How do I setup a great filing system?

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eDave

Guest
OK, I did read the stuff in GTD on setting up a filing system, but it doesn't go into much detail on exactly what to call my files. Assuming I have a labeler, and a ton of manilla files, what next? It recommends a simple A-Z file system, but does that mean I just randomly decide what to call each file, label it, and then file in alpha order?

If there is any other (more detailed) info out there on how to setup an effective file system, please let me know.

Thanks!

Dave
 
J

Jason Womack

Guest
What will you call it later?

OK, I did read the stuff in GTD on setting up a filing system, but it doesn't go into much detail on exactly what to call my files.
Click to expand...

When I file a paper in a manila folder I label it using the following formula:

"If I were tired, and it was the middle of the night, and I needed this piece of paper, what would I call it?"

I've found that when I do this, I discover a one-two word answer that I type up and tape to the folder.

Also, the one piece you're missing here is this:

You'll be "in" those files almost daily, and when you're in them, it will be more and more intuitive what to call them, and how to retrieve them.

Hope that helps.
 
TesTeq

TesTeq

Registered
Good enough is good enough.

Don't try to implement the perfect system. It is an eternal trap. Implement the filing system that is good enough for you.
Good enough is good enough
 
S

spectecGTD

Guest
RE: planning vs getting started:

"The worst enemy of a good plan is the dream of the perfect plan."
 
B

Brent

Registered
eDave said:
It recommends a simple A-Z file system, but does that mean I just randomly decide what to call each file, label it, and then file in alpha order?
Click to expand...

If you decide what to call each file, it's not random.

This is important.

Your filing system will necessarily be personalized to you. Everyone has a personal naming system (just like some people call carbonated beverages "soda," some call them "pop," some call them "coke," etc.).

Thus, there is no universal naming system. What makes immediate sense to me won't make immediate sense to you, and what matters is to make a system that makes immediate sense to you.

Jason's principle is excellent, in my opinion.

Yes, this requires a certain amount of concentration. It's not necessarily easy. It shouldn't necessarily be easy.
 
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Barb in Texas

Guest
A great solution to the filing problem

About 3 years ago, I was overwhelmed by paper files and bought a bigger file cabinet to handle it all. As I was starting from scratch, I also decided to explore new "systems". I'm happy to say that I found a fairly inexpensive system that has worked for me when absolutely nothing else did! It's called "Paper Tiger" and basically it's software where you list whatever you are filing in numbered folders. To locate something only requires typing in a keyword and hitting one search button. If this product has a down side, I've not found it. Never again will I lose anything or waste time trying to find it.

I think the website is www.papertiger.com and, if I remember correctly, you can try it for free.
 
B

Brent

Registered
I'm not trying to be combative here; I'm geniunely curious because I honestly don't understand this.

How is it more efficient to go to the computer, open an application, type a few letters, then locate the appropriate file in your filing cabinet, compared to just opening your filing cabinet(s) and glancing at your files?

I have four drawers full of files, and it takes me about four seconds to find a file. If I can't remember its name, it takes me no more than ten seconds to find it.
 
F

fossicker

Guest
Brent said:
How is it more efficient to go to the computer, open an application, type a few letters, then locate the appropriate file in your filing cabinet, compared to just opening your filing cabinet(s) and glancing at your files?
Click to expand...

I haven't used this kind of system, but I think its advantage isn't so much efficiency in simple file retrieval. I think the advantage is being able to know what you have filed when you're away from your filing cabinet -- and be able to decide on files that need to be purged without rifling through the physcial cabinet.
 
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Jamie Elis

Registered
Ask yourself what you want to maximize and minimize?

If you have to get a lot of stuff you want to get into folders that are now in piles just use A to Z. You can use a main heading on the folders if you have several similar items like Banks:Scott Trust and Banks: National Fiduciary. If you get a whole lot of Banks like 10 or so, you might make one drawer just banks.

If you want to keep track of these A to Z file heads easily. Memor in Palm with sort A to Z (you can set it up on your desk or lap top).

If everything is in folders and you can't locate it it fast enough or need to work on the internal organization or your system. Tha might be as simple as having some dummy folders that tell you were to look (e.g., Scott Trust see Banks).

