The Best Little Filing System for Small Business

Name: The Best Little Filing System for Small Business
Rating: 4.0 (63 reviews)

A powerful, simple system to help small business people with easy paper and electronic document storage and retrieval

Created byLorraine Arams

Last updated 9/2015

English

What you'll learn

Create a simple, powerful filing system for your small business
Learn a great system for your desk too
Find what you need when you need it - paper or electronic
Understand how changes affect your system
Learn 3 systems in this course - all of them will certainly help you if you use them

Course content

4 sections • 15 lectures • 32m total length

Is your business vulnerable because of the chaotic condition of your filing?5:27
Welcome! Thank you for taking this course. I'm provide for you in this lecture an overview and main gist of the course. Why is it important to have a sound foundation to your document storate and retrieval system? Small business people are vulnerable the chaos which can quickly ensure as sales multipy.
Reasons why a good filing system is so important for the entrepreneur1:16
Most entrepreneurs have had little to do with building a filing system and think a folder and a label on the folder will be enough. Eventually, of course, they find themselves spending hours searching because they can't remember what they called the file or where they put it. Those are hours which entrepreneurs can't afford to lose.
Results- what can you expect - you might be amazed once everything is "findable"0:40
What results can you expect from adopting this filing system?
Learning from Experience - filing seems benign but it's an important piece2:34
I share with you an experience I had during my career. You'll see how a business can get off the rails very quickly if every opinion is heeded. There are as many opinions on filing systems as there are people. The question is: what really works?

The Beginning - how do you start creating or overhauling your filing system?0:59
How is the system structured? This is an overview of the components of the system.
The First Step - thinking is not optional - a good beginning is important1:15
Think big as we begin to build your system. This is the first tier of your system. Take the time to think through carefully how you begin, what you'll use in this section and how you'll define them. The rest of the system is dependent on how well you create these divisions.
What do you do now? Step-by-step build this filing system0:43
Each step in this process is critical. Equally important, is that you take the time to think about each and every thing that you do. Defining what you are thinking are your best options will provide invaluable insights in the weeks, months and years to come when your thinking has changed.
The Second and Third Tiers - get rid of the filing piles and get clear3:07
The second and third tiers of the system help you add clarity to the larger units. Sometimes, we don't need much to create a clear picture and sometimes we need to divide what we have thought was best just a little more.
Check Your Thinking and Re-write - yes, you can change your mind; now is good1:42
Building is not an overnight process. Write as best you can. Sleep on it. Rewrite and rewrite until you're satisfied you've made your system as clear as a bell. Check it - test it - give it to someone who doesn't know or understand your business. Can they understand what you've written? Could they operate your business without you there to ask questions?
Equipment - What Will You Need?1:41
Here is an overview of the equipment you will need to create this system physically. I provide lists and pictures for clarity.
How To Label - be "detailed" without being overly "picky" - too many or too few?2:03
Labeling is as important to maintaining a good system as are the divisions and the definitions. Learn to label so you can find what you're looking for and make it easier to put the files back in order.

Here's how to manage your desk - it's a filing system too and needs a system3:16
These next few lectures will cover how to organize your desk to keep it clear of clutter. You'll understand that this can only happen if you use this system in conjunction with your calendar.
Wrap Up - what you've learned, where to ask questions and how to connect3:45
You may have some questions. Ask. There is a "talking bubble" on the right-hand side of each lecture. Ask your question and I'll respond as soon as I am notified. You can connect with me on social media too. I have the links in the text box which you will find by clicking on the icon that looks like a pile of papers with an arrow also on the right hand-side of the lectures.
What Is It?
What is a Sub-category?
Why Define Anything?
What's the most important rule to remember when using the system for your desk?

Requirements

Pen and paper

Description

This course is directed at small business people who are having trouble with managing their documents - especially document retrieval.

They're not alone.

"Time spent mishandling paperwork detracts from a company's ability to service customers, increase sales, and improve the bottom line. Small Business Administration

"The average office spends $20 in labor to file each document, $120 in labor searching for each misfiled document, loses one out of every 20 documents and spends 25 Hours recreating each lost document" Price Waterhouse Coopers

According to the Gartner Group:

"400 is the number of hours per year the average employee spends searching for documents."

"The average document is copied 19 times."

Why? No system that works for everyone and the system is not controlled by the owner.

The problem is accentuated when the money they earn depends on collecting and using collected information and data to provide results to their clients. Small business people get so frustrated that the stress mounts more and more. Their self-confidence takes a hit and soon, they wonder if they can ever get organized enough to be really effective in their business.

This course teaches how to create a solid foundation in a filing system designed as the learner progresses through the course.

Step by step, the small business person will put a system together which suits the way they think about their business, how they understand their business and how they recognize words.

Based on an alphabetical system, over the course, the learner will complete a system that works for both paper and electronic - a special magical formula that is so simple and straight forward, it will be "unreal".

Not only will the small business person create a sound filing system but the course will also show them how to keep their desk clear.

The bonus is a special tip that, if adopted, helps to prevent the mounting piles of paper in the first place and the multitude of information on their computer.

Everything is included in the course including which equipment will be required, how to label, and what to do in the event that the small business person has employees.

If, as a small business person, you're frustrated with your inability to manage your documents, then this is the course for you. If you follow through, you'll be able to find your documents in both paper and electronic formats quickly and easily.

Who this course is for:

Small Business Owners who are having trouble with document storage and retrieval
Individuals who would like to be better organized
People who are tired of looking for things and want a system to find what they need when they need it
People who want a system that works for paper and electronic methods

The Best Little Filing System for Small Business

What you'll learn

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Course content

Can you find anything at all? Can others working with you find what they need?4 lectures • 10min

Let's Begin - Let's Build Your System7 lectures • 12min

Once It's Done - What Happens?2 lectures • 4min

Your Desk2 lectures • 7min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: