Paper File Management Tips

Establish your organizational categories and define what types of documents would fall under each category.

Paper file management tips. If you access them less frequently you might not need them at your workspace but you still might need them close by. Do you file paperwork by category such as expenses financial marketing etc. If you have a large number of files that you access daily they should be at your fingertips. Paper that needs attention bills to be paid forms to be filled out etc paper you need to keep short term tax documents for the current year warranties etc.

Look for any important articles cut them out staple the pieces together and file them. Take a few seconds to glance through the content and save a file only if it s relevant to your work activity. Organize email attachments and documents this is a great place to start. Organize files on the walls.

Having too many unnecessary documents adds to clutter and makes it harder to find things in the future. Store your valuable papers in a safe deposit box or a fireproof safe. Mount file holders right on your walls instead of using a filing cabinet or shelf. These file management tips will help you keep your files accessible.

This task really shouldn t take long 15 or 20 minutes should do it. Do this before you buy anything for your filing system. Mount spacious wall holders in one of your office s common areas. 1 5 1 3 or tabs.

You email files to yourself use it to recover accidentally deleted files send and forward files to others and receive them yourself on a daily basis all of which is easy. Just as with paper files the goal of computer file management is to ensure that you can find what you re looking for even if you re looking for it years after its creation. Never keep entire magazines in a file. I used the home file organization categories recommended in the book to organize paper clutter which are.

It s just as important to keep the files on your computer organised and up to date. Usually you find that a file is either underused or bulging. This is a critical step as it will determine how you will lay out your filing system. Your email is a powerful tool which is unintentionally used as a document management tool as well.

Make filing a habit. If using a color coded hanging file system i suggest not using more than four colors which means no more than four categories. Staple papers together instead of using paper clips because paper clips often get caught on other papers. If creating a paper filing system not an electronic one you ll need to make a few decisions about file folders.

I purchased this to use as a part of our family s kitchen command center one reviewer wrote. More than 1 400 amazon customers have given this vertical file folder a 4 5 star rating. Organize by file types. Find a time during the week to empty your to file basket and file those needed papers away.