Managing paper in any office is an overwhelming task, because there is a seemingly ever-increasing mountain of paper files.
Whether you’re a small or large company, you must practice good time management and office organization techniques in order to control costs and provide excellent service. Constantly increasing staff productivity is a must. What is needed is a simple, but effective document management solution such as Paper Tiger Filing System Software and Document Management.
David Lawrence of David Lawrence and Associates said in a previous article, “Consider how much it costs to maintain inefficient paperwork and filing systems. If, as a direct result of not having efficient systems, it costs you and/or your staff one hour each day (this is probably conservative), and you used a $50-per-hour cost factor over the course of an entire year—the cost of inefficiency could top $12,000 in lost time ($50 x five days per week x 48 weeks).
There is an old saying in business that goes, As much as is possible, handle a piece of paper only once. Those of us who scan through paper mail and set it aside in an inbox, promising to deal with it later, may find that same piece of mail a couple of months later buried in a pile. Deadlines can be missed, important mail can be commingled with unimportant (or junk) mail…”
In that Financial Advisor Magazine article, Mr. Lawrence recommended Paper Tiger; and financial firms from around the world have found this software to be an invaluable tool for helping them better manage their office and get organized to stay on top of the virtual mountain of paperwork that they must deal with each day. It is the most efficient filing system available. You get all the power of the computer WITHOUT the risks and time commitment of paper scanning.
The Paper Tiger allows you to go ahead and set up hanging files with numbered tabs, so they are ready to drop your paper filing into.
When going through mail, decide what needs action, what should be filed, and what should be tossed. Stacks of paper files all over the office lead to frustration and inefficiency, which is costly in both time and money, so you must prioritize and decide on procedures to handle the paper that comes through your office. To create an even more efficient office, be sure to document your paper handling system and retention guidelines. This will ensure that everyone is organized in the same way and training on these procedures will be a cinch in the event of employee illness or staff turnover.
-Decide what is junk, and toss what should be tossed immediately.
-For items that need to be filed, the best practice would be to open the Paper Tiger database and input Item Name and Keywords for each item, then immediately drop into the corresponding hanging folder.
Or you could have a tray or folder on your desk where you can immediately place items to be filed. Then set aside 15 minutes to clear your desk at the end of each day, enter the necessary information regarding the ‘to be filed’ into the Paper Tiger database, and place the files into the corresponding hanging folder. (remember, the hanging folders are already set up, so you don’t have to worry about finding folders and making tabs)
-Prioritize action items. Decide if the action can be done immediately. If not, either delegate or check the deadline. Decide how long it will take you to complete the task, and work backward on your calendar. Schedule this start of action on your calendar. Input the Item Name and Keywords information regarding the action file into the Paper Tiger, and select the Action date to start. Place the item in the corresponding Action Item hanging folder.
The Paper Tiger is great for short-term action files, as well as long-term storage of files. Of course, purging of files should be a task that is done regularly according to your office retention guidelines and compliance with regulations to ensure your filing cabinets do not overflow with unnecessary or outdated files.
When you’re ready to purge files to archives or to recycle/shred, simply conduct a Transfer of the file(s) in the Paper Tiger database, print a report and then remove the physical files from your filing cabinet or desk drawer. (If transferring to archives, don’t forget to set the action date in Paper Tiger when a file should be removed from archive to recycle/shred. That way, you’re sure to keep up with the life-cycle of your document management system.) Then box the files you’ve removed and send to archive location or recycle/shred, whichever the case may be.
Making decisions regarding how paper should flow through your office and the life-cycle of document management and retention will go a long way in your staff time management, increased productivity and organization. As mentioned previously, when you document your paper handling system and retention guidelines (the schedule in the life cycle of documents in your office), you will reduce cost and legal liabilities. Keeping unnecessary files will result in over-stuffed filing cabinets or storage space. In addition, different types of files need to be kept or destroyed based on legal reasons and time-lines, which could result in civil or criminal issues.
See our Blog Category for Records Retention: How long should you keep records? for articles written from different sources, including the IRS, to help you decide document/records retention schedule for your specific needs.
This article by Stephanie Calahan of Calahan Solutions and a Paper Tiger Expert, is a great source to get you thinking about how to set up your files in a systematic way so that you can find them again.
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According to the National Association of Professional Organizers, it costs $120 in labor to track down a misplaced document or $250 in labor to recreate it. YUCK! Filing systems that work with the way you work are critical to cost management. The following tips will aid you in setting up systems to meet your needs.
File Only What You Need
Many of us (yes – I’m guilty sometimes) put things in files because it is easier to file it away than to make a decision. Recognize that your files are not dumping grounds. Do not put things in your files without first contemplating whether or not you can get rid of them.
Also see this article “Did You Know Paper and Other Things in Your Office Hold Emotion?” by Stephanie that you should find helpful when deciding what to file or not.
Create a File Index
A file index is one of the most important items that you can have to help you keep control of your ever growing pile of papers! List the location of each category and folder. That way, when you need to find your documents, you will have an easier time locating what you need. I use Paper Tiger Document Management Software and Filing System for my file management both at home and at work. I love it! Find Anything in 5 Seconds or Less With The Paper Tiger Software
Keep Fingertip Files at Your Desk
Fingertip files are those that you refer to all the time — phone lists, school directories, catalogs. They can be built into a great action system. What? You don’t have an action system? See my next point.
Reduce the Piles into Files
If you keep your files in piles on your desk because you need to see them, try using a rolling file cart. This keeps piles off your desk but in a place where you can see them at all times.
Or maybe you have those piles on your desk because you are afraid that you will forget to do something. Then, make an action system that will work for the way you work! Check out this demonstration for info on how to make your own action filing system.
Consider Off-Site Storage
If you are low on space, consider allowing a document management storage company to store your old records in an off-site facility, or you could relocate your files to a storage facility.
Avoid Paper Clips
Clip multiple-page documents together with staples or a binder clips, but avoid paper clips because they have a tendency to get caught on other pages.
Remember You Are Ever Changing, So Your Filing System Should Be Too
Your filing system should be a dynamic and ever-changing creature. Don’t be afraid to get rid of a category if you don’t use it anymore — or to add a new one if you need it. Consolidate folders that seem to go together under one larger heading, and split up categories into smaller pieces if your folders get too stuffed. Once a year, you should set aside time to purge the old and obsolete information from your files. If you follow these instructions, your filing system will serve you well for the rest of your life.
