It seems that pretty much everyone has stepped into the computer age, and there is not a business in the world that does not rely on computers for a lot of their work. Even organizations that are steeped in thousands of years of tradition, such as churches, are not immune to this, and you will find that most churches are finding ways to use computers to their advantage. Churches are using Paper Tiger Filing System Software for document management to set up their filing systems so that everyone on the church staff can find the files they need quickly.
You would probably be quite surprised to see just how much paperwork an average church has, and how many filing cabinets are filled to overflowing. The church is a business like any other, and it is necessary to be as efficient as possible so that time and money is not wasted. Most people don’t think of churches as businesses, but church staff must manage the money received just like any other business to be able to maintain the buildings and pay staff.
Church fundraisers are not the only way that churches acquire money, and everything they do must be accounted for. This means that they have to record information from all business transactions, which means a lot of paperwork. Don’t forget about all of the paperwork for weddings, funerals and other special services performed at churches. All of this information must be saved for future reference if needed, so again, there are more papers to be filed.
Then think about all the sermons and other service notes, and books that are referenced, and CD or DVD recordings. How are these maintained to be able to retrieve again when needed?
When church administrators make the switch from paper filing or document management software, they are doing their secretaries a huge favor. No longer will they have rely on memory or guess how someone else filed something or search through mounds of papers to find a particular file. After indexing everything into the software database, all it takes is a few clicks to conduct a Google-like search in the database and you’ll know exactly where the needed item is located. Not only does this make finding things easier, it also makes it so one can declutter the office.
If you work in a church office that is overflowing with paperwork, implement document management software to help you get organized. Even if your church is considering going to a paperless filing system, there are some things that can’t be scanned, as mentioned previously, i.e., books, CD and DVD recordings. In addition, things such as drama team props and costumes, children’s church items, youth group projects — basically anything that you can put a number onto, you can index so that your staff can find what is needed quickly.
It will make everyone’s work a lot easier, and if you are the person who usually takes care of keeping track of where everything is, it will definitely make your life easier, saving you time and energy.
See other information at Organizing Church Documents The Easy Way for tips on labeling and categorizing.
If your church is planning on scanning even some of the paper that flows through the church, try Google Docs. Unlike many digital filing systems, Google Docs is more cost effective in digital storage, and with Paper Tiger-Digital Tiger Filing System Software for document management, you’ll be able to search for both physical items and scanned or digital files from one search. This will make your time management and productivity even easier to maintain!
“I’ve spent the past week re-reading Sherry’s book Conquer Your Chaos and cleaning out the last dregs of debris in my office and emails. The filing system here was in such disrepair when I first started three years ago that I made six attempts to deal with it before finally calling Sherry Borsheim for help.
Between her skills at moving us through the unmovable and the ease of implementing the Paper Tiger filing system, we are now finally able to literally find pretty much anything within five minutes – not five seconds yet, as we had a LOT of paper to put into the system. However, just this week, twice I produced critical documents in no time at all, whereas before, we would have been searching for hours.
Thanks, Sherry and thanks Paper Tiger!
Bev
Executive Coordinator / Museum of Vancouver
www.museumofvancouver.ca
The need to be organized in the office as well as in the home is an obvious and universal one. It is also a confusing and sometimes overwhelming need with many different options that can be used to accomplish the task. Paper Tiger Filing System Software for document management can help you get organized so that you can find what you need, when you need it – quickly!
The problem with some of the organization systems is their difficulty. Some of them are very expensive and some are very limited in their scope. They may not be very effective with certain types of items and they may not be as user friendly as some people would like them to be. The more difficult a system is to use, the less likely they are to be used on a regular basis. If papers are just stacks piling up on the desk because the system is just too much of a chore to use, then it is nothing more than a waste of time.
To correctly use a digital filing system, you have to have the right digital filing system. While that sounds like it should be a given, it is not always such a simple thing to accomplish.
The right system is one that will be easy to use, accommodates everything that you need to file and organize and is adaptable and expandable. The right digital filing system is one that is so easy to use in fact, that there is no lengthy training period, which is particularly helpful for those who need such a system in their office and may have more than one or two employees who will have to have access to this system.
The biggest amount of work that you have in using any type of organizational system should be in the initial set up and if you have opted for the right one, even that is not that much effort. Once you get your system set up, then accessing, updating or changing anything should be a step or two to accomplish. There should not be the need to tear down the system to rebuild it, even if you are making some major changes or updating a lot of information.
You can set up the system by using existing file names and add keywords to the database relating to each file and the filing system software assigns numbers to each of your hanging file folders, so your folders coincide with the item number in the database. This allows you to find an item just by conducting a Google-like search in the database based on the keywords you’ve indexed relating to the item you need to find, and the program gives you the exact location of the file or item.
You don’t have to rely on your memory for what name is placed on each file – you know, that one or two words on the file tab. Nor do you have to rely on that one person in the office that does most of the filing. What happens when that person is out of the office?
Implementing filing system software that’s not just for document management will provide you with an organizational system tool that will help you get organized and start finding what you need, when you need it without having to rely on your memory or others in the office!
There is a better way! Paper Tiger Filing System Software for Document Management and even better Paper Tiger Online will soon be able to connect Digital Tiger to Google Docs!
Using a Paper Tiger-Digital Tiger Filing System Software for Document Management to organize an entire office or workspace in one place is the ultimate solution to document management. Of course, that also means you can get organized in your personal life, too. You can manage your digital and paper files in one place. It can be practically paperless, too. These two systems enable you to file and store both paper files and PDF files.
