How is your filing system working for you? April has one week designated as “Organize Your Files Week.” This is the month when, if you were frustrated in finding needed receipts and records for tax filings, you would be vowing to do things differently for next year.Good filing systems have two components:

If you are not satisfied with your current method of filing, you may still be trying to file the way people did back in the Middle Ages. Alphabetical processes have been around for centuries, and despite our leaps in knowledge and technology, many individuals and companies are still trying to fit all of their references into this type of system, and it is not working. That is not effective time management and certainly limits daily productivity.I use the Paper Tiger filing system to handle my reference files, CDs, binders and books so that evertyhing is cross-referenced. It is a number-based system, allowing for multiple keywords, and uses software to find the requested topics without the need for scanning. Think “Google” for your paper files.If this is a time that you are contemplating making some changes in your record keeping, research alternatives. We are past the Middle Ages of filing. Bring your knowledge base into the computer age.