Document scanning can take more time and energy than your staff has to expend.
Government Agencies
Government agencies deal with things on a very large scale. There are thousands of names in thousands of different folders and each of these papers is extremely important. Imagine misplacing a file in a sea of thousands of such files. Searching through thousands of files for a single sheet of paper can be like searching for a needle in a haystack, but not if you have an efficient filing system in place. Indexing paper files in filing system software can simply help you search through your files with just a few keystrokes on your computer keyboard. Sitting right at your desk, you can find out where you have placed a particular document, so that you do not have to waste time searching for it.
Schools
Schools generate a lot of documentation as well. There are a lot of paper files, books, stationery and test papers that are filed in various filing cabinets. The administrative reports of the school, documents of each of the students, time tables, teachers’ records – the list is never ending. With the help of filing system software, a school can get organized. Teachers can concentrate on doing their job, teaching students, without having to worry about where they placed documents.
Professionals and Consultants
Even professionals who work with a small staff need a filing system as much as a government agency does. There are a large number of items that need to get organized in the offices of professionals. If you have file management software, you can index all your files. You will not only be able to key in the titles of these files and documents, but can also associate keywords with them. This makes finding your documents or your office supplies a lot easier.
An Indexing System to Help You Get Organized
It is estimated that the average businessperson wastes 150 hours per year looking for lost information. With the help of Paper Tiger Filing System software for document management, an efficient document management system that doesn’t require scanning, implementing and maintaining your filing system into this software can help you get organized and will go a long way in office and time management as well.
Paper Tiger is an indexing system for your physical files that has a very powerful and easy-to-use search engine built in so that lost information is virtually eliminated in your office. You would simply input the information into the database relating to your physical files.
Keep your paper in its original form (again, you do not have to scan it) and use the power of the computer to quickly and easily find the information when you need it. You get all of the best things from the computer but do not have the problems of using a scanner. Paper Tiger can index anything! Some things just can’t be scanned, i.e., contracts, binders, books, CDs, DVDs, etc. That cannot be done with systems that require scanning into an electronic file.
For paper filing, you would first set up all hanging file folders in your file cabinets at one time using the numbered tabs that you print out from the software and they never change. You input information relating to each document in the database’s digital file location. You can give the document any name you want without any worry about finding it later. This is because the system will allow you to tag keywords that describe all documents that you put in your hanging file folders. For documents that you want to add to the same file, simply edit the Item and add additional keywords necessary for the new document(s).
Because the hanging file folders are already setup and waiting for your information, you eliminate the time-consuming hassle of having to find and create a file folder each time you want to file something.
When you’ve converted your files to Paper Tiger, and you need to find a file, you simply conduct a google-like search in the database to find where your file is located.
Please view our videos on our Why Paper Tiger page, which may help you understand better.
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I used to work as a Senior Operation Supervisor in an Offshore facility for Shell in Brunei. This was in 2001. We worked on a shift system where I am on duty for a week offshore and a week off onshore.
One of our main challenges was handover to our back to backs. Most times based on how priorities come and go, usually we do not always get to execute tasks handed over to each other. This can be very frustrating especially when related documents and drawings cannot be found when misplaced.
I bought the desktop version of Paper Tiger Filing System software for document management around that time and started utilizing it. I brought in drawer cabinets with hanging files and used the basic set-up techniques. It did not take long for me to reflect the existing set-up of the office into Paper Tiger. I knew my back to back was not very friendly to changes.
For instance, the shelf where all the physical folders I reflected under location Shelve A and included the physical files/folders as items and named as they were so as not to create much change.
I really enjoyed the nights when I sat in my offshore office and went through all the documents and used the process of file and eliminate. Before I knew it, the office looked absolutely free without clutter. As I was filing the papers, documents, and drawings, I was already writing physically on each document which hanging file folder they should go back to when necessary to pull and then return to file.
I then worked on the reminders. This took some time, but I made time. By the time I was finished, I felt completely relaxed and I felt a heavy load was off my shoulders, mainly because after 4 years, I was able to go through every single physical drawing, paper and document. I cannot believe we were storing a lot of rubbish in the office.
The next day my other colleagues were wondering why the office looked neat and with absolutely no clutter at all.
When my back to back came offshore, I told him all about Paper Tiger. He was very impressed with the search engine. He was happy and promised he will work on it. We realised that we had a better understanding coupled with respect for each other, and handed over seemlessly, effortlessly. We use to joke that we have a hand over called ‘bumpless hand over’.
The reminders were great, because we used it for looking into important issues and what we needed to plan for.
However in 2003, Shell decided to introduce the GID system and any software used will require permission and required scripting. Both of us became desperate and by the the time GID was rolled out, we were transferred onshore. My energy to restart with Paper Tiger failed on me.
Since 2007 April, I took over the role of Operation Installation Manager in the Onshore Asset. Last year 2010, I was thrilled to see Paper Tiger coming with the web based system. You can guess, I immediately took advantage with my energy coming 10 times strong-fold. I am in control and I have a secretary who does the filing in the morning. Great stuff. I want to be one of the demo users for the digital versions.
From Devarajan.N
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Office Meltdown
In today’s business environment, your staff (or you individually) must be very productive and not waste time on such things as looking for files. Disorganization is a major cause of stress in offices. Being really organized and streamlined is no longer an option, but rather a requirement for business survival. In addition, if you have staff turnover and lose your administrator – who would really know how everything is filed?
Imagine that you are a busy executive with an office staff of around twenty people. Of those, three people are in total control of the entire filing system, handling all of the paper that comes in and out of the office. These three people all work well as a team, but there are some issues with others in the office. Interoffice politics are starting to come into play. One of the three people has decided that she is not appreciated and she leaves without any kind of warning. There are now only two people who are handling the filing system for the office.