Use Color Coding for Your Files
Consider using a different color folder or tab for each section of files ex: all “financial” folders are green or have a green label. This makes it easier to find the file you need quickly and makes it easier to put folders back in the right place. You will now be able to put your hands on the folder you want almost instantly and run down the row of major categories until you find the right one.
Don’t Overstuff Filing Cabinets
There’s nothing worse than having to file papers in a file cabinet that is overloaded! Leave enough room in file drawers so you’re not using all your energy to get a piece of paper in or out.
That is it for now! I suggest that you only try to implement a few of these things rather than a bunch of them at once. Pick one or two that really speak to you, make them a habit and then add a few more.
To your success!
Stephanie
support@calahansolutions.com
Twitter.com/StephCalahan
Facebook.com/StephCalahan
PS: Don’t forget to keep your paper files in order with Paper Tiger Document Management Software and Filing System, which Stephanie highly recommends and also includes in her in-person or remote/virtual Office Miracle.
About the Author:
Stephanie Calahan is The Business Vision Catalyst and founder of Calahan Solutions, Inc. She works with purpose-driven entrepreneurs, visionaries, coaches, consultants, health practitioners, authors, speakers and all sorts of remarkable service professionals who are experts in their field, to help them embrace their brilliance, leverage their business and get their message out with power, ease and joy; so that they can make a powerfully positive difference in the world, exponentially grow their income and enjoy a highly-successful and meaningful business… while working less. Learn how you can have more freedom in your life! http://www.StephanieCalahan.com
There are numerous ways to manage your organization’s documents, but this is still a task that companies struggle with every day. The war on document management is rapidly increasing in intensity as — through the use of computers that were supposed to get us to a paperless office environment — companies find themselves with more and more paper to manage all the time.
More than 40 percent of the workforce were born after 1975 and have grown up using computers. In fact, most of them couldn’t comprehend life without a desktop or laptop in today’s society. Because of this, document management systems need to change to keep up with the times and also to help these up and coming employees cope with the rapidly increasing volume of records to keep.
When paperwork is filed using a document indexing software system that can track file and document locations, as well as reduce the stress of losing documents and reorganizing files to make more room, not only would it leave space to file those newly added documents, but filing time would be greatly reduced as well.
With legal requirements that make it mandatory to keep some records for a certain period of time, or forever, older files that exist in paper form are typically archived to take up less space and make room for current files. The best way to maintain those archived files and make them easy to retrieve is with a computerized, indexed document management system that can label files as you specify and allow you to store them anywhere while still providing a way to find them when needed.
If your company chooses the right document management software, there could be a huge rise in productivity, without the need to increase one single hour of staff time, or add one single employee. This is true simply because document indexing can save hundreds or thousands of hours per year in filing and retrieving previously filed documents because of its uniquely smart process.
There are numerous reasons why computerized document indexing is winning the battle in the war on document management, and many benefits from its implementation:
• Staff morale will increase because employees are free to complete the more important tasks assigned to them when they don’t have to spend as much time filing and searching for documents they need.
• Staff members can attend meetings armed with all the pertinent information they need, so educated decisions can be made more readily regarding company procedures.
• And never again will a customer’s questions have to go unanswered because of a misplaced document.
Using an index filing system to manage your company’s documents means that all staff can have access to the same system. Everything can be filed correctly and uniformly so that any employee can locate needed information at any time.
This also eliminates the problem of file duplication and prevents the accidental loss or misfiling of paperwork. Desks remain free from excessive files and it’s much easier to get work done when you’re not buried up to the neck in paper.
You can move files from one location to another easily as well. Simply go into the document management software on your computer and change the location to where you will move your files and then just move the physical file to the new location. It’s that easy. This means you can archive files anytime they’re completed instead of waiting for a “free day” or “when you have the time.”
A computerized document management system can free employees for more incoming work, and allow them to better prioritize their work … a much easier task when they can actually see the tops of their desks!
When you keep a regularly updated, printed master copy of all your files, you never run the risk of losing your file management information either. Even if you have a power failure, you can still complete some work because you can access needed files and staff won’t have to just sit around waiting for the computers to be able to do something.
The document management war will probably last for a while, but introducing an effective and efficient document indexing system like The Paper Tiger Document Management Software and Filing System to your organization, will make life easier for everyone, leaving your employees with more time to focus on growing the company, and taking larger steps toward reaching your corporate goals.
In 1998, The Paper Tiger software was released to the market and has since become the #1 Paper Management software product in the world! Tens of thousands of companies – large and small, non-profits, government agencies & professional firms, rely on it each day to “Find Anything in Their Office in 5 Seconds or Less…Guaranteed!”
The full functionality of The Paper Tiger Windows-based software will soon be found in your Internet browser (Microsoft Explorer, Firefox, Safari, Chrome, etc.) – very easy to setup and to use. If you like the Windows version of The Paper Tiger software, you will love the Internet version!
And, you Mac folks out there…your day has come! You can now enjoy the full functionality of The Paper Tiger in the Online Edition. Everyone who signs up for the Beta program will be automatically entered into the April 3rd, 2010 drawing for a NEW APPLE iPad in your honor!
The Beta version of the Web-based product is soon to be released. The number of Beta testers is going to be very limited – if you are interested in testing the new version, simply add your name and email to the Beta list. We will notify you shortly if you are selected to participate in the Beta. Beta testers will have direct feedback into the new product. If you don’t make the first Beta release, stay tuned because we will be adding people continuously during the Beta period.
Some people have lots of different jobs throughout their working lives. Others stay with the same company for many years. The long-term people see a wide variety of technological changes. Sadly, some find it hard to keep up. To maintain longevity, companies need to find a way to bridge the generation gap, technologically speaking. And the right document management system can help them do that.
In a large company, especially, there are often staff members ranging in age anywhere from 18 to 65 years of age, or older. If you stop to consider what type filing systems older people may have begun using when they began working or joined the business, you can easily understand why it may be difficult for them to manage a newer, computer-based system.
On the other hand, you have the younger people in their late teens and twenties who have literally grown up attached to a cell phone and a laptop. They probably don’t like the older, more tedious style of document filing, so you could even have a higher rate of turnover than you would like to see for this very reason.