And, for those paper files you do need to keep, you can index those paper files and locate them while the same search will find your digital files. It really is the simplest digital filing system in the world. This is a revolutionary time saving, space saving, life changing organizational approach to document management.
The online filing system software takes less than 60 seconds to sign up for and less than 30 minutes to learn. You will have access to videos, knowledge base and FAQs (frequently asked questions) to make the process of understanding and getting started as simple as could be. The thing is, these types of paperless or limited paper filing system software help you organize things other than paper. Any physical item that you can put a number onto and index or catalog it, you can file or organize and keep track of it by using these applications.
Advantages of a Document Management System
You can gain control of your life, not to mention, find your desk again. Never before has it been possible to be this organized. Once the system is in place, you can organize your office and everything in your life.
It also means you have a secure filing system and document management system that doesn’t collapse each time you have staff turnover. It unifies team members by making data sharing easy, as well as so much faster than could have ever been done before using previous methods. In fact, users of the software save around 150 hours each year by using this approach to tracking down exactly what they are looking for right when they need it.
And not only for staff turnover, but families can benefit as well. When you implement filing system software in your home, anyone in the family can conduct a search in the database and find what is needed quickly without scrambling all over the house for the needed item.
Who Can? You Can!
The question really should be – who can’t benefit from using a filing system or document managing program? People such as teachers, homemakers and auto dealers all find this system works. Police departments, dental offices and even students have put this document management system to good use. And, funeral homes, electricians and home offices are just a few more of the many types of companies and organizations able to change their lives by getting organized with this filing system software. This includes companies, corporations, non-profits, government agencies, professionals and individuals.
So, maybe it really is your personal life you want to get organized. Or, maybe you would just like to live in an almost paperless world. You could declutter your life while recycling your old papers and being more environmentally friendly. More than likely though, you will find that using these approaches by implementing Paper Tiger-Digital Tiger Filing System Software for Document Management will make sense in both your personal and professional lifestyles.
In this webinar, Anne McGurty, productivity expert of Strategize and Organize, conducted basic getting started with Paper Tiger Online functions, such as describing what is a Database, creating a Database, creating a Location, creating Items, printing labels for your items.
Then Anne continued by demonstrating the following, in addition to answering questions asked during the webinar, to help you use Paper Tiger more effectively to get organized and be more productive:
-How to organize things other than paper files
-Filing items from her inbox
-Searching items, then editing
-How to use the Transfer function to Move an Item, with an explanation of why and how to use Confirmation
-How to use the Cleanout Report and benefits of this report (this is one of Anne’s favorites)
-How to Toss an item when it is no longer valid
-Using the Confirmation function when transferring or tossing an item and why the confirmation function is helpful
As information, Anne is a professional speaker, productivity expert, and author. If you want to learn more about Anne and her services, please visit her website at www.StrategizeAndOrganize.com. She may be in Colorado, but she’s nationally recognized as an expert and works with people throughout the US in person and virtually.
See more information here on Paper Tiger Filing System Software for Document Management
You can contact Anne at amcgurty@strategizeandorganize.com or by phone at 303 881-0174.
Q: Referring to labels, can we get the document in a Word format so that I can change font options?
A: Currently, Paper Tiger Online will only extract labels in .pdf format, so it wouldn’t be possible to change the font. However, see this knowledge base article for instructions to create your own labels using MS Word Mail Merge: http://support.thepapertiger.com/entries/20900682-Create-Your-Own-Labels-Using-Mail-Merge
Q: Can you touch on using the alphabetical method & your thoughts on using it. We have several files that we don’t want to index. How do you use Paper Tiger A – Z file system?
A: Filing alphabetically is not the concept behind Paper Tiger. You don’t necessarily need to forget about alphabetizing, however the concept behind Paper Tiger is to file numerically rather than alphabetically and search from keywords that you’ve input versus the one or two words that might be input on the hanging file folder tab when filing alphabetically. If this is frightening or too much of a paradigm shift for you, but you still want to index your filing system, see the following blog posts for how to use Paper Tiger for alphabetical filing.
Q: Did I hear you say that if you want to move from a PC version to web version, the files will be transferred for you?
A: Yes, you can send your Paper Tiger desktop database to our tech support team and they will import the database for you into your Paper Tiger Online account. Prior to sending your database, make sure all pending items have been confirmed by clicking the Confirm box, and empty the Trash. Then export your database to .CSV file by following the instructions below for all databases if you have more than one database. To export a Paper Tiger CSV file from Paper Tiger 4:
1. Open Paper Tiger and the appropriate database.
2. From the File menu, select Export.
3. Check the Select All box.
4. Click the Browse button to select the preferred directory so that you will know where the file will be saved to and type in a file name for the CSV file, click the Save or Open button
5. Then attach the .CSV file to your email that you’re sending to our tech support team at support@thepapertiger.com
Q: How do categories work in Paper Tiger Online?
A: You do not need to add a Category for every item. You can add a Category in the instances when you might want a virtual view of files that are related even though they may be in different file drawers. See our knowledge base article at How do I use Categories in Paper Tiger? for more information.
Q: I have a Paper Tiger account and have created several databases. But when I search, it appears that I can only search one database at a time. Is that correct?
A: Yes, Paper Tiger does not search across databases. Having different databases is only advantageous if you want to keep different filing systems separate and do not want to search for all files in all databases at one time. For example, if you have an Office database and a Home database, you do not want items to pop up from your Office database when conducting a search for an item in your Home database.
Q: I use Paper Tiger for the business that I manage. It is a large dental practice. My doctors want me to be “paperless” and scan in all invoices, statements, etc. When will I be able to do this and organize via Paper Tiger? I have used this system for three years and don’t want to abandon it
A: We hope to have a digital filing solution soon, but do not have a definite date yet.