Suggestion: separate financial, personal and health. File all people, even your loved ones by last name.
 
B

Brent

Registered
Thanks for the reply! Unfortunately, I'm still confused.

fossicker said:
I think the advantage is being able to know what you have filed when you're away from your filing cabinet
Click to expand...

How is this different than the "normal" filing system? I know what's in my "normal" A-Z filing system right now.

and be able to decide on files that need to be purged without rifling through the physcial cabinet.
Click to expand...

Why would you need to do this? What's the purpose of figuring this out in advance, when you need to be at the filing cabinet to do it anyway?
 
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Barb in Texas

Guest
Yes, and more!

I have always had a problem in REMEMBERING how I might have filed something. I had tried A-Z and just about everything else, and always ended up spending precious time NOT finding things. Purging is certainly simpler too. I also use this program to list and assign a location to my fairly large library of "books I can't live without". I assigned a "location" in the software to each shelf. I can't tell you how many times I bought the same book twice! My next project will be to get a handle on my cd's and my "to read" pile. If I list a little something about the article I've saved (and the date I put it in there), I can decide at a glance if I still give a rip about reading it when I have some time to do so. I really just love this program.

fossicker said:
I haven't used this kind of system, but I think its advantage isn't so much efficiency in simple file retrieval. I think the advantage is being able to know what you have filed when you're away from your filing cabinet -- and be able to decide on files that need to be purged without rifling through the physcial cabinet.
Click to expand...
 
B

Bernard

Guest
Paper Tiger organizes by tags not catagories

Brent said:
Thanks for the reply! Unfortunately, I'm still confused < ... about Paper Tiger>
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I have not used the software. From what I have read, Paper Tiger is a tags based software that classifies items under multiple tags rather than categories. You simply associate the physical location of the file (marked by a number) to multiple descriptive tags. Numbers are used rather than names so you can have a very large number of physical files.

Randy Stokes explains it in great detail in his post here .
 
M

mscudder

Guest
I use separate systems for personal, business/professional, and reference.

I cluster my personal files under subject domains, such as:

  • art & creativity
  • art & culture
  • body
  • charity
  • education
  • finances
  • food
  • home
  • medical & health
  • mind
  • office
  • people
  • etc.
For general reference, I use an A-Z system. Large, reasonably self-contained categories (In my case, "Information Security" is an example) have their own dedicated reference systems.

If I can't readily think of a suitable subject heading I file the item by "source" (publication, book, agency, etc.) by default then use cataloging software (InfoHandler by MDE Software) to maintain cross-refences to various subjects. I view this approach as a modification of using serial numbered file folders. It has the advantage that I'm likely to find the file I'm looking for by looking in the file drawer first and need resort to my electronic catalog only if I can't find the file. Since I print out a copy of my file index from time to time, I almost never have to consult the electronic version.

By assigning an arbitrary number of subjects to a file, a tagging or cross-referencing strategy takes into account that -- if you're like me -- you'll probably be looking for a particular file in different contexts -- e.g., for different purposes -- at various times.
TestTeq said:
Don't try to implement the perfect system. It is an eternal trap. Implement the filing system that is good enough for you.
Click to expand...
An important point. You will have to accept some arbitrariness no matter what system you use. My advice: Just try to be arbitrary in a consistent way.
 
L

luisr

Guest
Colour coded...Grouped

I use separate systems for home & work -- and since I haven't seen many posts about the work side, here's my/OUR approach at work:

1. Files are Grouped AND colour coded, as follows:

Clients = Green (endtab)
Other entities= Orange (Personnel, Vendors, all but clients)
Projects = Red
Admin = Pink
Reference = Yellow
Patient = Manilla

So, things like forms (admin) are always in Pink Folders, and 'topical' files like "Stress Management" are reference files & therefore in yellow folders, which makes it easy to spot which TYPE of file is on your desk!

2. All Topical/Reference Files, ARCHIVED, and Project filename are entered into a Records Management database. Archive files are put into #'d records boxes.

