5 Super Smart Ways To Manage Your Work Documents
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Picture this.
You’ve entered the office, fired up your computer, raring to get started on what’s sure to be an exhilarating project.
But, you sit there idly, and soon angrily, with growing concerns over finding that one crucial document which enables you to crack on with your day.
Just one solitary file and its whereabouts has thrown you off track before anything got started, and what’s worse, this could have easily been averted – all you had to do was take that extra little bit of care.
It’s a common, and rather legendary problem for most, but you’re here to fly, so let’s steer you clear from this simple, tiresome, and easily avoidable working hurdle.
What is The Best Way To Manage Documents?
Lack of time, growing pressure, and regular fatigue will make ‘boring jobs’ even less attractive - hunting down wayward documents is perhaps the most tedious, and this will always be the case.
Working files should always ‘just be there!’, right?
There’s no standard answer for keeping files in the fast lane, but common sense has given it some thought, and served up the following steps….
Consolidation
Harmonious days will always be more productive.
But, how do you maintain this with so many files spread far and wide?
Consolidation is key, and with files, collating them into merged working profiles is the surest bet.
Imagine firing up a single record, and there, staring you in the face was every single file pertaining to a crucial sale you could really do with clinching before the month is out.
Using NetSuite to store this information is shrewd, but what if just one plug-in could enable swifter clarity, visibility, and communication.
Workiro powers up NetSuite document management for faster access to all your crucial business documentations in one place, which can only mean ample time saved, and stress levels greatly reduced.
Be realistic.
You can’t help that Xero generates an invoice, Excel creates financial spreadsheets, and InDesign crafts professional looking proposals, but you can fuse the way in which you store, manage, and communicate all of these.
Be Proactive, Not Reactive
Again, using our NetSuite integration, you have further power to ensure things simply get done, and done so on time.
Take your consolidated records, and start holding people accountable for documents, whether its prompting a sales rep to look over your pitch, or getting finance to sign off your monthly marketing budget.
Put deadlines on really important documents, and rely on Workiro to send auto-reminders for people involved if they’re yet to step up and take action – why let others dictate your day!
With a single source of truth, you’ll know precisely where to head, giving you a speedier way to see the whole picture, and become a lot more preventive during projects, sales, or proposals, with key challenges smoothly handled before escalating out of control.
Use The Cloud
The term ‘cloud’ is widely used to describe data storage, and more specifically, the innovative solutions being actively pioneered by the usual tech suspects, including Microsoft and Apple, who use ‘cloud servers’ to power up their suite of modern applications.
Their impact is palpable, and right now, 60% of the world’s corporate data is being stored in the cloud.
Using the cloud document management for your storage is a smart move, and for multiple reasons, some relating to security, and others more in-tune with hybrid working, so many of us have grown to adore.
Regarding the former, extra layers of protection will be supplied through rigorous encryption, which means people can only view files if they’re permitted to do so.
And for the latter, well, the cloud is powered through the internet, which means so long as people have access, they can grab hold of files no matter where they’re based.
Using the cloud will further safeguard a file, and provide greater accessibility, which makes it more likely to remain active, and surface when you need it.
Out With The Old
Among the sea of files preventing you from working, there’s probably a stack which could do with simply being binned and wiped off the face of this glorious earth.
We spring clean our homes, but we don’t provide similar to our document storage, which is filled with digital versions of the very folders you throw out from physical filing cabinets – often when the whole ‘new year, new me’ fad takes effect in early January.
Not only will storage space be thankful, but certain files, typically of the financial variety, may be sensitive, and possessing these may no longer be permitted.
In fact, handling confidential data is a privilege only afforded with explicit consent, which may have expired without you even realising.
The ICO (Information Commissioner’s Office) would have a field day if they discovered tons of folders packed with data no longer complying with GDPR regulations.
Data breaches are pretty intense, with the most serious cases leading to 4% of the company’s annual turnover being handed back to them as fines.
Naming Conventions
Names are rather convenient – we use them every day to identify which colleague was responsible for ravaging the office biscuit supply.
Using names for filing is standard practice in the world of business, however, only with solid conventions will they help organise and structure your workflow effectively.
Think about the most important details, which for finance professionals, could be prioritizing due dates for their invoices.
Put this at the front, and incorporate further details in descending order from most crucial to least.
And, for further ease, consider abbreviating, if possible, like using people’s initials, and maybe even shortening a project name.
Whatever your convention, it’s imperative that everyone follows suit, otherwise, recalling files will become needlessly difficult - you could write your very own naming policy document, and hand this to new starters on day one.
The final piece of the convention puzzle will be clearly suggesting your file has superseded the original, namely edits made.
Workiro Helps Untangle The Filing Web
We get it – you’re super busy.
We also know that being ’super busy’ normally includes boring stuff, namely, copious amounts of admin, waiting for budget approvals, and chasing down late invoices to name but a few.
Use Workiro to win back hours upon hours of time you spend seeking files, and focus on what you’re best at.
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