Q: I would like your views on filing DVD’s and computer software.
A: Of course, you can index DVD’s and computer software, and basically anything that you can put a number onto. Simply index your DVD’s and computer software, and print out labels from Paper Tiger to affix onto each DVD and computer software CD or you can number the CD itself or the edge of the jewel case or storage sleeve.
See our Not Just For Filing Papers webpage for other great ideas.
Q: Once created, can a database be accessed from any computer?
A: Yes, Paper Tiger Online works on any computer with an Internet access including Mac, so you will be able to log into your Paper Tiger Online account from anywhere.
Q: What is the best process for moving from a traditional file system to Paper Tiger?
A: See our blog post Customize Your Filing System with Paper Tiger’s Indexing Method
If you have ever wondered why some paper filing systems are so expensive, the answer might be in how they are used, or rather hard to maintain. The more times that you have to go outside of a system to accomplish the task it is meant to handle, the more you increase its cost. The more additional items that you have to buy to properly use a system, the more expensive it becomes. And, the longer that it takes to train your employees or your family members to use a system, then the more it costs in terms of your valuable time and your money.
Additional items must be bought for some organizational systems to work. This can include a scanner, which is used to create either a digital file backup or to get rid of the physical paper file attempting to go paperless. Some people already have a scanner, but not everyone does. If you have to buy such an item, would you still be saving money by using it? If everything is put on the same disc, what happens to your filing system if that disc is lost, stolen or destroyed? Or worse, becomes obsolete – remember floppy discs? In addition, how do you search for a needed file on a CD or backup?
What if you have a system that is meant to organize more than just papers? What if you have books or CDs or DVDs or items in storage containers or other physical items that need to be documented? If you have to implement a secondary system for the non-paper items, then the cost of that first system will go higher by default. The right filing system software can be used to organize and maintain items beyond just papers…basically anything that you can put a number onto can be indexed.
So how do you index items other than paper? Simply index your books, CDs, DVD’s, computer software, items in storage containers, etc., then print out labels from Paper Tiger to affix onto each item. Actually with Paper Tiger, you can print out the numbered labels first, affix to the item, then index each item to match the relating item number. For CDs, DVD’s, and computer software, you can number the CD itself or the edge of the jewel case or storage sleeve. For books, simply put the item number on the spine. For storage containers, put the number on the end of the container that will face outward.
See our Not Just For Filing Papers webpage for other great ideas.
Finally, you also have to consider the value of your time when you are starting an organizational system. Organization, by its very definition, should mean that things are in the right place and they are easy to find. That should free up some of your time, not bog it down even further.
Experts estimate that people spend 150 hours per year looking for lost information in any office environment. Being able to cross-reference your files and find them with a click of a computer mouse with a simple Google-like search in the database is like paying yourself because you are saving time.
Remember, in business and in your family life, your time is very valuable and precious. You can make more money another day. You can sign a new document or mail out a letter or whatever else you need to do but you absolutely cannot make more time.
Implementing Paper Tiger Filing System Software that’s not just for document management will provide you with an organizational system tool that you will wonder what you ever did without! Get organized with a smart filing system that will help you stop wasting time and start finding what you need, when you need it!
This article by Denise Russos, Progressive Organizing Solutions and Paper Tiger Expert, gives us a great plan to conquer our clutter and paper filing problems! The Paper Tiger Document Management Software and Filing System (Paper Tiger Online or Paper Tiger desktop version) will help you accomplish this very efficiently and be able to later find what you’ve filed!
Conquering the paper issues in an office or home can be the most stressful part of getting organized. Everyone realizes they actually keep too many clothes, or too many pots and pans, or even too many of whatever it is. We’re just so afraid to get rid of the paper trails in our lives that we hold on to every slip of receipt, and every article we’ve ever wanted to read so we are overwhelmed with paper! I know what I’m talking about! Aunt Mary sent you a card! Uncle Jim sent a article on fly fishing! I can hear you now! “If I get rid of it, they are going to ask me for it or about it!”
This week I’ve been out of town working with a woman who is trying to get her papers in order. She is part of a large family corporation that owns a lot of land, ranches, oil fields, farms, etc. She is really great, but she is just like everyone else when it comes to paper. By the way, she is doing a magnificent job at the clearing out process and yesterday began the process of learning how to scan documents and enter them into her new centrally understood filing system! But I digress here. I will explain what this type of filing system is soon! Be patient.
It doesn’t matter if you are a one person family or a ten person family, you will have paper clutter. Clutter is postponed decisions. Everywhere you look some surface in your home or office is cluttered with papers that should have had decisions made about them the minute they hit your desk or counter top! So the first thing I want to address is your lack of habit!
Lack of habit is the cause of clutter. We have tendencies that say, I’ll get to it later. Only we don’t. So it builds up until we have to take entire days to do something that originally should only take a few minutes or an hour at a time to complete. This goes for other things than taking care of paper clutter, but we’ll stick to paper clutter management for now.
If I look around my home office, I can see trends that need improvement and I bet you can too. Little slips of paper my adult son left on the home computer desk that should have been thrown away. Or the fact that I went out of town for several days and now have an accumulation of mail on my desk to go through. Or that stack of magazines that only have one article in them I wanted to read. So as I go along, I do what I teach my clients to do. Reading that article is first, because I can certainly clear the space if I decide not to keep the article. I definitely will not keep the magazine!
As for the mail, which is the biggest contributor to paper trash in the household or office, it is next. I have to decide to file it for future decisions, act on it if it is necessary, or trash it.