3. Files are tagged with Department>Function>FileName with the exception of Project files which are given a # based on fiscal year, and simply numbered sequentially (ie. 5-14 means 2005, project #14), I just opened a file, "5-xx Phone System Replacement"; another colleague opened a project file "5-xy Truck Purchase", etc.

At year end we go through the prior 2 years files & purge or archive as necessary.

4. All files groups are centralized (ie. All forms are in one drawer, all "topical" go in one place, etc.) Thus, we know where to find things at a glance.

5. Our database is available to all, and includes a status field. When records are purged we keep the record and change the status to indicate the record was destroyed.

Some of our records must, by law, be kept for 40 years and we have records from 1980 forward.

A client called last week looking for a record relating to a specific employee trained in 23 years ago. We found the file in under 10 minutes by checking the index, determining the box # (H28), and retrieving the box.

The combination of these elements (file index, color coding, grouping by location), means that by-and-large most files can be found in a matter of minutes by just about anyone in the office.

I know this was a long post, but figured this might be of help to those looking at @WORK filing systems!
 
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Jamie Elis

Registered
brainstorm file heads first

If you are really starting from scratch, write out the alphabet and then think of what you commonly need to access or secure for later reference that begins with each letter and write each of these down. You will have things from interests to important papers. Go through a couple of passes and then label folders with these. For example A:Advertising/name of your business, Advertising/rates and ideas; B:Ballet, Birds, Boat, Business Plan You will then have a skeleton to file into and that will save you labelling and thinking time, especially if you make a chart of this to look at as you go. How you file is very personal to your mind. The office manager at work will file the information on transcription under the name of the typist and the directions for the alarm under the name if the security company--this drives me nuts. My dear husband keeps all really important papers in one big pile on his desk and that includes wills, passports, contracts-frankly my nerves can't take that but it works for him!
 
K

Kat

Registered
Well, I was in the same boat as you and could not determine how to label my folders. As you can tell there are many favors to this. I made list of how to file, all of one category together, like all insurance filed in ' I', labeled, INS-homeowers, INS-HEALTH and many others, etc. I finally decided on asking myself what is the folder, this is homeowers insurance and I filed it under 'H' and labeled homeowers insurance. Now, so far this is working for me, but I am like everyone else, I think it is personal preferrence. How would you locate this folder, what would you call it. However, I liked seeing how other filed so I could find my own. Hope this helps.
 
S

Scott716

Guest
Filing suggestions

Good advice, Luisr and MSCudder.

I like a hierarchical approach: I group together groups of folders related to major topics:
- Financials (banks, investing, articles on investing, etc)
- Bills (electric, cable, gas, ec.)
- Housing (mortgage or rent, furniture ads, architect files, etc.)
- Company (employment contract, retirement benefits, other benefits)
- Insurance (medical, dental, house)
- Car (registration, repairs, insurance, tickets paid, etc.)
- Hobbies (sports, charities, collecting, etc.)

Each major topic has several folders within, arranged A-Z. This seems faster than one A-Z fileset, because I can quickly zoom in on the major topic area, skipping over like 90% of the files, and then if the file I want isn't in that one folder where I expect it, it will be in one right nearby.

I use only blue plastic folders (purchased online from Staples) that last FOREVER and where I can pull off the label tape without any damage and reuse the folder forever. Much better than paper manilas that get ragged quickly and can't have a label removed without getting wrecked. I use a brother labelmaker, like others here, to label everything. Looks neat and clean.

I tried scanning in stuff for a while, to be paperless, but it gets to be annoying to scan stuff in and hard to pull up files quick enough. So I reverted to paper.

Almost all files are kept in filing cabinets. But I keep a wire frame on my desk that holds vertically about 10 folders for files I need daily. They are:
- Bills (to pay)
- Waiting (for reply)
- Labels & Stamps
- Read & Review (things with no definite deadline, like useless memos and professional magazines)

In my briefcase, I also carry a folder called "Road" where I put any receipts like from meals, parking, transportation (train, plane, rental cars), meeting notes, business cards, etc. -- anything that needs to get filed when I get back to home or office. When I return from travel, the Road file gets emptied into my inbox and processed.

Hope that is useful.
 
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