One week later, one of the remaining two people announces that she has a family emergency to take care of and goes out on an immediate and potentially long-term leave. The remaining person is given one person to train, which means that while there were once three people doing this job, there is now only one; and in addition, she gets the extra work of training someone.
This is where Paper Tiger Filing System Software for Document Management comes in. This filing system would not leave you relying on just one person or even a team of people for your filing or retrieval needs. Everyone can have access to the same database of indexed files from anywhere that they have internet service. Working with this type of office filing system means that you can have access to all of the “papers” (including books, contracts and other items that may be more difficult to deal with because Paper Tiger does not require scanning) and files that you need and that you can give all of your team members the same advantage as well. You can access the database and know exactly where the item you are looking for is located.
People are not the only cause of filing system break downs, though. Duplicating files is common when you’re not indexing your paper files in filing system software. People in an office environment can file things in very different ways. Actually, the same person can file things in a different way on different days – depending on how they are thinking and feeling that day.
Also the more you have to shuffle through your hanging folders, the more likely there will be to have some damage to those files that will require replacement, therefore costing additional expense. Instead of doing the dig and shuffle, you will know exactly where your item is with a simple Google-like search in the software’s database.
You can save as much as 150 hours of time each year, and that alone should be worth the consideration. Every minute that you save can be as much as a dollar earned by you, so always do whatever you can to get organized and declutter and prevent office disasters. Your office will be less stressful, and so much more productive.
By using Paper Tiger Filing System Software for Document Management, your business will have an index of all your paper document resources, just like you have a chart of accounts for your accounting. This will allow you and your staff to focus your time on more productive efforts and greatly reduce stress in the office!
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No matter when your tax deadlines are, it’s always a good practice to have your records in order so that you won’t have to do last minute scrambling looking for the documents needed to complete your taxes, and indexing your paper files in Paper Tiger Filing System Software for document management is ideal to ensure you are able to find your files when you need them . It is estimated that people waste 150 hours per year trying to find lost information. How much of your time is wasted strictly around tax time?
Read this article by Deanne Kelleher of Kaos Group for tips on how to get organized for tax time and how to transition old tax files out to get ready for the current year filing system.
Tax Time Organizing
It’s time to get last year’s documents out of your filing cabinet, prep your tax information, and archive all pertinent paper work. If you are overwhelmed at the thought or not sure where to start just follow these directions and you will be well on your way.
1. Start with the right supplies from Staples or Office Depot or other office supply store
Tip: Stick to standard colours for all hanging files, sub folders and tabs until your filing system is fully functional. It’s much easier on the eyes and once it’s fully functional, you’ll know exactly how to use the colours to identify specific areas.
2. Allocate 2-3 hours in your schedule for annual transitioning. This includes sorting, purging, moving out last year’s files and inserting this year’s. However, if this is your first time, consider booking two sessions of two to three hours each.
3. Ensure that all invoices from the previous year have been filed in the appropriate sub folders.
4. Label each hanging folder with the appropriate folder name and put in a sub-folder with the same name and active year written on it. For example: my hanging folder tab says Dues and Subscriptions and the sub folder says Dues and Subscriptions 2010. This year’s sub folder will say Dues and Subscriptions 2011. [Note: Be sure to index you documents into Paper Tiger, which will allow you to conduct a google-like search in the database to be able to find the items you need quickly.]
5. Tabs can be positioned to the far left or far right on each hanging folder to allow for easy retrieval and a smooth appearance.
6. Office Expense headings will commonly include: Auto, Dues and Subscriptions, Communications (land line, cellular, & internet), Meals and Entertainment, Office Supplies, Professional Services, and Utilities if you are home based.
7. Office Document headings will include: Bank Statement, Bank contract/communications, Business License, Government HST, Tax Receipts, Marketing, Advertising, etc.
Click here for more file name suggestions: http://www.kaosgroup.com/downloads/FilingSuggestions.pdf
8. You are now ready to remove last year’s expenses and place them into a large envelope or banker’s box. Be sure to clearly label the box. [Note: If you already have your documents indexed in Paper Tiger's database, you can perform a Transfer function to move the previous year's file folders to Archives, and still be able to search the database to find the documents again should you need to.]
This system will not only ensure accurate tracking of all business documents, but it will also allow you to easily transition next year and effortlessly compile pertinent tax information for this year.
Deanne Kelleher is the founder of kAos Group, author of the Core Four™ System and a motivational speaker and facilitator on the realities of disorganization and how to take the reins back. kAos Group works with clients to help identify inefficiencies – the clutter and disorganization that prevents professional and personal growth – and help clients streamline their business and personal lives to reduce stress, increase profits, and create more time.
Visit www.kaosgroup.com/olm for practical tips and motivation to organize your home, office, time and spirit.
Copyright © 2011 Deanne Kelleher
Reprinted with permission
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Whether you are moving your home office or your small business, it can be a major hassle. Even a move that is within the same building can be time consuming and nerve wracking, especially if there are a lot of files and other items to move and relocate.
If the filing system you have in place before the move is perfect, you of course would want to recreate it in the new location. However, if it needs a little bit of work, it might be worth the consideration to implement a new filing system before your move. Paper Tiger Document Management Software and Filing System is a good choice to consider because it is easy to use and eliminates much of the hassle involved with the move.
