Your office files and documents is crucial for a fast-paced work environment. The effective management of these will help ensure more productivity and faster output for your business. And to ensure all that, you must first know how to handle these files and documents.
To help you out with file management, here are a few tips that will surely come in handy.
#1 Color-Coding
It is easy to keep track of your files and documents visually. That is why color-coding proves to be one of the most effective filing methods out there. Labeling the documents with a certain color will help identify them much faster. You can also use it as a way to sort them based on their category or importance.
To mark the files, you can either use colored files, folders, or binders. You could also use colored sticky notes to mark individual pages or sections of a single file. You can choose the color for each document type as you may desire. Each file category should have a unique and distinct color. Avoid using multiple shades of the same color to mark different types of files or documents. Otherwise, you might get confused, which is something you want to avoid.
#2 Different Sorting Techniques
Another easy way to tell your files apart is through sorting. It is comparatively easier than color-coding since you do not have to assign colors to everything. All you need to do is make sure to keep the files or documents in the right place and in the right order once you are done using them.
Alphabetical sorting is the easiest thing you can do. It follows a similar technique used in libraries where books are sorted alphabetically. Each type of file or folder gets its separate space in the cabinet or desk.
Sorting is more about how good you are at putting things back where they belong. It does not necessarily need any additional work unless you have to stick labels on each file to know what alphabet or group they belong to.
#3 Leave a Mark
For individual documents or paperwork, it is best if you can use stamps to mark them. A simple impression in one corner of the paper with a stamp should be more than enough for you to be able to identify them.
You can get custom stamps made for this purpose. Choose any sort of design that you may want and the type of material used to make the stamps. Self-inking stamps are widely used in offices these days. You can go on stamping files for hours without having to hit them with ink again and again. Then, when you are done, just slide the documents into a file or folder, and put them on the shelf.
#4 Separate Shelves
Having separate shelves or cabinets for different types of files is always a good idea if you can afford the space in your office. With separate shelves, you do not need to mark the files with any sort of color or letter. Just make sure to keep it on the right shelf or cabinet once you are done using it.
People have been using this technique for ages now. From educational institutes to big offices, as long as there was a good amount of space, people would have separate storage facilities for different files and folders. That made it easier for them to know where to look for something when needed.
#5 Archive Old Documents
There are a lot of documents in your office that you do not use or need at the moment. However, they are also precious and you cannot just throw them away. At the same time, you cannot keep them around, since they are hogging up space and also making it difficult for you to look for other more important files. So, you should archive them.
Just take them off of the main shelves and put them in a separate room or shelf which will be referred to as the archives. That way, they cannot interfere while you look for other files. And you can also get back to them whenever you need to.
These file management techniques will help you achieve more productivity in the workplace. However, just knowing how to handle files and documents is not enough. You need to get started immediately. The first few steps will be difficult, but after that, it will be a lot easier for you to manage them.
