The 7 Essential Rules to Organize Your Filing

1. Can you retrieve any piece of paper you need in less than 60 seconds - every time?

2. Do you handle each piece of paper you receive only once?

3. Do you know exactly where to put every piece of paper which crosses your desk?

4. Does 80% of your correspondence get tossed in the waste paper basket?

5. Do you know how to organize your filing system properly?

If you answered "no" to any of these questions, you really do need help to organize your filing system. Start right now and see how painless and easy filing can be.

Step #1: Toss out most of your mail

To organize your filing system, start my rethinking the way you deal with paper. Business people tend to get a lot of unsolicited mail (electronically and hard copy) but because we like to keep on top of things, we often put it aside to read later. It could be very interesting or useful. But be honest - how often do you really read it later, and then use it in some way? Be ruthless with your mail. Try this process.

Scan each piece of unsolicited mail. If it's just information, can you implement it immediately? If not, toss it out - you can always find that information again when you need it.

If you feel too nervous to try this straight away, ease yourself into it buy keeping the "uncertain" mail in a folder for a couple of weeks. If you haven't touched it in that time - toss it.

Step #2: Create a "Bring-up" file

To better organize your filing, you must have a bring-up system. Get yourself a brightly colored file cover and label it "Bring Up File". As you handle each piece of paper, decide when it will need to be actioned. Then place that date on the top of the document and file it in the Bring Up File in date order, latest on top.

Every morning, check your Bring Up File for things you need to action today and remove these from the file. Use your Bring Up File when scheduling your tasks and creating your To Do lists as well.

Step #3: Use Categories to organize your filing system

Whether you are organizing your [current] filing system or are starting from scratch, the easiest way to organize a system that works (and grows with your needs) is to do it on paper first.

Grab some paper and make a list of all the general areas of activity you engage in. For example you could use words like - finances, staff, suppliers, Info Tech, Personal Stuff etc. Use words that make sense to you and your business and make the list as long as you like.

Once you've run out of activities, re-read your list and try to put similar words together. For example, back-ups, computer supplies, web master and ISP could all go together in one group. When you have grouped your words together, remove any duplicates to streamline your lists.

Next you need to give each group a title. The group of words above might get the title "Information Technology". Again, use words that make sense to you.

Now you have groups with a title (these are categories) and each group will have a number of words describing aspects of that category - your individual files. You can add or subtract from this list as your needs change.

Now, sort your files into a filing cabinet in alpha order (ie alpha order for each category, then alpha order for each file within each category.

Step #4: Color code everything

Use color coding to organize your filing for better and quicker retrieval. I choose a color for each category of files I've created in step 3 above. Then use a sticky dot, a colored border or colored file covers for each file in that category.

When you open your mail, use the same color coding. Some documents will be filed immediately with no further action so code these with the right color and file name now to make filing so much easier later. Do exactly the same for documents which will go straight into the Bring Up file, except these will have a bring up date as well.

If you keep a copy of your file index on your desk (see step 5 for details), then color coding will become quick and easy.

Step #5: Create a file index

Creating an index to help organize your filing system is useful if you have a number of files you need to keep track of or if there is more than one person who uses your files.

An index system can be as simple as a piece of paper kept on top of the filing cabinet or a spread sheet kept electronically. I prefer a simple, manual method personally, because I find the computer version doesn't get updated - and that defeats the purpose of having one.

Type up or hand write the files you have placed in order in your filing cabinet - Category titles, then each file in each category in alpha order. Add a column that indicates that file's contents (just a couple of words) and its current location (useful if more than one person accesses the files.

Keep the index somewhere it will be used often. If it's only you accessing the files, then delete the location column. But do list your files and the description of their content (and the category color). This will become an invaluable tool to help you organize your filing, especially when you create more categories or files. It will remind you where things go and will prevent duplicate files in different categories - the worst thing that you can do to a filing system.

Step #6: Never keep loose pieces of paper on your desk

When you pull a document out of the Bring Up File, retrieve the appropriate file it will eventually go into straight away. Or create a new one if that's appropriate, and keep that on your desk. In this way, there will be no loose pieces of paper sitting on your desk. Just a bring up file, the file you're currently working on and the piece of paper you are reading or writing on from that file.

Everything else is either in a file cover waiting to be actioned that day, or it's in the filing cabinet.

Step #7: File every day

Do I sound pedantic now? Perhaps, but there is no point in organizing your filing system today, then letting it turn into a mess in a couple of months. If you file every day you will always have that piece of paper you need in the spot you can find it immediately. How good would that be?

So that's it. Seven simple rules to organize your filing system. Just do a little every day and you'll win that paper war!