Setting Up the Office Before the Move
It is best to use Paper Tiger software system for office organization before you start the move so that setting the office up afterward is nothing more than just putting things where they belong. The process is simple: After creating your database and adding a Location in the software relating to the items you will be indexing, your next step is to print out the corresponding numbered hanging tabs, which are never changed or moved. You input information relating to what is in each hanging folder (item name and keywords) and update them as needed in the database.
Unlike other filing systems that require scanning, this filing system software is not limited to paper files, which is also beneficial to setting up your office quickly and efficiently. Implementing this indexing system prior to your move will not only allow you to index your paper files, but books, training manuals, CDs, DVDs, etc. Another broad category you can list in this indexing system is all office furniture including: desks, chairs, filing cabinets, bookcases and tables. You also have all the electrical equipment such as: computers (and their accessories), printers, photocopiers, fax machines, shredders, microwaves, refrigerators, etc. There’s also the copious quantity of stationery and office supplies to pack as well.
Don’t forget to index all the moving boxes ensuring all contents in each box are input into the keywords section. You should also note where each box or item should be placed in the new location.
You will be able to print out labels for the items that are not paper or hanging files.
After the Move
After you arrive in your new location, it is simply a matter of making sure that each hanging folder is in numerical order and everything is put in its place. You can open your database and follow along as you put everything in place as planned. If you need to consolidate folders, you can do so and then make sure that it is updated in the database as you go. When you move other office items, move it in the database also to correspond to where you’ve put the items in the new location.
Finding Things Will Be Simpler
After a move, most people find themselves in utter chaos because they cannot find anything that’s still in boxes. They may have more or less space than they did before and items are not being stored in the same way. They may be using a totally different configuration. Paper Tiger filing system software will eliminate a great deal of that chaos and annoyance.
If you need to find something before it is unpacked, simply conduct a search in the database to find which box the item is in. If you’ve indexed each box when packing, this will save you a lot of time searching through several boxes for that needed item.
Whether a home office or business office, it’s most likely that you have more than just paper files. There may be binders, books and other items that cannot be easily filed using other systems, especially those systems that require scanning. Because Paper Tiger does not require scanning, there is no limit to what can be indexed and organized. That is one of the biggest benefits and a major reason that it is good for the home office as well as for businesses. Not everyone has an onsite scanner, so a system that does not require scanning is a good choice.
Implement Paper Tiger Document Management Software and Filing System before your move and you’ll be more organized and productive!
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It is a common misconception that a filing system software is only useful for office management. In reality, Paper Tiger Filing System software for document management can help you with organized living and working, whether it is your office or your home. Document management and record management is not something that is only limited to an office environment. At our homes too, we generate a lot of papers and documents. There is a lot of important information such as bank documents, lease records, loan papers, insurance records and many others that need to be retained and stored at home.
Inefficient storing of these records can create a lot of clutter and can also result in losing or misplacing important documents. To declutter your home and clear your living environment of paper, filing system software can come in handy. Parents of young children, schools and those suffering from learning differences, such as ADD and ADHD, can also use filing systems to get organized.
How Filing Systems Help Parents
A filing system does not need to be very elaborate. For home users such as parents, most of the filing work pertains to recording of important information on their children. There are doctor’s records, immunization records, school records and many other such documents and records. From papers to books to CDs, whatever you need to keep a record of, the filing system can help. With the filing system software, you can input the name of the item, add keywords that would relate to the item and the software assigns numbered indexes for all your papers, documents, home videos, CDs and DVDs, based on the information you input. The database will help you remember where each paper, document or CD is so that you can reach for it any time you need it.
With the help of filing system software, you can input information into the database regarding what you have storage and exactly where it is located, and make labels for your storage bins or boxes. You can move the items from one place to another without worrying about remembering where you moved them, by also noting the move in your software’s database.
You can also lend books and CDs to someone without worrying that you will forget about those. The filing system will remember them for you when you utilize the Action Date function.
How Filing System Software Helps People with ADD/ADHD
Sometimes it is difficult keeping thoughts organized. Remembering things can also be difficult. If you have a filing system software, you do not have to constantly figure out where you put your things. Filing systems help you get organized and stay that way. When you are using a filing system, you can catalogue each and every item that you think you will need to find. You will not be confined to the one or two word tab, because you can input as many keywords as your creative mind can think of relating to each item into the database. From papers to your socks in the sock drawer, you will never again lose track of anything that you own or where they should go back to when you need to return them.
You can make labels for all the things you index and then synchronize their placement with the software. Next time you are looking for some important bank documents, you can simply check its location in your software database. The software management system helps you accommodate your changing needs and track your belongings accordingly.
The best thing about a filing system software is that you can change and move your things without having to rework the entire system. Try Paper Tiger Filing System software for document management today and get organized throughout your home!
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Hi I’m Janet Baker, office manager of The Monticello Corporation, makers of Paper Tiger Filing System Software. We have with us today, Stephanie Calahan.
Stephanie is a dynamic entrepreneur, nationally known speaker, author/publisher and productivity organization consultant, and business coach. She works with intelligent, highly motivated, busy entrepreneurs, executives, producers and other time-pressed professionals and understands that every person is unique and requires systems that work for them.
As the founder and CEO of Calahan Solutions, Inc., she and her consultants focus on helping their clients transform from where they are to where they want to be through personal coaching, assessments and services that focus on time, space, information and thoughts. She frequently delivers presentations and workshops that kick start massive business success through systems and simplification.
Practicing what she preaches, she balances the demands of a business owner with her personal and volunteer schedule by developing systems that work specifically for her family’s needs. As a result, Stephanie has plenty of time for her favorite pastimes: spending time with family and friends, reading, singing, volunteering and photography with her son. Over the years she has had active involvement in national, regional and local professional organizations, and has contributed to her community through volunteer work with numerous organizations. If you are looking for someone that can help take you to the next level, Stephanie is your business transformation go-to gal.