While I was out of town I spoke with some ladies at the Millennium Hotel in Durham. Sweet ladies, but they were as mind boggled over what to throw away as the next person.
Keep these rules in mind!
The point here is that every piece of paper that comes into your home or office needs some type of Action. You only have three choices. Make them wisely and you will have less and less piles of paper and more desk real estate to use for important things!
A friend of mine, Stephanie Calahan said something recently on how long it takes to create a habit. It is generally accepted that it is a 21 day process. However, I agree with Stephanie that it can take up to seven weeks to create a sustainable habit.
Knowing what you have to do, and doing it are two different things. You know you need to get it under control. Clutter is a stress magnet and if you can get the clutter under control or gone forever, wouldn’t you? Reduce your stress, reduce your blood pressure, and try to enjoy a wonderfully new environment by becoming clutter free!
Denise Russos, Progressive Organizing Solutions
Original article posted: Making Your Filing System Work for You!
http://twitter.com/DeniseRussos
Paper filing on your own can be hard labor. If you have been in business for quite some time, keeping up with the amount of paper work that you have in your office can be overwhelming. Do you think it would be possible for someone to alphabetize and index each and every document that you ever printed?
Thankfully, paper filing does not need to be a nightmare. Implementing Paper Tiger Filing System Software for Document Management, can eliminate your filing woes completely and will help you get organized. Here’s why you need a good filing system:
Paper Filing Is a Laborious Task but Filing Systems Cut Down the Physical Effort Required
There is no doubt about it, filing paper physically can be really back-breaking. There are many things involved in the process of paper filing. If you have a large volume of physical documents being generated in your office, you certainly cannot stack them in a filing cabinet forever, so you begin making folders for each. Once you have made your folders, you move on to alphabetizing them and finally you index them and store them in your filing cabinets. The more documents that are generated in your office, the more time it will take for you to perform this whole process. In the end, you will have wasted a lot of company time just filing paper.
Instead, when you use a good paper filing system, you can use the document management software to generate an index number for each hanging file folder, so that the next time you have paper to file, you simply drop it in the first available numbered folder. As you file a document away in your cabinet, you create a record in the software database that coincides where that physical item is stored. Then you assign it as many keywords as necessary so when you need to find the item, you can conduct a google-like search in the database. For example, if you are filing your tax return for 2010, you might use keywords like “tax,” “taxes,” “IRS,” “Internal Revenue Service,” “finances,” “bookkeeping,” “accounting,” “legal,” “end-of-year,” “2010” — whatever makes sense to you. Then when you want to retrieve that item, you can search by any keyword to find its location.
Filing System Software Points Out Free Space in Your Filing Cabinet
When you are filing paper without professional help, it is only a matter of time when you run out of space to put additional files. For instance, if you have arranged your files alphabetically, and your Ks are completely filled, you seek to move additional files to a new venue. This makes your job more tedious, and it makes the filing more confusing and a major reason why many people delay filing, and therefore causes another problem – a backlog of filing, you know, those stacks and stacks of paper files all over the office.
On the other hand, if you use paper management software like Paper Tiger that will allow you to set up numbered hanging file folders in advance, when you add a new file, the software will find the first space available in your filing cabinet for your new documents so that you won’t have to spend hours searching for a new venue to move folders around to make room to insert in between. This is extremely convenient and helps you find your papers easily when you require them.
Filing System Software Makes Office Management Much Easier
Paper Tiger Filing System Software for Document Management helps you track the move of paper files from one place to another. If you want to make a copy of a paper, or if you want to destroy one, you can put reminders in your filing system. Another advantage is that when you want to move your files, you can transfer the file to the new location in your filing system software so that you can locate these when you want them next.
We hear the term ADHD all the time, but many of us have no idea what it really means. ADHD stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and although most of us tend to think of it as something that is most common in children, there are many adults who also have this condition. After all, it is not something that most people outgrow, so any child with ADHD can probably expect to have it as an adult as well. Now, those who have ADHD often have problems keeping their lives organized. Often, those who have ADHD find that they start a lot of things, only to put them aside and never get them finished. They go on to other things, and end up with a lot of unfinished projects. This is usually because they cannot keep up with their very creative minds, therefore lack of focus and attention on any one thing at a time.
Some people with this condition are just too hyper to be able to focus long enough to be able to put things away, and they end up being surrounded by clutter, and unable to find things when they need them. This includes important paperwork and other paper files. If you have ADHD, there are things you can do to simplify your life and make things easier, including setting up a record management system, like Paper Tiger Filing System Software for Document Management, that will help you to keep important papers and documents well organized so that you can get your hands on anything you need at any time, and be able to know where it goes when you need to put it back.
Obviously, the first thing you are going to need to do is start going through all the clutter. A lot of the time, people who have ADHD will hang on to things that they do not really need, because they never get around to getting back to them or throwing them away. This of course, can easily lead to even more chaos and feelings of overwhelm.
First, schedule a few minutes up to an hour each day, depending on how much time you think you can stay on task. Don’t pressure yourself to think you have to finish clearing all the clutter in one day.
Then start going through the piles of papers, one stack at a time, and make a decision for each piece of paper. Which ones are actually important and which can just be tossed in the trash or recycle bin. So the only decision you’re making for each piece of paper in this first step is whether it will require action, and if you will need to refer to it later (personal, tax or legal reasons), or if it can be tossed. Have a trash or recycle bin available so that you can go ahead and toss those that you do not need again. You can also go ahead and divide into stacks what will need action and what will need to be filed. You will probably find that about half of the clutter is gone after you have completed this first step.