No matter the age, people think differently about how documents should be filed. Then it’s a matter if those files can be retrieved later by any employee in the company!
The future of any company depends, in part at least, on how well it changes with the times and how well it handles new technological changes. The younger staff members of today will be tomorrow’s CEOs. The only logical choice to help bridge this technological generation gap, in both age and ability, is to introduce a system that is easy to learn, easy to use, and quickly standardized throughout the company.
That means every single member of the team, from the youngest new start, to the most senior CEO or company director, will work together as a team to initiate the change in document management all at one time.
An indexing system that’s designed to allow you, as a company, to select the criteria for labeling your files is vital. However, merely using an alphabetical or numerical system is too confusing, simply because everyone thinks differently.
You must be able to choose your company’s own style and designate that to be the official way to label and file your business documentation. Then everyone can work together, easily add more documents to existing files without running out of room, have the ability to locate files simply by checking a computer or hard copy index, and be able to clear their desks at the end of the day.
Using an indexing system to maintain your corporate documents offers greater efficiency for your staff because it reduces the amount of time needed to file individual documents, as well as the time required to create new files and retrieve documents or files at a future date. This type system will save thousands of dollars and free up a lot more time for staff to focus on the more important aspects of their jobs. And better productivity typically ensures greater employee longevity for the company—meaning less turnover.
Technology can certainly replace some functions that were previously only carried out manually. However, technology shouldn’t stand in anyone’s way when it comes to work. More people are working to an older age due to the different economic climate in which we live today. Some of the more senior employees have a wealth of experience and are actually the mainstays of the company. It would be sad to see those same valuable employees feeling forced to retire simply because they couldn’t cope with new document management software or a system that was far too complicated for them to understand.
If you take the wealth of experience of those senior employees, and add that to the drive, enthusiasm and familiarity with new technologies afforded your younger team members, you have a powerful team. Add a document indexing system they can all understand will almost guarantee your company can stay strong and have that vital edge over its competitors—in this one area, at least.
How often have you, or one of your staff members, faced the issue of being unable to locate a specific document? Good record management is vital for any organization. Every department can be affected by how well documents are managed. That includes sales, customer service, maintenance, repair, dispatch, inventory management, accounting, and more.
Locating the information you need quickly to provide answers to your clients and customers, as well as to company employees who are handling various issues such as billing or customer care, can result in a happy ending when documents are managed properly. And a document indexing system, like The Paper Tiger Document Management Software and Filing System is the best way to do that.
So bridge the generation gap in your company by selecting a computerized file indexing system to manage your documents and paperwork. You’ll be able to offer better service to your customers, improve the productivity of your staff, and increase employee morale and longevity. That’s a win-win situation all around.
Every business, no matter what size, has a need to keep meticulous records. Many companies have one or more administrative employees whose chief function is to manage company records – often, in an archaic and unwieldy system. Indexing, however, is the contemporary method for efficient document management.
The top of every company’s priority list is something ironically called “the bottom line.” In other words, getting the most productivity from their staff and other resources without blowing the budget. Thousands of hours are literally eaten up with filing and then trying to locate specific information at a later date because the system used for document management is so inefficient or outdated.
One of the chief reasons companies still suffer with inefficient filing systems is that every employee is different. People have their own thoughts about what filing should be, and their own way of managing their files. So you have a variety of different methods all intertwined within one company. Some statistics say that about 7 percent of all documents are lost or misplaced and have to be reproduced. There is a better way to organize your filing cabinets into a uniform, logical style that is standardized throughout your business, regardless of the size company you have!
Indexing documents is the most efficient way to increase productivity of everyone within your organization and improve the health of your “bottom line.” Some estimates state that about 150 hours of employee time per year are wasted trying to locate missing files or documents. And even more to recreate the necessary information! At $20 an hour on average – because all levels of employees are involved in this process – that can easily add up to $3,000 per year or more, that you can save simply by using a document management software to manage your files.
So you’re probably wondering, “How does an indexing document management system work?”
It’s quite simple really. You install The Paper Tiger Document Management Software and Filing System, onto your computer. The Paper Tiger is a very powerful, yet simple indexing system for the hanging files in your filing cabinet. It works like a search engine for your paper files!
You allow employees the access they require, according to your own policies, to use the software. You decide on the keywords you’ll use to file your documents and information. Company name, common subjects, or other descriptions. Whatever works for you. Use as many keywords as you like. Each employee that has access to the software can also add keywords that they relate to each document.
Now, every single file, anywhere within your entire company, will be labeled using the exact same system with file names and keywords. Wasted time is eliminated as employees locate needed information more quickly. And no more duplication of files! From the day you implement this brilliant, time saving system, every document relating to any project you have will be placed in the same location for easy retrieval.
It’s common knowledge that every document that comes into your office has to be managed in one of three ways. It can be dealt with immediately and then filed. It can be placed in someone’s inbox for future action. Or it can be tossed in file 13. The joy of indexing is that your filing cabinet now becomes your action file as well. You can create a file just for items that need action and place them there without forgetting where you put them, or failing to take action because you “forgot” about them. Then when you’re finished, you can move the file to an archive location or a more permanent file and leave an uncluttered desk ready for more important work.
Once your projects are complete and files are no longer needed on a daily or weekly basis, they can easily be moved to storage elsewhere, and one click of the mouse will tell you where they’re located now, in case something needs to be retrieved down the road. All your document management is done by indexing your files on the computer using software that anyone can learn to use almost immediately – even the computer-challenged managers who usually leave most of the computer work to their assistants because they’re “too busy.” No more worrying about not finding a file because someone is out sick! Our document management system alleviates that problem as well. See our Learning Resources and Video.
In today’s contemporary society with constant Internet usage, video conferencing and urgent meetings are often called with little or no warning. Having an indexed document management system is ideal because you can quickly and easily “lay your hands on” every document in the office you may need for an impromptu meeting or conference call. You’ll no longer be forced to make major decisions without having all the relevant information you need at hand.
Document indexing truly is the most contemporary method to efficient document management for your company. It will not only save your business time and money, but it will make for much happier employees who will spend so much less time handling files and documents in the office.
The Paper Tiger Document Management Software and Filing System
The Paper Tiger User Preferences change how the software is displayed. Your system comes with default settings for these preferences, but you can modify them.
