How do you handle Electronic Support Material

P

pod-boss

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How do you handle your electronic support materials / "inputs" for a next action like "Draft such and such" or "Compile such and such"?

I use Evernote, and I generally have the needed materials filed under reference and tagged according to what they mean to me. (My tagging system is another issue, there is no method to the madness.) I do my best to keep a list of links to these support materials in the related Project or Action. I am getting by but it doesn't feel as good as I would like it to -- would love to hear other approaches, thoughts, ideas, etc.
 
I use Evernote as well. For major projects (lots of support materials), I put the support materials in an Evernote folder specific for that project.

For the Next Actions, if there a small number of support materials, I just include the information in the note (or a link).

Ron
 
I use DEVONThink for small stuff so I create a folder for each project that has small electronic support material in DT. For things that are larger I have a folder on my desktop called Active_Projects and within that I create folders for each active project for longer electronic support material. In any case no matter where the support material lies or in how many places (I also often have corresponding paper support material too) the folder names are the same and I make a note in my list manager all the locations that have support material.

So for example I have a current project "2015_Sheep_Research". I have some things in DT (copies of e-mails form the researchers and small notes I might need chute side where I have my phone. I have some paper things (field notes during ram collections and other data) and I also have a folder in my electronic file system with the rest of the longer reference and support material for the project.
 
I usually have no problem finding my reference material in the various places I keep it, but I sometimes put links into the comments of my actions and projects.

What I find important, though, is to try to have enough time to process the initial input (say an email) properly and to turn it into clear actions immediately. This is often possible and often eliminates much of the need for reference info. If this is not possible (e.g. too much info to decide all the exact actions) I may make it into a regular task to decipher that particular input.
 
Like the others, I use a variety.

If the electronic support I need came in an email, I will keep the email in my !Action-Support folder and note the date I received the email in my task title. If it did not arrive in an email, I may attach it to the task (I use Outlook at work/Evernote for personal) or put it in a reference folder.

For most of my work projects with significant electronic support, they relate to a development project for which we have assigned a file number and a filing system. Those documents are kept in our global filing system and posted online in our public registry so I can access them as needed. Draft versions of documents or other internal electronic support I keep in labeled folders on a shared or secured drive, depending on the nature of the content. My folder structure is as flat as I can make it: Projects, Personnel and Reference. Within Projects, each folder is the File number and name. Reference I use an A-Z folder structure system. Personnel is where I keep things like resumes, position descriptions, training requests, expense claims etc. of a confidential nature relating to individual staff, including myself.
 
Good stuff, thank you all. I think I am going to try some Project-specific folders for the bigger stuff and see if that helps.

What I find important, though, is to try to have enough time to process the initial input (say an email) properly and to turn it into clear actions immediately. This is often possible and often eliminates much of the need for reference info. If this is not possible (e.g. too much info to decide all the exact actions) I may make it into a regular task to decipher that particular input.
Click to expand...

This is a point well taken as well. What do you use as a Context for the "decipher" task? Or do you keep it in your inbox?
 
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