Improve Efficiency when you Implement a Filing System

Busy offices are only as efficient as the organizational systems they keep in place to run them efficiently. An orderly filing system, in particular, has a significant effect. If employees are regularly retrieving files (in doctor’s offices or attorney’s offices, for example), it’s vital that those files are kept in a systematic order or else businesses risk wasting valuable time searching for files. If you don’t have a system in place yet, check out these ideas for basic organization.

• If you haven’t done so already, invest in file cabinets, folders and labels. You may want to try out a few different kinds of labels, from blank printer labels to color labels like the brightly colored around labels that are useful for color coding an entire series of files.

• Organize file folders into a basic alphabetical system. Establish whether you need to group customers together and alphabetize that group or whether you want an alphabetical filing system that flows through all of your files.

• Select whether you want to use standard manila or colored folders to represent each contact. You may want to select different colored folders based on the group each file would fall into.

• Sort folders by last name and first name if you have two files with the same name.

• Label the outside of the draws of your file cabinet by the first letter of the last name in the draw. If you are organizing by category as well as alphabetically, you may want to consider dedicating certain drawers for certain categories. If not, you can mix the categories in the same draws but alphabetize them separately and/or keep them separated using color labels or color file folders.

For more organizational tips or to order colorful labels, visit us online at LabelValue.com.