She says: “You don’t have to do it our way, because we help you find your way!”
Stephanie, welcome! And thank you for interviewing with us today.
Janet, I’m so glad to be here.
Janet: Thank you, thank you.
We have worked with you for quite a while now and greatly admire what you do and especially appreciate you helping clients implement Paper Tiger.
Stephanie: It’s one of my favorites, so I’m excited to talk about it some today.
Janet: Ok, I’m going to get right into the questions that we would like to ask.
What are the problems that the majority of your clients hope to solve when they contact you?
Stephanie:
You know, Janet, there are a number of reasons that people contact us. Some common concerns are inability to focus throughout the day, feeling discombobulated or directionless in their day. Challenges actually getting things done – the to-dos seem to be transferred from one day to the next. Bouncing from task to partial task. Working so fast and so much that they are not sure that they are focusing on their priorities or maybe they’re not sure what their current priorities are. Some of them getting home too late and not spending time with their family as much as they would like. No ‘me’ time. Generally feeling unproductive and that the day was not effective as they would like and so they may even go to sleep and sleep poorly because of focusing on what is not done.
Just this week, I started working with a new client who hired us for our enhanced office miracle service, which is a combination of coaching and implementation. During that appointment, I asked him to share what was frustrating him most about his current situation. I thought I’d share a little about what he wrote because I really think it answers that question you were asking:
“Loss of thought – that spinning my wheels feeling. Having to search for things for what seems like endless amounts of time only to find it sitting in front of me in a pile on my desk. I have no time to get organized even though I know I work better when I am organized. Everything is completed at the last minute and I don’t like it. My lack of processes or systems or just plain organization is causing me credibility issues.”
I find it interesting that he wrote all of those things in a very short paragraph when we were initially beginning to work and the #1 reason people call us is because they are tired of searching for lost papers and lost items and that searching ends up equaling lost opportunities and lost money.
Janet: Absolutely, and that customer really summed it up, didn’t he?
Stephanie: Yeah I think he did!
Janet: What is your favorite thing that Paper Tiger fixes? or your most favorite thing that you or your clients use Paper Tiger for?
Stephanie:
Stress relief! Knowing that I’m not going to loose hours looking for something. Or it will be in the first place I look! Paper Tiger Online makes it even better because we can identify the location of things no matter where we are. We don’t necessarily have to be in our office anymore. We can access it from all over the place over the world wide web, which makes it fantastic.
Paper Tiger makes my clients better at what they do and ensures that they don’t miss opportunities or money.
Rather than me talking about this, I thought you might like to hear directly from one of my clients, so I asked Joy Duling to contact me a little earlier and share her thoughts.
Recording of JOY and her lost contract.
Joy Duling – Business Owner
My name is Joy Duling. I am a business strategist and managing director of a professional services firm called A 25 Hour Day in Peoria, Illinois.
My business is about helping people get focused on what they really want and overcome any barriers that are standing in their way. For many of my clients, one of the biggest barriers they deal with hits them in the face every time they walk in their office.
It’s that feeling of being completely out of control over paper, over electronic mail. There’s a real price that’s paid when we don’t feel as productive as we could.
I’ve known Stephanie for almost two years now. It took a moment of sheer desperation before I actually called on her for her professional skills. It was a contract that had seemed very routine. I signed it, and sent it off. But after doing business with the vendor for a while, I found out that they had been significantly overcharging me.
But I couldn’t find the contract that laid out the price that I was supposed to be paying. So I spent two weeks searching every place for this contract. I looked in my files under the vendor’s name, under various clients’ names, under key projects that I had performed.
I just couldn’t find it. That was when I just decided enough was enough and I called on Stephanie. I think that was where I realized there was a financial cost to my business with the way I was managing my paper and managing my filing system and managing my office.
Stephanie was absolutely fabulous. She started with and assessment to pinpoint where my systems were breaking down, and she blocked off an entire day to get me back on track. She called it a miracle and that is exactly what it was. By the end of the day she had restored my sense of control. I had a new system to manage both my paper and the electronic files on my computer. I was absolutely ecstatic! The real test came when I sat down at my computer and gave the new software a run. I typed in a few keywords associated with that contract and poof! up the document popped. Something I had spent two weeks looking for was right there in an instant!
In that moment I knew that I would never be out of control of my office again and I owe it all to Stephanie and Calahan Solutions.
Stephanie:
We worked with Joy on a number of different things, but one of her challenges obviously was paper management and so we helped her implement Paper Tiger.
Janet: Wow! that was a great testimony too, not only for you, but for Paper Tiger as well. Thank you for sharing that.
Stephanie: Sure absolutely!
Janet: Do you find that Paper Tiger is used mainly by the admins in the offices or managers or a mix of the two?
Stephanie:
Every organization or business that I have worked in has implemented Paper Tiger a bit differently. In some environments, the executive team does not touch any of their own paperwork or filing. Their administrative assistants manage it all, so in those instances, the admins are the primary users of the tool. But in today’s economic climate, however, that is not always as common anymore. There are many businesses that I have worked in that don’t have an administrative position on staff! Each employee does their own administrative work. The structure and focus of the business determines the best way to implement the tool. Some organizations have the traditional “master file room” while other businesses have their employees maintaining their own files. I’ve really seen a myriad of combinations in who uses the Paper Tiger tool.
Janet: That’s kind of what I expected because like you said in today’s climate, depending on the type of office that’s what would determine who uses it. That’s a great answer!
