Many people are switching to digital filing systems because they offer more organization and convenience. However, this switch can be difficult, leaving you feeling overwhelmed with all the different steps involved in transferring your paper files to their digital counterpart. In this blog post, we will discuss seven easy steps that will help you transition from paper to digital filing.
Let’s take a look at these steps.
Maintain An Easy File Structure
The first step in your digital filing system is to maintain an easy file structure. This will make it easier for you and other system users, such as employees or contractors who may need access to different files while working on a project with you. The file structure should be organized alphabetically by type.
If you are filing scanned documents, the files or folders for those documents should also be in an easy-to-follow order. Keep all of your digital documents on a separate hard drive from any other data to avoid cluttering up your system with unnecessary information.
Set Boundaries To The Number Of Clicks
This is the first step in creating a better filing system for your digital documents. Too many clicks can make it difficult to access files, resulting in more time spent locating and opening them. The number of clicks needed to find and open up a file should be set by you or with input from those using the system.
Maintaining a better filing system will save time and help create a feeling of organization and control in your life.
Involve Users
Involve your users by having them make their filing system. Involving the user in creating a digital filing system will help to ensure they are more invested and engaged with the process. You can do this through gamification or other methods that get them excited about it, such as turning feedback into rewards and incentives for completing tasks.
Ask them to create their filing system, and reward them with points or other incentives for submitting a completed file. This will also help you provide helpful feedback on what kind of systems they are looking for so that you can improve future iterations.
Stay Consistent While Naming Document Folders
We find that the consistency in naming document folders is often overlooked. A common mistake we see with clients, for example, is forgetting to include a date or number when renaming files and then having them saved into multiple folder categories. By incorporating various information such as project names or dates, you can avoid this problem by documenting where and when a copy of the file was saved.
Allocate A Filing System Monitor
First, it’s essential to make a list of the documents and files you need to file. Once that is done, allocating a monitor in your digital filing system can be accomplished by clicking on “Allocate this Monitor” if there are monitors available for use or “Request More Monitors.” If not enough monitors are available for use, the other option is to “Create a new Monitor.”
After you have allocated a monitor, it’s essential to assign the documents or files needed in your filing system. For example, if you’re trying to create an archive for tax information from 2018, then allocating a monitor and assigning this year and 2017 will make things easier on yourself when searching through previous years later down the line.
Archive Files
Organize your files into folders and subfolders based on the type of content. For example, create a folder for “Kids” with additional sub-folders like homework, photos, videos, etc. This will make it much easier to find what you are looking for if something needs to be looked up later or shared with another family member whose space is not as organized – especially when they know where everything should go!
Archive the files by deleting them from your computer. This will free up space and ensure that those precious memories won’t be lost if something happens to your hard drive or digital camera!
Schedule Yearly Cleanouts
Schedule yearly cleanouts of your digital filing system to make sure you’re not unnecessarily storing files. This will help keep the number of documents stored in your account and save storage space on devices where they are being saved/stored. If you find unneeded files in the account, make sure to delete or archive them.
The Bottom Line
If you are ready to switch from paper files to digital filing systems, this blog post will guide you through seven easy steps. The benefits of a digital file system over physical ones include more organization and convenience, which is why many people have already made the change. To learn how to do it yourself, keep reading!