To change user preferences, follow these steps:
1. Select Preferences from the View menu. The User Preferences dialog is displayed. Click on the tabs to change between preference options. The preferences are described in the tables for each option below.
2. Select or deselect options by clicking on the proper box; typing in the proper field; and clicking the … button to find the proper file.
3. Click the OK button. The preferences are set.
You can also choose your preferences by selecting Quick Preferences from the View menu.
*Note: Not all options are available in Basic Edition of The Paper Tiger.
Preference: Description
General
Allow Grid Edits: Allow changes to the table in the Browser.
Show Open Items: Show available places to put items.
Show Tool Tips: Show brief descriptions of toolbar buttons when you point to the buttons using the mouse. (To see the description, place the pointer on the button and wait a moment.)
Show Status Bar: Show the status bar at the bottom of The Paper Tiger main window.
Show All Locations Tab: Include a tab for all of your locations in the Browser.
Disable Spelling-checker: This disables the spelling-checker.
Case Sensitive Search: This option alters the way the search function works by differentiating between lower case letters and uppercase letters.
Default to Summary in Wizards: This defaults all wizards to display the Summary tab instead of the Step-by-Step tab.
Disable Location Memory: This disables the Location Memory feature.
Disable Automatic Find: This disables the Automatic Find feature.
Disable Reminder Pop-up: This disables the Reminder Pop-up notification.
Suppress Notes Column: This removes the Notes column from the browser view.
Suppress Category Column: This removes the Category column from the browser view.
Suppress Action Column: This removes the Action column from the browser view.
Reminders Horizon (days): Specify a number of days before an action date that you wish to be reminded of the action date. The Reminders List will include the action date that many days in advance.
Menu Styles*
Classic Windows: Selecting this menu style puts the least possible visual effect on the Paper Tiger interface.
Windows XP: Selecting this menu style puts a moderate amount of visual effect on the Paper Tiger interface.
Office XP: Selecting this menu style puts a moderate amount of visual effect on the Paper Tiger interface.
Office 2003: Selecting this menu style puts a highest possible amount of visual effect on the Paper Tiger interface.
* In Windows 2000, the “Windows XP” and “Office XP” styles are indistinguishable. Disabling the “Themes” service in the Windows XP Operating System removes visual effects on “Windows XP,” “Office XP,” and “Office 2003″ Menu Style modes.
Sounds
Play Sounds: Specify whether to play event sounds.
Toss: Specify the sound (.WAV) file to play when you toss an item.
Empty Trash: Specify the sound (.WAV) file to play when you empty the trash.
Update Field: Specify the sound (.WAV) file to play when you update a field in the Browser.
Start Up: Specify the sound (.WAV) file to play when you start The Paper Tiger.
Overdue Action Items: Specify the sound (.WAV) file to play when overdue action items are detected during startup.
Startup
Show Getting Started at startup: Selecting this option will have the program display a helpful document on how to use The Paper Tiger to organize your workplace.
Show Tips at startup: Show tips that help with various aspects of organization and usage of The Paper Tiger.
Shutdown
Automatic Database Backup: Automatically generates a Differential Backup upon exiting the software. (This does not create an off-site backup, but it is recommended that you manually archive your database to an off-site location such as a flash drive or CD-rom.)
By Meggin McIntosh, “The Ph.D. of Productivity”™ and Paper Tiger Expert
Meggin also recommends Paper Tiger Filing System Software for document management to get everything in your life organized — not just for filing paper.
Systems are a key element to productivity. While you may not use every system every day, having systems that are available to you the moment you need them, helps you limit the amount of time you worry about a task so you can get right down to completing it.
1. Your desk is a place to work. If you work in a home office this is especially important. If you fold clothes on your work desk, or stack your personal mail, or hold conversations with your family, or any of a million other non-work concepts at your desk, you will have to take a few minutes to clear your desk of these concerns before you can get to work. These minutes add up.
2. Organize your desk using the ABCD concept. Think of your workspace being like a target with the “A” space as a bull’s eye. Look around your desk periodically to ensure that you’re only keeping key items in the “A” space. Are you leaving your desk regularly for necessary materials? Put them in your “A” space. Rearrange regularly to accommodate your changing work needs. Refer to an earlier Top Ten Productivity Tips for a refresher on the ABCD concept.
3. Have an inbox (for paper and physical objects). Have a goal to clean this box out every day and AT LEAST once a week.
4. Have an inbox (electronic). Learn how to use the “folders” feature for your electronic inbox.
5. Have a ready supply of “next action” sheets. Whenever you’re talking to someone on the phone or in person, have a next action sheet ready to take notes.
6. Employ a tickler file for the month. This is a 1-31 file that allows you to place tasks or needed items (like an agenda for a meeting or the tickets to a show) daily for a month.
7. Use a tickler file for the months of the year. This is a January – December system that allows you to put reminders for items in upcoming months (or cards that you have purchased for events, etc.)
8. File with Paper Tiger Filing System Software for document management. I’d be lost without it. This is a numeric system for filing and will change your life if you use it. Seriously.
9. Use some kind of software that indexes your hard drive – and there are many to choose from. You want to be able to find ANYTHING on your hard drive. The previously mentioned Paper Tiger application is integrated with Google Desktop, meaning that you can choose to conduct a search from within Paper Tiger through Google Desktop. http://desktop.google.com/features.html
10. Use a planner. Get a good one that you’ll really use. Splurge a little and buy the one you really want. I’ve tried, and have never been successful, with PDAs, so now I allow myself to buy a beautiful new planner every year with just the pages I like (consider Franklin Planner, Day-Timer, Circa, or whatever works for you). I take it everywhere and use it every day. Get the planner system (paper or electronic or some combination) that works for you. Take a class and learn how to use it productively.
Just put one of these systems into place (that you currently don’t employ) and see what kind of difference it makes for you.
And if you’d like to access some pre-formatted “Next Action” sheets (free), they are available at http://www.toptenproductivitytips.com/downloads.php
You are welcome to sign up for the weekly tips, too.
(c) 2010 by Meggin McIntosh, Ph.D., “The Ph.D. of Productivity”(tm). Through her company, Emphasis on Excellence, Inc., Meggin McIntosh supports smart people who want to be more productive so that they can consistently keep their emphasis on excellence. Sound interesting? It is!