Next, you need to find a way to organize what is left. The next decision you need to make is for your actionable papers. A good practice would be to write on the paper itself or on a sticky note what the next action is for each piece of paper, and when that action is due. You can put these actionable documents in a dated file folder, then each day refer to that date to see what needs to be done.
Also, implementing Paper Tiger Filing System Software for Document Management, that is a keyword driven index numbered filing system is a really good idea for your reference files, because you can enter as many keywords as you might think of relating to each document into the software’s database, and then put the papers away in a corresponding hanging file folder that has already been set up. In this case, you’re not limited to the one or two words that you might have put on the hanging file folder tab, so you don’t have to worry whether you’ll find it again or not. So let your creative mind go to work and start typing in keywords. When you need to find certain information right away, all you have to do is conduct a google-like search in the software’s database, and based on the keywords you entered previously, be able to find what you need, when you need it!
Once you have all your paper files organized and have gotten rid of the things you don’t need, you will find that your life is a whole lot easier, and less cluttered. You’ll be so enthusiastic because of what you’ve accomplished, you’ll want to get organized in other areas of your life. The right document management system software will also allow you to organize other physical items as well…not just paper, so you can index anything that you can put a number onto.
Having a great document management system will ensure that no matter how overwhelmed you are with things right now, you will be able to whittle your way through the clutter in no time at all. Paper Tiger Filing System Software for Document Management is a great help, so even if you have ADHD and have been letting things go because you jump from one thing to another and can’t focus, you will still be able to get organized and stay organized!
If you are prospective new parents in the adoption process, you are facing a daunting amount of paperwork at every stage of the process, and now is the time to get ready, especially if you are adopting a child from a foreign country. You will need to keep copies of the forms you fill out for your home-study agency, your placement agency and your child’s immigration application. There are documents that are needed for your health, both mental and physical, your finances and personal history. That is just the initial screening; the closer you get to the actual adoption, the more papers you will need to fill out. The more papers that you have on hand, the more you will need a paper filing system, like Paper Tiger Filing System Software for Document Management, to deal with them.
There will be additional documents that you will have to keep on hand for the child as well, including the child’s health records and other documents. Once you get to that next stage, you will be keeping track of travel plans and arrangements, and eventually immigration documents, post placement visits and reports. Everything that you need to keep will need to be kept organized and accessible in the document management system.
In some adoptions, you will be asked to be ready to travel at almost a moment’s notice and you will still need to have all of these papers in order. That being said, there has to be a way to keep all of these critical documents from becoming a confusing mess of papers that have no rhyme or reason. That is where a professional filing system software comes into play.
You might have heard about paperless filing systems that have you scanning everything and then storing it in some little folding pseudo desk, but you can’t scan everything you have. You can’t scan your travel papers like passports and other items and then file the rest away. You might have baby books or other items that were kept for an older child, and those things cannot be scanned and then stored away. That is why the filing system software is the far better answer. It is not a paperless system. It is not one where you scan things and then get rid of them. It is a far better system for far more than just paper.
Here is how Paper Tiger Filing System Software for Document Management works. You file your papers and/or your other physical objects, including the things that you could never have scanned or filed with the other systems. Using item names, along with keywords, the filing system software assigns numbers and locations to index each item. When you need a document, you conduct a search from the filing system software database, and you will know exactly which file that document can be found in. As you update or purge files in your cabinets, you would be able to update the database as well to track where the files are moved to physically.
Every piece of paper that is generated by your adoption process is important. Don’t run the risk of losing anything that will turn out to be vitally important or sentimentally precious in the coming months or years. Don’t trust your important documents to a haphazard filing system when you can use Paper Tiger Filing System Software for Document Management, a professional and organized system that makes sure that everything is where it needs to be with a little help from you.
In this webinar, we conducted basic getting started with Paper Tiger Online functions, such as describing the Dashboard and what is shown there, creating a Database, creating a Location, creating Items, printing labels for your items.
Then Anne McGurty, productivity expert of Strategize and Organize, continues by demonstrating the following:
-How to organize things other than paper files
-How to index items other than paper files, such as CDs and other bulky items
-How to use Categories
-Filing items from her inbox
-Searching items, then editing
-How to Transfer to Move an Item, with an explanation of why and how to use Confirmation
-How to use the Cleanout Report and benefits
-Reminders and Reminders Horizon
-Adding a Location for virtual items, such as your Ideas (thoughts, things to do, vacation spots to check out, find a recipe, etc), then Toss an item when it is no longer valid.
As information, Anne is a professional speaker, productivity expert, and author. If you want to learn more about Anne and her services, please visit her website at www.StrategizeAndOrganize.com. She may be in Colorado, but she’s nationally recognized as an expert and works with people throughout the US in person and virtually. You can contact Anne at amcgurty@strategizeandorganize.com or by phone at 303 881-0174.
See more information here on Paper Tiger Filing System Software for Document Management
Q: What is the best use of “category”? I don’t use it now — is it helpful to use?
A: Categories are best described in our knowledge base article entitled What are Categories?, and is basically is dependent on how you want to file your items and how you think. For some people using Paper Tiger’s indexing method, using Categories are helpful to be able to select a category when they want to get a view of where all of their HR files are or where all of their Tax or Financial files are.
In the example that Anne uses in this webinar, she has a music CD by Van Morrison and she also has a document with the lyrics from one of the songs by the same artist. She could have used the Category of ‘Music’ for both of these. The CD and the document would be in 2 different physical locations, but you could choose the Music category and Paper Tiger would show you all items in the Music category, as shown in the screen shot below:
Q: Why put “music” in the item name rather than in the category?
A: In this case, we were simply inputting an item name, no real logic, and definitely could add a Category of Music in this instance.
