Office Organisation - The Secret of Success? Part 2

Just like paperwork, computer files need to be kept neat and tidy to ensure that they can be found easily. I am assuming that your operating system is microsoft based where files are stored in drives. If you work for a medium to large company there may be several drives and each department may have a separate one. If you work for a smaller company you may only have one - like on most home computers. Each of these drives then consist of directories to hold your folders and files.

It is these Directories that need a system. All files, folders and directories will automatically be sorted into alphabetical order so you don't need to worry about that. Main directories come first, then folders and then files. Let's use an example - you work in accounts, so in all probability your main directory will be called Accounts. In your main directory you may then have folders for each year and in the year folders, files for that year. The year folders can also be sub-divided into names of clients or members of staff, whatever seems most suitable. As a company developes so the filing system may need to be revised.

It is good practice to keep reviewing your filing systems so that files can be found easily. As time goes by so files increase and you don't want to have to spend valuable time looking for them. There isn't a definitive system for filing, but common sense and practical usage is paramount.

Just one last comment - keep your systems simple and use directory/folder names that are easily understood by all who have to use them. This is a task that my consultancy offers. I would always ensure that I discussed with the staff using the files that any system I set up is user friendly and tailor made for their needs. For more information please go to my website: http://www.mgbusinesssupportservices.com/

Office Organisation - The Secret of Success?

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.

Making Life Easier - simple Excel Formulas

You can save yourself a lot of time and boring effort by adding simple formulas to your spreadsheets.

Suppose you use a time sheet for keeping a record of your daily activities. Down one column is each date of the month and in the next column is the day. One way of achieving this is to laboriously enter each date and and day by typing it into the cells. Another way is to fill the date column using 'auto-fill', but you would still need to enter the day of the week individually.

However there is an easier way that takes a few seconds. Once you have entered the correct formulas all you need to do is complete the first day of the month (i.e. 01/04/08) in the top cell and the formulas do the rest.

The formula you use for the date column is +1 and the formula for the day column is =TEXT(B2,DDD) assuming B2 is the 1st date of the month.

I have prepared a spreadsheet showing this. If you click on the link at the side of this article for Google Docs this will take you to my sample spreadsheet. Scroll down to the bottom of the sheet and click on 'edit this page'. By clicking on the 'File' menu you have an option to export the file. Export it as a 'xls' file to your Excel spreadsheets on your computer. You can then click on the cells to see the formulas.

You can change the date in the first date of the month cell and see all the changes happen as if by magic!!

If you have any problems with Google Docs please email me at admin@margaretgammons.co.uk or add a comment below and I'll get back to you as soon as possible.