**Keys to Keeping Chaos at Bay
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Meggin_McIntosh
This article by Denise Landers, founder and CEO of Key Organization Systems Inc. and a Paper Tiger Expert, will help you…. Denise also recommends The Paper Tiger Document Management Software and Filing System to help keep track of all your paper files throughout the year.
Are you struggling to get more done every day and yet running into obstacles that keep you from being as productive as possible? Where is the clutter in your life? It could be:
* a mental overload
* a surfeit of activities
* stacks of papers
* a barrage of email
* the corner of your garage
Whether you are facing piles of paper or the overload is hidden in your email inbox, you know it is something that needs to be tackled, and it nags at you. Those little guilt feelings at not getting around to clearing things out end up sapping your energy. If this describes you, follow these seven steps to gain control:
1. Break the task into manageable pieces. If it took ten years to accumulate, do not expect to deal with it all in one day. Schedule small blocks of time on your calendar.
2. Make sure everything has a home. You have to make a decision on each item. Having a specific place for everything gives you structure.
3. Store like items with like items. When you keep all of one type of item together, you know how many you have and where to find them.
4. Store things where you will use them. You need to select a logical home. Otherwise the clutter will accumulate again because you will leave an item where you use it.
5. Contain it. A container can be as small as a paper clip holder or as large as a room. Only keep what will fit. This helps you set boundaries.
6. Get rid of excess. Options include selling, donating, recycling, giving away, tossing. Keep a donation box handy all the time.
7. Create systems. The real key to getting organized and staying organized is to create a system that works for you and stick to it.
These strategies apply whether it is an organized office you seek or cleared spaces at home. Your mental outlook will improve, and your daily productivity will soar!
Copyright © Key Organization Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.
If you would like to jumpstart your organizing efforts and add to your time management skills, Denise can help! and Twitter @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
This article by Denise Landers, founder and CEO of Key Organization Systems Inc. and a Paper Tiger Expert, will help you get ready for tax time, get your filing system in order, and help you decide what you need to keep. Denise also recommends The Paper Tiger Document Management and Filing System software to help keep track of all your paper files throughout the year.
What do I have to keep and how long should I keep it?
It’s the perennial dilemma as you survey the year’s accumulated stacks of papers, miscellaneous receipts, and overflowing paper files. You want to get organized and use good document management, as well as time management skills, but do not know where to start. Whether it is for office organizing or home paperwork, you face the challenges of making a decision.
As more and more becomes available through the internet, the quantity of accumulated paper should be diminishing. After all, you can view your brokerage reports, reconcile monthly bank statements, and pay your bills without ever handling the actual paper. However, even if you have been switching to electronic transactions, it is often tempting to print out these transactions and reports, adding them into your paper filing system.
Start now to make decisions on what does not have to be stored. Get ready with a good cross-cut shredder and begin the clean-up process. You can toss:
1. Receipts from banks deposits and ATM transactions. Once you have reconciled your monthly statement and all of these transactions are accounted for, the slip can be discarded.
2. Bills, such as utilities, cable, and telephone. If your check has cleared, why are you holding onto the actual invoice where you recorded the check number and date of payment? The canceled check itself verifies receipt of your payment that month.
3. Canceled checks. Store only the ones that relate to tax items you will be declaring. For example, if you are claiming a home office deduction, you do want to keep a record of utility payments for which you will be claiming a partial deduction. However the personal Wal-Mart check for miscellaneous household items does not need to be kept long-term.
4. Brokerage statements. If your annual statement summarizes all of the year’s activities, you can eliminate the monthly and quarterly ones from the past.
5. Pay stubs. Once you have verified the end-of-year amounts with what is shown on your W-2, toss the monthly stubs, retaining just the final one of the year with the totals.
6. Receipts for purchases. If the item is not under warranty or is not for a major purchase that you will include with a household inventory list, you can let those go. For example, if you bought two shirts in June and have been wearing them on a regular basis, why would you want to file that receipt?
When you just want to retain something for a short period rather than placing it into your permanent files, you can create a monthly system with file folders for January through December. Use this as a temporary storage place. Once the next January comes along, toss all those “temporary-hold” items.
Following this process makes it easy to do an annual review and get ready for the upcoming income tax tasks.
If you would like to jumpstart your organizing efforts and add to your time management skills, we can help!
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.
More time management articles by Denise Landers
Copyright © 2007-2008 by Key Organization Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.
Contact Key Organization Systems, Inc. for written permission to reproduce an article.
Do you waste time searching for documents that you know you have, but that you just can’t seem to find for the life of you? Maybe you filed a report in two different locations and can’t remember where you filed either one. Or maybe your assistant and you both handle your files, but do so differently and now no one can find anything anymore! Think of how many hours you and your employees waste every month searching for such documents; and then having to recreate them when they absolutely cannot be found. Some experts estimate it takes 25 hours or more to recreate every document that is lost! What a waste of time and manpower, not to mention the cost. But you don’t have to operate your office like this anymore. The Paper Tiger Document Management and Filing System software offers a low-cost, efficient solution to alleviate these issues and help you organize your office paper files, once and for all.
If file management—or the lack thereof—is hindering your office productivity, maybe it’s time for a document management solution that really works. The Paper Tiger Document Management and Filing System software empowers you and your staff with the ability to control your company’s paper flow from your very own computer, thereby ending a multitude of wasted hours searching for, and then recreating, lost documents; and alleviating the frustration and confusion associated with that chore.
You can tame your paper files once and for all without adding expensive equipment, scanning every document that crosses your desk, or trying to memorize a complicated new filing system. Simply download a free trial of The Paper Tiger Document Management and Filing System software, install it on your computer, set up a few files, and see how efficient and easy-to-use this filing system really is.
You’ll be free to spend more time actually working and earning a profit than you do searching for documents and files. This revolutionary file management system will save you countless hours of frantic searches for critically important documents. It is estimated that you can waste over 150 hours per year, just looking for lost information.
Imagine how much more work you, and every employee in your company, can accomplish in much less time when you don’t have to play the document search game every day.