Q: What is the “notes” section used for? (the column called “Notes” next to “category”)
A: You can use the Notes section for any addition notes that you do not want to be mixed with the Keywords section, i.e., next action to be taken on this item, physical location, who borrowed a book or other item, who pulled the filed last, etc.
Q: Can that confirmation page be printed?
A: For items that you have required confirmation before the transfer completes, you can print a Transfer report from the Reports function.
Q: Why use “MC” instead of “Media Cabinet” as the name? Is there an advantage to the abbreviation?
A: In this instance, Anne used MC instead of Media Cabinet so that the smallest label could be chosen and the entire label would not be taken with the Location name.
Q: What would be best practices for tracking inventory that changes fairly frequently? Better to use item name for item – rivets and then document quantity and description in notes or key words. I have one drawer with all my rivets in.
A: Yes, Probably best would be to use what the item is for the Item Name in Paper Tiger. Then use the Keywords section for description and quantity. Notes section might be used for when and how much to order.
Q: So you are tracking just random things on your desk that need to be tasks? Then when you’re done, what do you do with it? Move to a file location? If you throw it away because it is done, do you just delete and then that number #2 is used forever?
A: You can index anything with Paper Tiger that you can put a number onto. Filing from your inbox is just one example of what can be tracked with Paper Tiger. In your example here, I believe you are asking about Action files, so when you are done with the action or task, you can move it to a reference file or other named location in Paper Tiger or you can toss it. Then the item number will be empty until you file a new item in this location. When you file a new item in that location, Paper Tiger will choose the first available open item, which in this case would be Item Number 2.
Q: Clearing out old files from the system
A: Anne describes how to use the Cleanout Report to assist us in clearing out old files. Then using the Transfer function to either move them to Archives or using the Toss function to delete the items from the database. Also see our knowledge base article entitled What happens to Items in the Trash?
Q: How to move/merge effectively, such as consolidating files into boxes.
A: Transferring files are best described in our knowledge base articles What is a move transfer? and What is a merge transfer?
In your example for consolidating files into boxes, for instance, you might name your boxes ‘Archives’ Location.
-You would Transfer the items from the original location to Archives in Paper Tiger, require Confirmation
-Then print a Transfer report to check off each item as you physically move them to the box.
-Then confirm the Transfers in the Confirm box in Paper Tiger.
-Tape the Transfer report to the box along with the Item numbers of the items you have just archived.
Q: Paper Tiger could probably be used for folders on the computer too.
A: Yes, absolutely, Paper Tiger will work to organize electronic files by treating your electronic or scanned documents as if they were paper.
Q: Where do you get the reminder? Do you need to login in Paper Tiger in order to get the reminder?
A: You do need to log into Paper Tiger and select a Database in order to get the reminder. Reminders show up in the top of the page as banners as seen in the screen shot below:
Q: Is the description the keywords or search words?
A: The description of a Location is simply describing what the Location is being used for and what type of items will be indexed in the respective Location. You can also input where the items are physically located in the description. The search function of Paper Tiger does not search the wording in the Location Description section.
The Search function searches wording input in the Item Name, Keywords, and Notes sections.
Q: How safe is using the Paper Tiger Online?
A: Our servers at Amazon Web Services are in a highly secure environment that prevents physical access, there is complete redundancy and your data is professionally maintained and backed up. Our network is protected by a state-of-the-art firewall. In addition, even our free accounts provide SSL security (data encryption) to ensure your data gets to and from our servers safely. We ensure that your data is safe with nightly data backups within our data centers.
Q: Can you put a url in the notes section that will execute?
A: You can input a url, but it will not execute or link to the web address.
Q: How to use Paper Tiger to track mental processes, i.e., ideas.
A: Create a new Location for Ideas as shown in the screen shot above. Then your Item Names would be your idea, i.e., ‘vacation spots’, ‘find recipe’, ‘to do’, ‘uses for Paper Tiger’, etc.
Q: How to keep work and home organized, but not together?
A: This would be an example of why you would want separate databases. In this case, you would want to create a Database for ‘Office’ and a Database for ‘Home’. When you want to search for something in your home, you would select the Home Database and search results would only come from this database.
Q: How to create databases for CD’s and movies
A: If you do not want search results for your CD’s and movies from your Home Database, you could create a separate database for these items.
Having different databases is only advantageous if you want to keep different filing systems separate and do not want to search for all files in all databases at one time. For example, if you have an Office database and a Home database, you do not want items to pop up from your Office database when conducting a search for an item in your Home database. Paper Tiger does not search across the different databases.
In this article, Anne McGurty of Strategize and Organize, and a Paper Tiger Expert describes the importance of maintaining your paper filing system especially for such events as tax time, plus she recommends Paper Tiger Filing System Software for Document Management to make it happen.
As I watch people during tax season, I am always amazed how frustrated they are with all the paperwork “they need to gather” and how they complain about all the time involved. It really doesn’t need to be that way. Having an efficient filing system in place now, will make things so much easier later.
While it’s fresh in your mind what a headache it has been, I ask you “isn’t it time to finally create a system?” Use this month’s tips to help you get some ideas on getting started.
Happy filing – paper and taxes!
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Even with all the technology in our offices – computers, PDAs, email, internet – there is more paper being used these days than ever before. In fact, every year, the average U.S. office employee generates nearly 10,000 sheets of paper. We’re on paper overload!
Don’t let it take over your office — keep only that which you truly need. (Remember, 80% of what we file is never looked at again.) Resolve to deal with your paper files on a regular basis. Whether first thing in the morning, at the end of the day, or somewhere in between, set aside 30 minutes each day so you don’t end up with overwhelming piles.
