Something like filing seems so be so basic and not a big deal, but being able to place your hands on important documents in a timely manner as well as being able to keep your space organized is a big deal. As they say, the devil is in the details. Here is a quick tid bit on basic filing.
When creating your filing system, the first thing you need to come up with is your naming system. For smaller offices, my suggestion is to use the first category that comes to mind when you are thinking about a particular item. Think up the basic categories that you would need and the sub categories that would be filed under that tab.
Write these down and create the labels. There are many templates to choose from. Word holds most of the major brand templates. Also, a lot of the brands have begun creating templates you can pull up online for easy printing.
Once you have all of your hanging folders tabbed and created and all of your manila folders labeled. Begin putting the documents into each folder. Some folders just contain information and it doesn’t matter the order. However, I often find it easier for recall to either alphabetize or chronologically order the documents. This may seem like a drag at first, but once this is done, you can drop subsequent documents in easily and find a document faster without having to sift through the folder.
For larger offices, it may prove best to have an actual naming system, so that all those who need access to the documents can find them. You can then teach new employees the system without having to make modifications.
My last tip is to dispel some frustration for those that are a little OCD. When creating tabs, it’s best to place tabs right behind one another. It looks neat and pretty to section them out, but unless you have a naming system that is unchanging such as the alphabet or a numerical system, you will find yourself frustrated when you add new files. Put all your hanging file folder tabs to one side and your manila folder tabs to another. You can even have the manila tabs a little bit of everywhere and it won’t make a big difference.