Stephanie:
The size of the organization makes a difference too. Sometimes there may be one administrative assistant that’s supporting an entire organization or an entire business and it also depends on the involvement and type of information that’s being stored in Paper Tiger. For some organizations, they are storing their higher-level information and the employee’s specific information maybe handled in another way, although that is not what I would recommend. The best cases are where people are really managing all their physical information within the tools and they really can find anything in 5 seconds or less.
Janet: Right and it doesn’t limit to just one admin when they have the separate files because if one admin goes away the others will not know unless they are all combined, how to find something from that one admin.
So, Stephanie, I have to ask this, do YOU use Paper Tiger?
Stephanie:
Yes! Unequivocally, yes. I have been a happy user of the Paper Tiger for a number of years. First, I started with the desktop version and then moved to the network version as my company grew and now I’m happily using Paper Tiger Online. In fact, not only do I use it at work but I use it at home too and I can tell you I use it for way more than just paper filing. Now I know that we don’t have a lot of time on today’s call to talk about how I specifically use the tool, but listeners, I encourage you to check out the article on the Paper Tiger site that I wrote on the many uses of Paper Tiger. It’s way more than paper and it’s a wonderful tool. I think that it is important to have working knowledge of any system that you help a client to put into place. So what better way to have that knowledge than to use the tool yourself?!
Janet: Absolutely and that article you wrote for us, we actually made a separate webpage just for that ‘Not Just for Filing Paper.’ I refer to it all the time. I really appreciate that Stephanie.
Tell me, what do your clients have to say when you have helped them get their offices organized versus what they would have been able to do without your help?
Stephanie:
Many of the clients that contact us have acknowledged that they would procrastinate on getting a system in place if they did not have someone to help guide them. In fact, once, when I was working with a client and we were filing his papers we found that he had purchased Paper Tiger twice before at conferences, but had forgotten about it when he got back to the office and the real world took over. The accumulation of clutter and piles is a direct result of deciding not to decide. We take obstacles away from our clients by giving them techniques that they can use to easily make decisions. So one thing I absolutely love about Paper Tiger (you asked me about that before but I’ll give you another example) it really is a streamlined tool. There are just the right things built into the tool. There’s not a bunch of the bells & whistles that would make it difficult to learn and so with helping clients implement Paper Tiger, we help them take it one step further in building into their overall system with what they are doing in their environment.
Janet: Right and Paper Tiger is such a paradigm shift from the regular alphabetical filing that I’m sure it is somewhat of an obstacle for some that are not quite ready to take the plunge and kind of overwhelming to transform your files from alphabetical to Paper Tiger, sometimes but for those that are ready, it’s an awesome tool to get implemented.
Stephanie: Well and I’ll say too Janet that I probably have a 50-50 split where that’s concerned. I have some clients that are a little apprehensive about going to that indexing system, going to a numerical system and we can teach them some work-arounds to help them feel more comfortable with that too. There’s always ways to transition into a fully numerical system, but I also have a lot of clients who are apprehensive that say you know what, what I’m doing right now isn’t working, so I might as well try a new strategy that’s been proven.
Absolutely I totally agree with that and Paper Tiger has been proven over and over and over again.
Tell me, how do you implement Paper Tiger in your clients’ offices most effectively?
Stephanie:
Well, I can tell you that I have never implemented the Paper Tiger the same way twice! It goes back to what I was saying earlier. Each organization is different. For example, this week, I worked with a small state-funded organization. They are very limited on staff and have an open door policy. This means that everyone has access to almost everything. We put the business multi-user online version into place. While each person in their office maintains their own files, every user can see each staff member’s PAPER TIGER database. That way, if someone is out ill, someone else can easily pick up the ball and keep things going. Contrast that to a business I was working in last month where confidentiality is very important and no one had access to another staff member’s information. The thing that makes PAPER TIGER fabulous is that it is flexible enough to be implemented in different ways that fit for how the organization functions and how the individual thinks. When we help a client implement Paper Tiger into their organization it is one part to a larger whole. Rather than being this stand-alone product, it has the flexibility to be incorporated into how the organization functions. This makes the learning curve much shorter and sometimes almost non-existent.
Even how we deliver our services varies. So Joy, who you heard from earlier had us physically come over to her office and sometimes sat on the floor and sorted through papers and got everything implemented. We have had clients fly us out to help them physically, however; we work with clients virtually too. But rather than me talking about it, I asked one of my virtual clients Linda Siniscal to share her experiences with me.
Recording of Linda’s testimony.
Linda Siniscal, CB – Business Owner
Hi my name is Linda Siniscal, and I own Third Hand Secretarial Services. Our company offers administrative and bookkeeping services virtually to clients located around the country so I’m accustomed to working virtually. I connected with Stephanie to help me install Paper Tiger system in my filing system and also was a little bit apprehensive because I was wondering how we were going to do this virtually, but I must say that Stephanie spent quite a bit of time with me walking me through the process sheet by sheet and we sat up the filing system and it’s just been amazing. I open the Paper Tiger system in the morning, if I need to find a paper, I just enter it into the find field and it comes up within seconds and I can find what I’m looking for instead of me hunting through files and trying to find what I was looking for. So I must commend Stephanie on a job well done virtually. It would have been nice for her to come into my office to meet her, but she did an outstanding job and I’m thrilled with the Paper Tiger system.
Stephanie:
I wanted to share Linda’s testimony because Linda is somebody who is actually comfortable working virtually because that’s what she does, that’s how she conducts her business, and yet she was still a little apprehensive at first about getting her office systems in place doing it virtually, so I like sharing her story to help people kind of feel that it really is possible.