For every piece of paper that you encounter, make an immediate decision to either toss it, file it, or act on it. Then, make time each day to file your “keepers.” Although it may not be your favorite task, filing as you go will probably take only a few minutes and will make your office life much less stressful and more productive. If you can’t act on the simpler papers right away, keep them in a “quick-task to-do” file, and deal with them regularly so they don’t pile up. For larger, long-term projects, put each one into a separate file folder. To minimize future paper clutter, don’t hit “print” unless absolutely necessary. Keep electronic files rather than hard copies.
WANT MORE INTERACTIVE CONVERSATIONS AND TIPS: See Anne’s blog
About Anne:
Anne McGurty is CEO of Strategize & Organize, a company devoted to training individual’s to be more effective with the tools and resources to be productive in their work environment.
If you liked this article, you’ll love Anne’s transforming productivity training and organizing products to help you organize your business — and yourself — ranging from productivity consulting for individuals and executives to small business coaching programs to keynote speaking (note this is a new website!) and corporate training programs to improve efficiencies in the workplace and improve productivity.
While Anne’s best known for her expertise in productivity and expert office organizing, her clients share that her biggest impact comes from her philosophy of “personalizing her programs to fit the needs of her clients so they can streamline more efficiently with existing processes” – ensuring to create a sustainable work environment. This, Anne says, is the most important key to bringing an individual to personal freedom with time and organization.
You can learn more about Anne and her services, programs, and products for small businesses at www.StrategizeAndOrganize.com.
Whether you need to get organized in your home or your office, you know what a major pain it can be. There are so many things that you have to consider before you even get started. If you use a filing cabinet, will you sort your paper files by name, alphabetically or by some other identifying factor? Once you get your documents filed, will you be able to find them again? After all, will you remember a week later or 6 months later, what name you filed everything under? And, consider this: what if someone else uses those items or files? How will they be able to understand your organizational system? Will they be able to retrieve a file, use it and then put it back correctly without needing your assistance every time?
Thankfully, there is Paper Tiger Filing System Software for Document Management that will allow you to get organized and stay that way, no matter how many people are touching or using those items. Once you have indexed your paper files into the filing system database, everyone needing access to the files can conduct a google-like search and be able to find what they need quickly and also be able to know exactly where it should be re-filed. And, unlike the other document management systems, there is no requirement to scan things, especially items that cannot be scanned.
Most home offices are not just comprised of folders and papers – there might be thick and bulky binders and other things like office supplies, CDs, DVDs, and books that need to be organized in such a way that you can locate what you need without a time-consuming search. An efficient filing system software can organize more than just office type things. You can use the system to finally organize your storage containers, craft supplies, stacks of photos, and various other collections, once and for all. There is no way that you can do that with the scanning systems.
Because it is so easy to use, organization is fast and painless, even in the first days. Once you have indexed everything, you can add or delete things as you need with just a few steps to update the software database to coincide with the physical items. Finding something is nothing more than typing a keyword into the search function of the filing system software and then finding the item in the corresponding physical location. It is even so simple that teenagers can be taught how to use it so there will no excuse for things not getting put where they belong and no reason for people to claim that they cannot find something.
Also, remember that Paper Tiger lets you keep everything as is, even the big and bulky items. The only difference is the ability to have everything organized and in the right place. That is the advantage of such a system over all of the others. You don’t have to change things to adapt to some kind of system – this is the system that you use to suit yourself in the best way. Isn’t that part of the reason that you have been putting off getting organized in the first place?
Implementing Paper Tiger Filing System Software for Document Management will help you get organized once and for all.
In this webinar, we demonstrated basic set up instructions, including naming a Database, naming a Location, and printing labels. And Anne McGurty, productivity expert of Strategize and Organize, took us through her inbox and demonstrated how she indexes her incoming mail into Paper Tiger Filing System Software for document management to answer the frequently asked question ‘how to get started using Paper Tiger.’ She also instructed on how to use Categories, how to Transfer an Item from one Location to another, and described the different Reports, including her favorite report, the Cleanout Report!
Whether you are a beginner or an experience user of Paper Tiger, you will receive tips and tricks to help you as Anne demonstrates how to use Paper Tiger more effectively.
Anne is a professional speaker, productivity expert, and author. If you want to learn more about Anne and her services, please visit her website at www.strategizeandorganize.com. She may be in Colorado, but she’s nationally recognized as an expert and works with people throughout the US in person and virtually. You can contact Anne at amcgurty@strategizeandorganize.com or phone at 303 881-0174. Contact her to discuss a personal one-on-one plan customized just for you and your office to get organized and be more productive!
To learn more about Paper Tiger, visit www.thepapertiger.com
Q: Is PT case sensitive?
A: No, Paper Tiger search is not case sensitive.
Q: I see you didn’t put a category for every item. When do you add category? In what situation or when do you add category?
A: You do not need to add a Category for every item. You can add a Category in the instances when you might want a virtual view of files that are related even though they may be in different file drawers. See our knowledge base article at How do I use Categories in Paper Tiger? for more information.
Q: After you have entered the ITEM NAME, and you want to, can you change it to make them standard… i.e., 2011 in front of all items like Tax, Medical?
A: Yes, simply click the Edit button and you can change the Item Name. In this instance, Anne suggests that you might also input the original Item Name in the Keywords section because people think differently on different days.
Q: Can you receive email notifications for action dates and reminders?
A: Not currently, but we have this in the queue for our developers to consider for future enhancements.
Q: I have PT both at home and in my office. I would like to move to the online version. How do I convert?