For years the alphabetical filing system was the only known, logical method for managing files in both homes and offices. But now, with a computer sitting on every desktop, you can begin immediately to benefit from this revolutionary document management system that is so much easier to use. Don’t you hate trying to stuff one more file folder in between already overloaded file drawers, and then trying to remember how you filed that document later … was it by the company name, or the CEO, or maybe the industry? Oh, the frustration of mismanaged and complicated file systems!
The Paper Tiger Document Management and Filing System software removes that stress from your life by allowing you to customize your document management system to suit your personal and company needs and to work the way your memory functions — as well as others in the company.
For instance, let’s say you have a file on Company XYZ whose owner is Mr. JKL, and who has two locations in Meridian, MS and Alvin, TX. With an alphabetical system, you might have to create four files just to keep the data straight and know where to find the information when you need it! Not so with The Paper Tiger Document Management and Filing System software.
Enter your file information in The Paper Tiger software using keywords for the company name, the owner, and each location the company owns. Then file your information in one location, behind the last file you created, without worrying about stuffing the folder into an already cramped file drawer (and suffering untold paper cuts in the process!)… and voila! Your instant, easy, file management system is in place.
Now, when you need the file again, simply pull up the document index on your computer (or the one you printed so you’d have a paper copy, if you prefer), search for one of your keywords—the company name, owner, or location—get the location of the file, and there you have it. You’ve just found what you needed in a mater of three to five seconds!
Your document management system isn’t limited to just a few keywords, either. You can use any number of keywords or phrases that you might eventually think of when trying to find a document again. Any word or phrase that will help you remember a file, even any words remotely associated with that document, can be entered as a keyword. In fact, the more keywords or phrases you use, the easier it will be to locate your document later, since all entries are cross-referenced for ease of retrieval.
Another nice thing about The Paper Tiger is that anyone can pull up the index and find the files as easily as the person who set up the filing system. So if an employee is out sick one day, or even leaves the company, your document management system won’t suffer while another employee is trained to manage the files. Anyone can find files quickly and easily with this document management system.
The Paper Tiger Document Management and Filing System software is the easiest, most efficient, and most cost-effective method for managing your files and documents. But you don’t have to take our word for it! Download a free trial of the software today and see for yourself. We’re sure if you do that you’ll never want to go back to alphabetical filing again. Cumbersome, expensive document scanning as a “file management system”? Well … we don’t even want to go there.
If you’ve been considering a document management system such as The Paper Tiger Document Management and Filing System software, you may be wondering what kind of return on investment (ROI) you can expect. When you implement The Paper Tiger document management filing system, you can expect to quickly see a reduction in a variety of your company’s costs.
These expenses include specific hard dollar amounts saved by a reduction in the number of lost documents and files that must be recreated, as well as the extended time spent locating them; and reduced labor costs and wages involved in creating, maintaining, managing and retrieving documents and files.
In addition, there are countless soft dollar costs that offer tangible savings. These include such increased efficiency and employee productivity, improved decision making because the tools (files and documents) required to make those decisions are more readily available, and even the ability to get your products to market quicker because of your increased office efficiency.
Add to these benefits, the reduction in stress and frustration associated with lost or misplaced files, and the interruption of the work day when overfilled filing cabinets require unplanned reorganization in order to make room for necessary folders, and you begin to recognize tangible savings almost immediately.
While you’re the only one who can determine the true dollar value associated with accelerating the time to market for your products or services, we can offer some work flow considerations that will assist you in calculating the ROI for your business and individual situation.
Going beyond basic document management or work flow reduction by combining a more efficient document management system with greater flexibility that offers increased employee morale will allow you to raise your ROI even more.
The level of efficiency and stress in the workplace have a dramatic effect on employee productivity, and subsequently on ROI. Be sure to factor them in when comparing the cost of The Paper Tiger Document Management and Filing System software against other solutions.
In addition, you’ll want to include every hard dollar and soft dollar cost, such as the aforementioned employee morale, physical location of files, supplies and equipment needed, labor involved, ease of retrieval, and similar considerations.
Consider these potential expenses in order to calculate your ROI:
• How many company employees require access to files or documents, or are involved with managing the filing system in your office?
• What is the average annual salary of each of those employees?
• How much estimated time does each of those employees spend searching for files or documents every month?
• How many confidential files and documents are mishandled due to unauthorized access?
It’s estimated that most companies waste over half of every dollar spent handling records due to lack of efficiency and duplication of efforts.
• How much estimated time do each of your employees spend every month duplicating or reprinting files or documents for easier access with colleagues and supervisors rather than storing them in a central office filing location for easy retrieval?
These figures will help you calculate the labor and employee hours associated with managing your company’s document management and filing system.
Now consider the cost of duplication of lost files and documents:
Over seven percent of all documents a company produces are estimated to be lost, and approximately three percent of the remaining documents are typically misfiled. This requires an average company to spend over 25 hours for each file that must be recreated due to lost or misplaced documents!
• How much estimated time does each employee spend recreating or reproducing lost documents every month?
• How much does your company spend every month on paper, file folders, file labels and other materials needed strictly for recreating or reproducing lost documents?
• How much additional money is spent to run copiers, printers and fax machines, as well as the added maintenance, ink and toner on all of this equipment, strictly to recreate or reproduce lost documents?
• How much is spent on telephones and faxes required to replace those lost or misplaced documents?
• What about postage, shipping, envelopes and other mailing supplies, as well as labor associated with handling files specifically duplicated and replaced because of loss or misfiling?
In addition, there are other costs to consider depending on the document management system chosen, such as:
• Additional file cabinets and storage space needed to keep files in alphabetical order, or to store bulky disks along with original documents.
• Labor required to reorganize and redistribute files as file cabinets fill.
In Search of Answers: Enterprise Search and the High Performance Business by Accenture Information Management Services reports that workers can reduce their time spent searching for needed information and recreating lost documents by 15 to 30 percent using a more efficient document management system.
There are many costs associated with traditional document management systems, but thankfully, there is a solution to help alleviate and reduce many of these costs and increase a company’s ROI exponentially.
The Paper Tiger Document Management and Filing System software is one of the most efficient and cost-effective document management systems available; and it can save your company thousands of dollars when you implement this efficient, easy-to-use indexing filing system for your company’s document management needs.
Download your free trial now and see for yourself!
If you’ve researched “document management systems” on the Internet recently, you probably discovered that most people assume that phrase means only the process of scanning your documents, creating electronic files and managing those files on the computer. That simply is not the case.