Because we have so many different ways we can help clients, in order to determine the best approach, we offer our prospective clients a free telephone strategy session where we learn about their challenges and then we make recommendations for next steps. We do not believe in a cookie-cutter approach to systems and organization and we really believe in implementing things that are going to work for the way that you’re going to work and the way that you think. And so that strategy session allows us to strategize with you to figure out the next best approach for where you’re wanting to go with your goals.
Janet: And how long is that phone strategy session?
Stephanie:
The phone strategy session usually last somewhere between 20 and 30 minutes. We keep very focused because our goal is to first listen and understand the individual’s or organization’s challenges and then we answer any questions, of course, and then we also go into making a recommendation for next steps.
Janet: Ok to wind down just a little bit, tell us what do you have going on currently?
Stephanie:
You know me! We currently have a number of different collaborative projects going with colleagues in the productivity community and I am really looking forward to this upcoming year! Right now, we are spending a lot of time fielding calls, coordinating and scheduling my first and second quarter speaking schedule for this coming year. I love what I do and one of the reasons is the variety. Not only do I get to meet some very interesting people and learn about their fields of interest, but about 1/3 of my business is speaking, 1/3 is coaching and 1/3 is consulting and implementation. For a while, my calendar was so full that I was not taking on new clients, but some of my commitments are coming to a close, so we are also scheduling a number of strategy sessions with people and businesses that are interested in possibly working with us. The calls do not obligate you to work with me or me to work with you. It is an opportunity to evaluate the current situation and collectively figure out next steps to get you to where you want to go. If any of your listeners are interested, they can contact us directly from your site and we’d be happy to schedule the call!
Janet: Awesome, and I will be posting your website and phone number information.
Stephanie:
You can reach us at http://www.productiveandorganized.net/ That’s actually my blog and there’s a contact form there, and you can contact our office directly at 309 826-5263. You’ll actually talk to Bruce and let him know that you want a strategy session with Stephanie and he will get it all scheduled for you.
Janet: Good job. Is there anything else you’d like to add before we close?
Stephanie:
I’m honored to be invited to do the call with you and value the collaborative approach The Monticello Corporation has taken in working with productivity and organization professionals, Janet. And I wanted your listeners know that you do that. I think that there’s a lot that happens behind the scenes that Monticello does to make sure that they are incorporating the thoughts and ideas of their consumers and one of the things that you do is really collaborate with the professionals that are working with clients that are using Paper Tiger. And it was also fantastic to be able to contribute feedback early in the alpha development process for the online Paper Tiger and I can’t be more excited to be able to offer it to clients now.
Janet: We really appreciate your insight, as well in the online version and of course, we will be asking for that great input in our future enhancements as well so look forward to that.
Stephanie, thanks again for joining us today. I know that you’re insight will be extremely helpful to all and like I said previously, we greatly admire everything that you do from implementing Paper Tiger to your social networking and you mentor so many simply through your social networking and your blog. We appreciate you very much.
Thanks again!
About Stephanie Calahan:
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
Many companies are starting to realize what a huge savings telecommuting can be and that means more people are going to be starting their own home office. Those people are going to seek out home office organization tips either from the beginning because they want to start right, or they are going to start looking for these tips after they find themselves falling behind in their work because they have to keep stopping to find things or because they just cannot keep track of things that need to be done.
In any office environment, it is estimated that people spend 150 hours per year looking for lost information.
Home office organization is vital because number one, it is still a place of business, where you do your job. You still want to be professional and capable. For many people, the home office may be combined with another room in the home and they would like to keep the mess and clutter to a bare minimum. There is a delicate balance that has to be struck between the home and the office in the home office, no matter how much actual room you have to work with.
The major obstacle to getting and keeping home office organization, as well as for the home itself, is paper. From the time we open our doors to our home office or small business or even just to the home where we live, paper tries to get a foothold, wanting to get in and keep us buried under stacks of paper and clutter.
There are a number of steps you can take for yourself, but if you have already started to lose the paper battle, you might need to call in a professional organizer to get the paper and other clutter under control. The first step is to get rid of the junk mail before it even comes in the door. It is easier to keep control of paper if you minimize it. Eliminate the bulk by getting your name removed from junk mailing lists and be very careful about ordering from catalogs. Before you think that you are perfectly safe because you are ordering online only, consider this: Bulk mailers are culling names from online customers as well. Make sure that you confirm that the company you are ordering from does not sell information. Sign up for the Do Not Mail list here: http://www.directmail.com/directory/mail_preference/
Also as much as possible, you can sign up for digital statements to cut down on the paper entering your home.
Make Home Office Organization Your Top Priority With Paper Tiger Filing System Software
Another tip to consider is Paper Tiger Filing System software for document management, which allows you to organize everything, not just your paper files. Because you do not need to scan anything to use the software system, there is no limitation to what can be indexed into the software’s database, including books and other bulky items. Everything is put into place and then its location is noted by a numbering index system that never changes and never moves. The filing system database works like a search engine for paper files to help you get organized and stay organized. Whether you are using it for home or for a small business, it is easy to use and to learn and virtually impossible to mess up at all.
For example, if you never remember the name of the gas company, simply file it under Gas. If you use the filing system software, you will also be able to add keywords into the database so that any name you think of when you need to find a file, the software will be able to tell you where it is in seconds. So in this case, the Item Name would be “Gas Company”, and in the keywords section, you would input the name of the company, i.e., “Bob’s Natural Gas”, the address, the service person’s name, address, phone number, etc., and you might use “Utilities” in the Category section.