The 7 Essential Rules to Organize Your Filing

1. Can you retrieve any piece of paper you need in less than 60 seconds - every time?

2. Do you handle each piece of paper you receive only once?

3. Do you know exactly where to put every piece of paper which crosses your desk?

4. Does 80% of your correspondence get tossed in the waste paper basket?

5. Do you know how to organize your filing system properly?

If you answered "no" to any of these questions, you really do need help to organize your filing system. Start right now and see how painless and easy filing can be.

Step #1: Toss out most of your mail

To organize your filing system, start my rethinking the way you deal with paper. Business people tend to get a lot of unsolicited mail (electronically and hard copy) but because we like to keep on top of things, we often put it aside to read later. It could be very interesting or useful. But be honest - how often do you really read it later, and then use it in some way? Be ruthless with your mail. Try this process.

Scan each piece of unsolicited mail. If it's just information, can you implement it immediately? If not, toss it out - you can always find that information again when you need it.

If you feel too nervous to try this straight away, ease yourself into it buy keeping the "uncertain" mail in a folder for a couple of weeks. If you haven't touched it in that time - toss it.

Step #2: Create a "Bring-up" file

To better organize your filing, you must have a bring-up system. Get yourself a brightly colored file cover and label it "Bring Up File". As you handle each piece of paper, decide when it will need to be actioned. Then place that date on the top of the document and file it in the Bring Up File in date order, latest on top.

Every morning, check your Bring Up File for things you need to action today and remove these from the file. Use your Bring Up File when scheduling your tasks and creating your To Do lists as well.

Step #3: Use Categories to organize your filing system

Whether you are organizing your [current] filing system or are starting from scratch, the easiest way to organize a system that works (and grows with your needs) is to do it on paper first.

Grab some paper and make a list of all the general areas of activity you engage in. For example you could use words like - finances, staff, suppliers, Info Tech, Personal Stuff etc. Use words that make sense to you and your business and make the list as long as you like.

Once you've run out of activities, re-read your list and try to put similar words together. For example, back-ups, computer supplies, web master and ISP could all go together in one group. When you have grouped your words together, remove any duplicates to streamline your lists.

Next you need to give each group a title. The group of words above might get the title "Information Technology". Again, use words that make sense to you.

Now you have groups with a title (these are categories) and each group will have a number of words describing aspects of that category - your individual files. You can add or subtract from this list as your needs change.

Now, sort your files into a filing cabinet in alpha order (ie alpha order for each category, then alpha order for each file within each category.

Step #4: Color code everything

Use color coding to organize your filing for better and quicker retrieval. I choose a color for each category of files I've created in step 3 above. Then use a sticky dot, a colored border or colored file covers for each file in that category.

When you open your mail, use the same color coding. Some documents will be filed immediately with no further action so code these with the right color and file name now to make filing so much easier later. Do exactly the same for documents which will go straight into the Bring Up file, except these will have a bring up date as well.

If you keep a copy of your file index on your desk (see step 5 for details), then color coding will become quick and easy.

Step #5: Create a file index

Creating an index to help organize your filing system is useful if you have a number of files you need to keep track of or if there is more than one person who uses your files.

An index system can be as simple as a piece of paper kept on top of the filing cabinet or a spread sheet kept electronically. I prefer a simple, manual method personally, because I find the computer version doesn't get updated - and that defeats the purpose of having one.

Type up or hand write the files you have placed in order in your filing cabinet - Category titles, then each file in each category in alpha order. Add a column that indicates that file's contents (just a couple of words) and its current location (useful if more than one person accesses the files.

Keep the index somewhere it will be used often. If it's only you accessing the files, then delete the location column. But do list your files and the description of their content (and the category color). This will become an invaluable tool to help you organize your filing, especially when you create more categories or files. It will remind you where things go and will prevent duplicate files in different categories - the worst thing that you can do to a filing system.

Step #6: Never keep loose pieces of paper on your desk

When you pull a document out of the Bring Up File, retrieve the appropriate file it will eventually go into straight away. Or create a new one if that's appropriate, and keep that on your desk. In this way, there will be no loose pieces of paper sitting on your desk. Just a bring up file, the file you're currently working on and the piece of paper you are reading or writing on from that file.

Everything else is either in a file cover waiting to be actioned that day, or it's in the filing cabinet.

Step #7: File every day

Do I sound pedantic now? Perhaps, but there is no point in organizing your filing system today, then letting it turn into a mess in a couple of months. If you file every day you will always have that piece of paper you need in the spot you can find it immediately. How good would that be?

So that's it. Seven simple rules to organize your filing system. Just do a little every day and you'll win that paper war!