Every individual, organization, and company has experienced the costs of disorganized computer files. Whether it involved spending half an hour trying to find a research paper, or hours digging deep into important financial statements or reports, a disorganized filing system costs more than just a headache and a nuisance. It costs valuable time and money.
Having an effective document management system and structure in place can go a long way in saving time and money, and in creating a more effective and efficient work environment that helps get things done. Knowing the proper methods for effective document management can certainly enhance your productivity.
8 Tips for Effective Document Management
- Set clear guidelines on how files are to be saved and stored. Set standard file formats and storage system.
- Organize your email and download and store attachments right away to keep everything streamlined and organized.
- Organize your newly created files every day. (Another tip would be to create those files from the folders they should be stored in to save time.)
- Make your documents and files as searchable as possible by adding metadata, including tags and descriptions.
- Set up a system for naming the files. Use dates, document or file types, and titles in the names.
- Create a logically structured nested folder system for easy browsing and access.
- Backup your files regularly. (In addition to this being a good document management concept, it is also crucial for data protection and security. The recent WannaCry ransomware panic is a sufficient example as to why.)
- Delete old, outdated, and invalid files routinely for better organization and to save storage space.
Digitize Your Documents With Mustek Scanners
Digitizing your paper documents is also important in keeping all your important files and documents in one location for easy access by everyone in the organization. Mustek USA offers some of the best large A4 scanners that can handle many document sizes. To learn more about Mustek scanners, click here.