You print out the tabs right from the software system for each ‘Location’ and then use the numbers to correspond to files and locations in which you enter into the software’s database. You can find every item then by accessing the database from any computer or smart phone with internet access, even when you are out and on the go.
Deciding What To Do With Your Paper Files
Take time each day to make a decision on what needs to be done with the paper items or email or any other actionable item that comes through your office. (what to keep and file, what needs action before filing, what can be thrown away, shredded or recycled)
For actionable items, place a note on the paper file for the next action to be taken by what deadline, and any steps that need to be taken before the deadline. This will help you get and stay on track to ensure the deadline is met.
This should be a great start to getting your home office organized. Of course, you can use these simple steps to get organized in your company’s office as well. Get started today with Paper Tiger Filing System software for document management!
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This article by Stephanie Calahan, of Calahan Solutions and a Paper Tiger Expert provides a sure-fire decision ‘system’ in making decisions about dealing with the mountain of paper files that come through your office or home. Stephanie recognizes, as we do, that different people need different tools to help with their daily lives. She helps implement Paper Tiger Document Management Software and Filing System, which she recommends based on her clients’ needs and the way that they work. She understands that every person is different and requires systems that work for them.
So, do you experience this….
You walk into your office and you say to yourself, “Today is the day!” You are excited and you say, “I am going to get this place organized and I’m not leaving until it is done!”
Then… you pick up the first piece of paper, look at it, say, “Hmm, well… I’ll look at that later.” and you put it down. You pick up the second piece of paper, look at it, say, “Oh good grief!” and you put it down. The next thing you know, everything from the right side of your office has been moved to the left side of your office and you are tired and call it quits.
Paper can be overwhelming, but it does not have to be! I have worked with a number of people that think that they will never be able to get through their piles. Fortunately, it was not as horrible as they thought! They were able to get through their piles by changing the way that they looked at the piles.
Clutter represents decisions that you are putting off! So, why do we do that? Well, part of the reason is that when we pick up a piece of paper, we try to make too many decisions at once.
What is this? Where does it go? Do I have a file for this?
Where did I put the file tabs? And the list goes on…
Then we default to – keep it.
Then, we give up and make no decision.
Instead, use the D.A.R.T. system and you’ll hit your target every time. Download Stephanie’s DART System
The D in DART is for Decision. You have to make a decision about the items in the piles that you have.
The A in DART is for Action. There are different types of action, but no system works unless you ACT!
The R in DART is for Reference. We all have items that we keep for reference. There are specific tools that you use to keep those items where you can remember them. (see the DART system download above for more on that.)
The T in DART is for Toss. Now, toss does not necessarily mean throw away. I can mean recycle, shred, sell, does not belong in this room, etc…
8 Questions to Use as You are Making Your Decisions
Here are some questions you can ask yourself to make the decision process process easier:
Does it require any action by me/us?
If an item requires action (a phone call to make, a report to write, a bill to pay, an outfit that requires altering) then it is an “ACT.” Keep everything that requires action in one location, so that when you have time, you will be able to go through and check the items off of the list! This is the A in DART — for action.
For a detailed look at how that might work for you, check out the video I did on YouTube a while back – Creating an Action Filing System for the Way You Work.
Are there tax or legal implications?
Have you talked to your council about the information you keep and how long you keep it? If not, you might want to consider doing so. Each industry has different documents that should be retained as does residential paperwork. If you answer “yes” put in your Reference system; if not Toss.
Is it recent enough to be useful?
Is the address book that has not been updated in 3 years really current? Just like food has an expiration date so do the things in your life. If you are keeping things that are no longer current, you are not allowing yourself the space for new and better things to start. If you answer “yes” put in your Reference system; if not Toss.
Is it difficult to obtain again?
Birth certificates, legal documentation, marriage licenses, company incorporation papers, the list goes on and on. If there are items that are difficult to find or obtain again, you may want to consider keeping the item in a container designated for that type of item. If you answer “yes” put in your Reference system; if not Toss.
Is it beautiful, useful or loved?
Are you keeping something that you think is hideous because it was a gift to you from someone special? Don’t. Only surround yourself with things that bring you joy. Most likely, the person that gave you the gift would not want you to keep it if they knew you did not like it. If you answer “yes” put in your Reference system; if not Toss.
Can I identify specific use?
Do you keep things because you might “need them someday?” That is fine if you #1, have the space to keep the items and #2 know what you are going to do with the item. If you are keeping something for the express purpose of keeping it, consider that item a little harder. If you answer “yes” put in your Reference system; if not Toss.
Does it reflect the person I was or the person I am now?
Are you keeping things that were important to you in the past, but really do not have the same meaning anymore? Does your space reflect who you are or who you were? Get rid of things that no longer hold meaning for you. If you answer “am” put in your Reference system; if “was” then Toss.
What is the worst possible thing that could happen if I get rid of this?
This one is one of my favorite questions! If you can ask yourself this question and find that you can live with the answer, then it can make it easier to let go.
Let me know how these questions work for you. Do you have questions that work for you that are not listed above? Tell me those too! Just comment below in the comment box or connect with me on one of my networking sites!
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
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We Listen To Our Customers
The features in the Paper Tiger Filing System for Document Management software products today were developed in response to many thousands of customers around the world providing us with what they need to better manage their information. Our goal is, and continues to be, to build products that customers love and use in their daily work. What we call “must have” products. We have always had an eye toward making things simple and easy-to-use. We have avoided the temptation to add irrelevant features. We know that this can make a product cumbersome, slow and less inviting.