While scanning and maintaining image files is one way to manage your company’s documents and paperwork, it’s not the only document management system available—nor is it even the best, most efficient, or most cost effective. Currently, it may be the most widely recognized definition of that phrase, but we hope to change that misconception!
A document management system, in the truest and simplest definition of the term, is a system used to manage documents. Whatever form that system takes.
Remember the traditional alphabetical filing system that everyone thought was the only way to file for hundreds of years? It’s a simplified document management system.
Then came the numerical system, which never quite caught on in the general public, but did fit the bill for some companies. That, too, is a document management system.
And then office managers got smart and combined the two, which is very effective for doctor’s offices and such. Guess what it’s called? You got it. A document management system.
Whatever system you use to manage your files is a document management system by the most simplistic definition. Does that mean the way you manage your files is the most effective, most efficient or most cost effective method? Not necessarily.
If you go back to that search engine and research the most economical document management system, you may be surprised. One of the largest hidden costs many businesses face is the cost associated with managing the paper in their offices.
Anyone who has ever dealt with office filing realizes what a chore it is. You must not only to decide how to file a document, but where, and then find a location in the proper sequence for the file. In addition, you must be able to quickly locate the file when it’s needed again. The labor costs alone can add up in a hurry.
For instance, let’s say it takes a $15 per hour employee five minutes to walk to the filing cabinet, search for and locate a needed file, retrieve the information required, replace the file, and return to her desk. If she must take the file with her to gather additional information, she will then need to return to the file cabinet and replace the file as well so the time may be longer, but five minutes is an easy figure to work with.
Assuming she handles a mere five files a day—and many employees handle many more!—that’s a total of over 108 hours every year that one employee spends filing. At $15 an hour, that costs the company over $1,600 a year—for filing! Double that to ten files per day, and those totals jump to 216 hours and $3,200… For one employee’s time filing! (And how many employees do you have?)
With a computerized file index like The Paper Tiger Document Management and Filing System software, that employee could locate the needed file before ever leaving her desk, which would reduce her filing time considerably. Add to that the convenience of being able to place a file in the next open filing slot without the need to rearrange files, or squeeze in “just one more” folder, and you’ve got a much more efficient and cost effective document management system.
Such a document management system would also eliminate the costs associated with lost documents that must be recreated when they can’t be found. Some experts consider this can cost up to $250 per file!
Remember that scanning system that everyone seems to think is the only computerized method for filing available? Not only does it not save time—we’ve all suffered the “What did I call that document on my computer? Blues,” and spent hours trying to locate a file—but that system can run into thousands of dollars to implement.
By the time a quality scanner and additional disk storage space are purchased, added to the cost of employee labor, the price to implement such a system can be prohibitive. Not to mention its sheer bulk and lack of efficiency.
So, what’s a company to do?
Try The Paper Tiger Document Management and Filing System Software!
Not only will the easy-to-use computerized document index allow you to locate files quickly and easily with a simple keyword search, but the ease of implementation is incredible.
You can start with as few, or as many, of your files as you like by simply creating your index and printing the accompanying labels. Then, as you add new files, simply add them to your index and you’re on your way to a more efficient and cost-effective document management solution.
The Paper Tiger is the most efficient, cost effective, and convenient document management system you can find. Download a free trial today and see if you don’t agree!
This article by Stephanie Calahan of Calahan Solutions and a Paper Tiger Expert, gives us some of the reasons we procrastinate, but also some great secrets to keep us from procrastinating so we can be successful with our goals. Filing is one thing that is a big reason for procrastination! If you don’t have a filing system that will help you get the job done, try Paper Tiger Filing System and Document Management Software. This filing system will not only help you file better, but will also help you find the files when you need them!
Learn 5 Secrets to Put Procrastination Off Until Tomorrow!
“I can’t help it! I was born to procrastinate.” That was the statement I heard when talking with a new client about a week ago.
So I asked her, “Are you happy with your procrastination? Does it serve you well?”
“No!” she exclaimed. “That is why I called you. I’m missing important deadlines and my co-workers and family are fed up with me.”
Do these statements resonate with you? If so, then keep reading. You can overcome procrastination if you learn a few simple secrets. Sometimes procrastination (putting an activity off until a later date) is necessary — like when a higher priority item comes up that you have to work on. However, if procrastination becomes a habit, trouble often follows. Start by understanding that there is nothing genetically or inherently wrong with you. So far, scientists have not found a procrastination gene! That is good news because it means it is a habit you can kick.
Why do we procrastinate?
There are a number of reasons we procrastinate. Let’s go over a few and how you can overcome them.
1. Not understanding your priorities will have you spinning in circles
Do you know if you are working on the right things? Do you find yourself jumping from one project to another? Often we procrastinate because we waiver on what we should be focusing on. One day it is one project and then the next day a different “bright shiny object” comes into view and we switch off to that. We are so busy jumping from project to project that we never really complete any of them.
Try This Instead: When a new activity or opportunity comes up, evaluate it against the other things you’re doing and determine how it fits into your overall plan. Ask yourself the tough question: ‘will you really take action on something right away’. ACTION is the key! Only take on those projects that you can DO something right away.
2. Perfection is the enemy of progress
No one is perfect and the desire to be perfect will derail your progress – you loose the focus to be successful. Don’t get me wrong. Having a detailed focus and an attitude for a “job well done” is excellent. However, there is a line we should draw when things are “good enough” to be tried. When you spend too much time on a particular task, it never gets completed and other activities suffer too. Taking action is better than not taking action. If you take action you get feedback and know where you can alter for improvements. For example, if you wait until you have a perfect plan for working out and eating right, you will never lose the weight you want to lose. If you don’t lose the weight, you may experience greater health issues.
Try This Instead: Use the 80/20 rule. Be “good” for 80 percent of the time. The logic: If you follow the new exercising/eating plan 80 percent of the time, then you’re 80 percent closer to your goal than the previous day! (The glass half-full focus.)
Remember – life is full of imperfection. Yes, it is important to give your best to achieve the possible best. But, not everything has to be perfect to produce the best outcome. Imperfection is better than perfection if something is actually getting accomplished!