A: Purchase a Paper Tiger Online Pro or one of the multi-user plans, then send your database to our tech support team for importing into your account. Prior to sending your database, make sure all pending items have been confirmed by clicking the Confirm box, and empty the Trash. Then export your database to .CSV file by following the instructions below for all databases if you have more than one database. To export a Paper Tiger CSV file from Paper Tiger 4:
1. Open Paper Tiger and the appropriate database.
2. From the File menu, select Export.
3. Check the Select All box.
4. Click the Browse button to select the preferred directory so that you will know where the file will be saved to and type in a file name for the CSV file, click the Save or Open button
5. Then attach the .CSV file to your email that you’re sending to our tech support team at support@thepapertiger.com.
Q: Will each of these papers go into separate hanging file folders?
A: The paper files would go into separate hanging folders if they were not related. You can file all related documents into a single hanging file folder, and simply edit the item in Paper Tiger to add keywords to that Item Name Keyword section relating to the document(s) you are adding to that hanging folder.
Q: Do the action files include both “home” or personal items, as well as “business” items? Does it matter that they are co-mingled?
A: The decision to keep your home or personal items and your business items co-mingled or separate is entirely up to the individual. We suggest to keep it general at first, then tweak the way you file or index things into Paper Tiger as you see what will work best for you.
Q: Are the “action” files the same as the monthly tabs with daily folders behind them?
A: No, you are referring to a tickler system that is like a follow up system. In Paper Tiger, Action Files are files you use most frequently. See more information on “action” files in this article Action Files (Temporary and Permanent Action, and Tickler File System). There are two categories of Action Files:
Temporary Action Files are files of current projects or events that will come to an end, e.g., files on a new committee assignment or presentation notes for an upcoming meeting.
Permanent Action Files are files for tasks that require ongoing action, e.g., “Call,” “Pay,” and “Write.”
This article by Sherry Borsheim of Simply Productive, and a Paper Tiger Expert, is a great step by step approach to getting your desk cleared of clutter to ensure a more productive environment. Sherry always recommends Paper Tiger Filing System software for document management to help you find your paper files and other items again after finding a home for them.
It’s that time of year when we begin to move more outdoors, taking in the crisp fresh air and feeling a sense of renewal. Getting your office and home organized helps to bring that wonderful fresh feeling back into your life. It’s also the perfect time to access where you are with the commitments you made to yourself in January. Did you set out to be more active this year, be on-time for meetings and ahead of deadlines, or maybe you set out to be better organized? Take a close look around your office and honestly ask yourself these 3 questions:
1. “Where are the piles accumulating?”
2. “What items don’t have a home?”
3. “Is your Inbox on your computer overflowing with 100’s or 1000’s of emails?”
Your answers to these questions will give you a clue to where you are to begin your spring cleaning project. Most people only use 20 per cent of what they have 80 per cent of the time. So, let’s get moving and clear command central!
Day 1: Start with the Visible Piles First
To clear command central and to see dramatic visible results immediately, start with the top of your desk first. Most people will start with hidden piles in boxes or items in a drawer and after 2 hours they feel like they have not accomplished anything. Grab a couple of boxes and then take every single piece of paper off your desk and put it into box number one. Use the second box for other desk items, such as pens, CDs, paper clips and whatever else you have on your desk. Now pick up the first piece of paper and use the F.A.S.T. Principle ™ – File it, Act on it, Schedule it, Toss it. Handle each piece of paper in less than 60 seconds. Get rid of any nick-knacks that clutter up your desk.
Action Tip: Play your favorite music and set a timer for 1-2 hours.
Day 2: Always Work in One Area at a Time
When you walked into your office today, how did it feel to have a clear desk? Let’s continue the process by tackling the piles on the floor. Once again, use the F.A.S.T. Principle ™ – File it, Act on it, Schedule it, Toss it. Handle each file or piece of paper in less than 60 seconds. There’s no time for evaluating here. The object of the game is to get this done as fast as possible. Getting organized is a clarifying, cleansing way of connecting to what’s really important to you. You should enjoy the process and reward yourself along the way.
Action Tip: Beware of the cost of clutter – it costs time, money, and space to take care of things you don’t use. Play your favorite music and set a timer for 1-2 hours.
Day 3: Create Zones in Your Office
Think of your work area as different activity zones. Consider how you move things across your desk, what items you use most frequently, and what relationship materials have with different desk activities. Command central zones would be:
1. An In Tray for incoming mail;
2. An Out Tray for outgoing mail
3. To File Tray for papers to be filed
4. Project file zone
5. Reference file zone
6. Resources area
Action Tip: Group like activities together and label for quick and easy access.
Day 4: Conquer the Email Traffic Jam
Incoming email, not managed properly, can become a significant drain on productivity. The more email piles up, the less useful it is to the user & company. An empty Inbox is a delight to look at! It reminds users they are fully caught up. The purpose of an Inbox is a temporary resting ground for information and actions temporarily before they are read. Apply the F.A.S.T. Principle ™ from day one.
Action Tip: My definition of clutter is “Anything you HAVE or DO that does not enhance your life on a regular basis.
Day 5: Organizing is a Process Not a Destination
Congratulate yourself for taking action this week and clearing off your desk! Remember, organizing is a continual process of re-evaluating what your goals are, what activities you enjoy, what you don’t enjoy. Continually ask yourself these questions:
1. “Does it work?”
2. “Do I like it?”
3. “Does it work for others?”
Action Tips: Be willing to adjust your systems as your professional and personal life evolves. In order to clear command central, you start with the visible items first. Also, work in one area at a time and create activity zones in your office to increase efficiency and effectiveness. Don’t worry about mistakes and just keep learning!
About the Author
Sherry Borsheim, owner of Simply Productive, 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.
Published with permission.
