Set Your Office Up Properly, Right From The Start

In a world of 'the paperless office', files and folders should be obsolete. Every business needs to learn "how-to" manage records and organize documents. Small business owners are too afraid to throw anything away. Consequently, this leads to an overload of file folders, storage boxes, and ultimately a paper avalanche.

Business owners will tend to keep everything in an effort to avoid having to decide what to keep and what to pitch. In time, the storage room door cannot be opened and hope is all but lost for finding any documents that may be needed. It is the responsibility of management to make sure things remain organized to prevent lowered productivity or a complete shutdown of business operations.

Barbara Hemphill, an expert on office efficiency, says that "most small businesses don't deal with their papers until it's too late." If there is one important piece of paper you need to find amongst hundreds if not thousands of other papers it could take you days to locate its whereabouts. Management needs to take steps now to prevent this type of situation from happening.

Beginning to Organize

Start by declaring an office cleanup day. All employees should pitch in and help organize any and all paperwork in the office. If at all possible schedule this on a day that you're normally closed to avoid any distractions. Paying your staff overtime for one day will be well worth it once you see the results.

Even if you work alone dedicate some time to cleaning up your office and your paperwork. Even though it may seem difficult to take time out now it will be worth it in the long run.

The paperwork atop your desk needs to be first priority. Organize by subject and then date. After sorting is out of the way, it is time to put everything in its proper place. If file folders do not exist for some of the paperwork, then create some so there is a place for them.

Next, locate income statements, expense receipts, and sort them accordingly. Your accounting should be a priority. Record transactions into an accounting system or ledger until you're current. If you're like me, you could spend the majority of your day just entering transactions. Instead, end at a time that you can easily pickup from.

Once you've organized paperwork into file folders, you'll need to assemble boxes or purchase crates to keep documents in. Your filing system will depend on the type of business you operate. Some businesses organize their files by the client's name, while others use job numbers. No matter what type of business you operate, you will always file your accounts receivable and accounts payable the same. All that matters is that you have a system to your filing.

Computer Documents

Fire and water damage are a major concern for most businesses, especially for a home-based office. Small businesses find scanners to be a business asset. In minutes, a scanner processes a document from paper form to electronic file.

Always keep extra copies of your computer documents and files in a fire resistance safe at another location. Files can be stored on backup tapes, floppy disks, CD ROMs, or external hard drives. Be sure to keep a log of what files you have stored where.

Online automated backup services are also available. For a small fee, you can backup computer documents to an offsite system. This is excellent for financial records. No financial business should be without a backup system.

Hemphill says that "Your ability to accomplish daily tasks is directly related to your ability to find the right information at the right time." If your office isn't currently organized make it your number one priority. It will save you time and money in the future.