3. Fear of failure only frustrates
This one ties closely to the item above. Taking action means making a change and possibly failing. Most of us don’t like change. In fact, most of us are terrified of change either consciously or unconsciously. “Failure is not an option” is a phrase we have heard all too often. But then, if we never tried, how would we know whether our effort has paid off or not, right? Exactly! Fear can be good when it helps us think though alternatives to a difficult problem. However, frequently we take it too far and this is where procrastination comes in.
Try This Instead: “Its Not Change it is an Experiment” – I love this concept. By thinking of your project as an experiment, you can get past your analysis paralysis and get your projects live. Then, as you learn things, you can make modifications. Now, go take action and let me know how it goes!
4. Understand the real time it takes to do tasks
We often put things off because we think something will take longer than it really will. “I just don’t have time!”
Try These Instead:
Play Procrastination Attack! Beat the Clock. Pick a time frame – let’s say 15 minutes – where you know you can focus on a task and get as much done as you can in that time frame. You’ll be amazed at how much you can accomplish!
Sit in a chair and do nothing. Sit still —- very still! Do not read. Do not listen to music. Do not watch T.V. Do not talk to anyone. Do not do anything! Just sit very still and do nothing. After about 10 or 15 minutes, you will get very uneasy. You will start to be aware of each precious minute passing you by while your goals are not being accomplished. Before you know it, your motivation will be reactivated and you’ll be off and running!
5. Eliminate the excuses that are holding you back
A few days ago I wrote a post on re-writing your own story. Many of us go through life with set beliefs about ourselves that are just not true. We so strongly believe in those stories that we make excuses for not getting things done.
Try This Instead: Take a long, hard, realistic look at the reasons that you are telling yourself and make sure that they “hold water.” If someone else told you the same reason, would you think the reason was sound? If you have stories that you tell yourself that are not really valid, rewrite them!
The Final Word
When dealing with procrastination it’s important to realize the difference between a rational decision to postpone a task and an irrational one with no rhyme or reason. Most people get confused between these two and then they procrastinate. You can easily end procrastination when you see that in most cases your decision to postpone an important task carries no logic at all.
Whether it is writing a chapter in a ‘how to’ book, cleaning your kitchen, or doing a blog post, you should try to do something each day. This is action. These small actions will bring big results overtime. Acknowledge your feelings. Even if you’re afraid of putting yourself out there, it doesn’t mean you have to allow these feelings to take over. Just allow them to be there and focus on what you have to do. This is powerful if you learn to use it.
What do you do to beat procrastination? Where do you struggle? I’d love to hear your thoughts and tips! Share them in the comment section below. Like what you have read? Please share it with others!
To your success!
Steph
About the Author:
Stephanie Calahan is The Business Vision Catalyst and founder of Calahan Solutions, Inc. She works with purpose-driven entrepreneurs, visionaries, coaches, consultants, health practitioners, authors, speakers and all sorts of remarkable service professionals who are experts in their field, to help them embrace their brilliance, leverage their business and get their message out with power, ease and joy; so that they can make a powerfully positive difference in the world, exponentially grow their income and enjoy a highly-successful and meaningful business… while working less. Learn how you can have more freedom in your life! http://www.StephanieCalahan.com
While the term “document management” is becoming more common, to many business owners and employees, the term may still be confusing. Is it simply filing? Is a filing system only a matter of filing paper in a file cabinet? Does it involve other aspects of documentation and handling of paperwork? What exactly does this mean?
According to Wikipedia, the phrases document management and document management systems are fairly interchangeable. While the former is the act of managing documents, the latter is the system used to manage them.
In the broadest sense of the term, such a system “can range from a shoebox all the way to an enterprise content management system. There are several common issues that are involved in managing documents, whether the system is an informal, ad-hoc, paper-based method for one person or if it is a formal, structured, computer enhanced system for many people across multiple offices.”
Location
This takes into account where documents will be stored, whether in a physical filing cabinet or indexed in a database.
Filing
An effective filing system will determine how easy a document is to find once it has been filed. This involves the methods used to actually organize and index documents, and to aid in locating and retrieving them when needed.
Retrieval
This encompasses how filed and stored documents will be located when needed. This can involve browsing through physical file cabinets and file drawers, or searching computer software, or a database for information. The speed at which files can be retrieved is a critical concern of any document management system.
Security
How secure are your files and documents? Safeguards must be in place to prevent unauthorized employees, or even outsiders, from accessing or damaging files.
Disaster Recovery
While it’s not something anyone wants to think about, every business should have a disaster recovery plan in place in the event of a catastrophe. Do you have a duplicate copy of important documents? Do you know where they are? Keeping an index of file locations, for instance, in a separate location from your original is a valid plan for protecting important, and potentially irreplaceable, paperwork.
Retention Period
While large companies typically have a records management system in place, even small businesses and one-person offices should be aware of how long various types of files must be kept and why.
Archiving
Preserving important documents and ensuring they’re readable in the future is another vital aspect to consider when planning your document management strategy. While it may not seem important now, as a company grows, archival and historical information will become more valuable, if only for the sake of posterity.
Distribution
Ensuring company documents are easily accessible to employees and clients who need the information they contain is one of the most essential aspects of managing paperwork properly. Understanding the needs of your business, and having a plan in place to provide needed access to files will alleviate a tremendous amount of stress, not to mention that it will create a more efficient work environment for everyone concerned.
Workflow
Some documents, by their nature, will need to pass through a number of hands during their time in the office. An efficient and well-understood procedure for managing their flow is vital to office productivity.
Creation
In most businesses, anyone and everyone can create a file for a variety of reasons. Determining who creates files, how they’re created, and the logistics of managing file creation, is important for a well-run office. This is particularly true when several people are involved in managing files, or when version tracking is an issue.
Authenticity
Deciding who is responsible for verifying a document’s authenticity and ensuring that copies are clearly noted as such is another aspect of managing a company’s paperwork, and one that is often overlooked when initially setting up a document management system.
It’s easy to see that document management, and document management systems, are much more complicated than many business owners and employees realize. Paperwork is the backbone of any business, however, and properly managing its flow, use, retrieval and storage is critical to successful business operations.
The Paper Tiger Document Management and Filing System Software is the perfect solution for helping your company—regardless of size—do just that. So now that you better understand what’s involved in the process, contact us today and let’s discuss your document management needs and how we can help you effectively control them.
