Top 10 Tips to Setting up Your Filing System

Biz-Online — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 06:08:40 +0000

Once you start trading it is important to keep all of your correspondence (not just invoices) so that you have an accurate and through record of all your business transactions. You never know when you might need refer back to a previous client’s contact details, or to follow up on a query you originally dealt with months ago. Here is a top ten of the best tips to help you sort out your filing:

1) Location – make sure you have a separate, secure space for your filing, so that you don’t have to move things around before you can get to it. Try and locate your filing in a handy spot for where you do most of your office work, so that you can file and retrieve things away quickly and easily.

2) Storage – Keep things simple for storage containers. If you use your files on a daily basis then box files kept in open cabinets or on shelves are easy to use, and can be moved around and stored away again quickly. If you have a lot of paper work, or need to file things away for long periods then filing drawers are ideal and also have the benefit of being lockable so that you can keep stored data secure.

3) Alphabetical or Numerical order – If your business involves a lot of client contacts then the most logical filing system is alphabetical order, under the client’s last name or company name. This also makes it easier for new people coming in, as then they don’t have to learn a complicated system and can get to work straight away. If you generate a lot of invoices or give each job a reference number then it makes sense to file paperwork in numerical order.

4) Labelling – make sure you label each file clearly, both on the front and the spine, so that you can find what you need quickly and easily. If your handwriting is a bit messy then it is a good idea to buy printing labels and use the computer to print out clear, durable labels.

5) File Folders – box files are ideal for keeping invoices and individual sheets of paper tidy, and are useful if you have large client files that need to be added to over time. Coloured folders are also a good idea, as they can be used to separate areas of your business such as marketing, client information and financial documents. This can make it easier to find things when you are in a hurry.

6) In trays and out trays – many business owners find in/out trays very handy for sorting and storing current work and enquiries, which can then be filed in the main system once they have been processed.

7) Email – don’t forget that your emails can be stored in a filing system too, by creating folders in your inbox, or on your main computer hard drive. Keep it simple, and if you have a full inbox and want to delete things then you could always print them off and file then in your hardcopy system if you think you may need them again.

Record Maintenance – most businesses review hard copy records on a yearly basis, so that they don’t end collecting hundreds of out of date or obsolete files. Financial and tax records are usually kept for 10 years, whereas enquires and items like sales brochures are only kept for 1 to 2 years.

9) Employee Records – It is a good idea to keep employee records in a separate, secure place from your other filing, as much of this information is normally private, and your employees would not want other unauthorised colleagues to have access to this.

10) Indexes – if you have a large number of files, then you might want to consider creating an index. It may take a little time to set up, but it can save you hours of wasted time in the future, and will help others who may need to use your files.

Hope this will help to manage your files efficiently. Comments and suggestions appreciated.

Protecting Your Business Data

Protecting Your Business Data

Biz-Online — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 06:33:46 +0000

As identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in the world, it is important that you take care to protect all of the data held by your business, including that of your employees and your clients. There is a legal requirement for data protection in the UK that you will need to comply with, which applies to:

…data about living, identified or identifiable individuals and includes information such as names and addresses, bank details, and opinions expressed about an individual.

Data Protection Act 1998

The Data Protection Act will also guide you on issues such as when it is acceptable to provide any personal data that is requested from you, and the rights of individuals whose data you hold.

Marketing

The use of personal data in direct marketing strategies is essential, but there are rules that govern how you can go about this. The Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 set out rules on how direct electronic marketing (telephone or email) can be carried out. The main compliances marketing departments need to adhere to are that agents must identity themselves when they are contacting individuals or organisations, and provide contact information so that the recipient can return the communication, which should be a postal or email address, or a toll free telephone number.

Ecommerce

If you are running a website based business and want customers to be able to pay or provide sensitive personal information online, then you must ensure you have adequate website security in place, such as up to date encryption software. You will also need to ensure that records of payments and transactions are kept in a secure physical location, such as a locked and alarmed storage or office space.

Employee Records

Make sure you store your employee records separately from your main filing, and restrict access to authorised personal only. Keep these records locked and secure, and avoid leaving sensitive files out on your desk when you are not in the room. If you have to send any important employee data through the post (such as sick records or notification of termination of employment) then use recorded postal services to ensure that it is delivered directly to the correct person.

Hope that helps to secure and take steps to protect your business data.

Top 10 Tips to Setting up Your Filing System

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Top 10 Tips to Setting up Your Filing System

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