Have you ever searched for what seems like hours for that important address or necessary document? Has your boss stood at the side of your desk while you try to find that spreadsheet on your computer? Whether it's paper records or computer records the quicker you can find them the more time you have to actually deal with an enquiry. And the less frustrated you feel!
When I first started work computers were not the norm. It was paper records........mounds of paper records! My first job was in the Inland Revenue as a Tax Officer. Sounds like a grand title, but everyone had to start at the bottom! And the bottom was - you've guessed it - FILING!! Nowadays not many businesses have the resources to employ someone just to keep the filing up to date. Nor is it so necessary because of computers. However, some thought needs to be given to filing systems whether on the computer or paper records.
Firstly lets look at paper records. There are two main things to consider regarding filing these - having a system i.e. alphabetical/type of record and ensuring everyone knows the system.
In a smaller business it is usually whoever has the time (ha! ha!) does the filing. However, if you have a filing system, rather than a heap of paper (or several heaps of paper) and you ensure that everyone is aware of it, the several heaps can be minimised. If, say as part of the wind down to the weekend, Friday afternoon is filing time and everyone in the office helps it is all soon done. Come Monday, everything is in order to start the week.
For the office with an unusually high paper base a daily filing time is a good idea. Last thing before going home is a good time and then you start the next day afresh.
If it is part of your job to keep the filing up to date it is still a good idea to to have a time for doing this. It is also important that everyone knows your system for those times you are absent from the office. It's sod's law that you boss needs a file while you're at lunch so he/she needs to know how to find it. Of course there are some bosses who can't be bothered to learn the system and so a list on the outside of filing cabinets can be useful. You only need to put brief details on these lists.
These sort of lists are useful whatever the office size and they do ensure that everyone can find relevant files. This goes a long way to an efficiently run company and consequently a profitable one.
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