We carefully read every single email, survey response, and as many Facebook and Twitter posts as possible. We also pay attention to all verbal comments made when customers contact our office. We use this feedback to determine our future product plans. All of this information has been used to prepare our Product Roadmap outlined below. While this is in summary fashion, you will get the gist of where we are headed. We welcome your feedback and you can also sign up for the Beta by taking a short 2 minute survey or you can email us at sales@thepapertiger.com.
Product Roadmap: “The 21st Century File Cabinet”
Paper Tiger software, in both the Windows Desktop and Online Editions, has become the standard for managing physical paper (hanging file folders). The unique indexing method first developed in 1995 is now installed in tens of thousands of companies, government agencies, non-profits, professional firms, homes, etc., around the world. With today’s fast & robust computers, myriad of devices such as the Apple iPhone, Apple iPad, Android phones & tablet computers, Windows phones, etc., and a constant connection to the Internet, the File Cabinet for the 21st Century must also allow the user to easily store and retrieve digital information.
Thus, what you can expect to see in future from The Monticello Corporation, the makers of the Paper Tiger software, is a fully integrated, very easy-to-use solution that will allow the user to store and quickly find, not only their paper-based information, but also their digital files. These digital files include spreadsheets, word processing documents, PDFs (digital & scanned images), photos, text & attachments from email, etc. – virtually any digital file. This product will be very secure, powerful and fast to learn. There will be minimal training required to use the new product and virtually no maintenance required. Any information stored in the “Paper Tiger Digital” Edition will be available from virtually any computer and/or device that the user has available.
The main idea of the product is that users of the new product will be able to stop using their email, various folders, naming conventions that quickly breakdown and a host of other methods to “stay on top” of their information. We have found through our research that our customers are using these “silos” (also thought of as “islands”) of information, as a way of just coping with the overwhelming amount of information they must process (keep safe and retrieve) each day. To find a particular digital document, in many cases the user must undertake the laborious and tedious process of opening each “silo” wasting time looking for the right information, as there is no effective way to search across all their information. The new digital edition of Paper Tiger software will make this entire process automatic and the customer will be able to find anything (paper or digital) in under 5 seconds from one search box. The product will work equally well in a shared, networked office environment where multiple users need access to information, as it does for an individual. Important security, privacy and permission controls will be built into the product that are fully customizable.
There are many reasons that offices are attempting to go digital with their information and to achieve the paperless office. These include the elimination of the cost of purchasing & maintaining file cabinets, reduced labor costs, better document work flow, going “green” and saving the environment, etc. So, if your office is now using a scanning (scanner) solution to generate searchable PDF documents or you just want to get better organized with your digital files, the new Paper Tiger Digital Edition will make a big difference. We are taking a totally new approach to getting you organized, based on years of customer feedback. We are creating the world’s best digital “finding” system, not just another digital filing system. Our attempt is to revolutionize digital filing, just as we did when we revolutionized paper filing with Paper Tiger Desktop and Online Editions.
While we cannot give a definite date for the release of the new Paper Tiger Digital Edition, just know that we are currently well into the development process. All customers who sign up for Paper Tiger Online before we launch the Digital Edition, will get the new features at no additional cost (except for any storage costs, which will be based on how much information you have to store – the cost is low and data storage is dropping in price, but the final price has not been determined at this point).
We want to be as transparent as possible and let you know where we are going with the Paper Tiger products. You can expect further details about the new product as we finalize the product. We are very excited about the direction and welcome your suggestions on additional features or questions on the specifics. To keep you updated on our progress – join us on our newsletter, Facebook or Twitter. In addition, you can give us your feedback and you sign up for the Beta by taking a short 2 minute survey or you can email us at sales@thepapertiger.com. You can also chat with us or call us during normal business hours Eastern Time in the U.S. We are partners together in building the best products to help you better manage your information. Thank you for your business and let us hear from you!
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This article by Denise Landers, founder and CEO of Key Organization Systems Inc. and Paper Tiger Expert, discusses 5 easy steps to help you meet deadlines; and 3 of the 5 are directly related to getting organized and how important getting organized is in getting things done and on time. Paper Tiger Filing System software for document management is a great tool to use to ‘clear the decks’ and ‘know exactly what you are working on’ to ‘get organized’ because you can index all your files from your office, and make notes for actions that need to be taken to get the job done, in your Paper Tiger database to help you keep on task.
It is tough to work under the gun, but it’s something we all need to do from time to time, either because we put a project off until the last minute, or because we had a heavy dose of work dumped on our heads.
Regardless of the cause, however, developing the skill to meet tight deadlines can do big things for your career – managers and executives love employees who can finish work on time, and team members who can organize and execute quickly usually rise to the top.
With that in mind, here are five tips to doing great work on a tight deadline:
How do you know when being perfect is too perfect? Since learning to finish projects and then letting go can help you achieve so much more than obsessing over details, here are a few tips for learning when to wrap it up and move on:
Don’t give up perfectionism altogether. Of course, there are going to be some parts of your life where a perfectionist streak is a good thing. For example, if you are a cardiologist, most of your patients would probably approve of you trying to get things just right. But, it is important that you figure out which parts of your personal and professional life require 100% accuracy, and which areas simply need to be finished on time. Learning to tell the difference is perhaps the most important thing you can do for your productivity.
Denise Landers is the author of Destination: Organization, A Week by Week Journey and the owner of Key Organization Systems, Inc. As a national speaker, trainer, consultant, and writer she provides clients and audiences with the time management training tools and techniques that improve daily work flow and increase productivity.
www.twitter.com/@timetrainer
Corporate Training: workshops and consulting to increase daily work flow and reduce stress
Individual Assistance: our onsite and virtual office organizing to bring about changes quickly
On Your Own: books and CDs to work at your own pace
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