Do you have a small space in your house that you use as a home office? If so, no matter how large or small that space is, from time to time you have probably found that you seem to be overrun with paper files. It doesn’t really matter how big a business is, there is still going to be a lot of paperwork around, from invoices to contracts and other important documents. These all need to be kept in order, and this is not always as easy as it sounds. But, it can be made to be quite easy with an online filing system like Paper Tiger Filing System software. This type of office management software is not going to allow you to eliminate your paperwork, but it will allow you to be able to store the paperwork away and access all of the files you need in a matter of seconds.
In order to have an organized filing system for your home office or other company office, you will need to first make decisions about the paper that comes into your office.
For those paper files that you need to keep in hard copy format, index the item name and keywords into Paper Tiger. Then for your paper files that you do not have to be kept in hard copy format, scan them, then upload to Google Docs which will be your digital file storage location. Note that some scanners will scan directly to Google Docs, so check with your scanner manufacturer to see if there is an update to allow you to skip the uploading step. For these documents that you’ve scanned, you can then decide to shred or recycle them.
Activate Digital Tiger by connecting your Paper Tiger Online account to your Google account. Digital Tiger is a free add-on with a paid Paper Tiger Online account (Basic and Pro plans for now), to connect your Paper Tiger Online account to your Google Docs, then you will be able to search from one place to find both your paper/physical items and your digital files. More information can be found on our Digital Tiger page.
To prepare for Digital Tiger, you can create, scan or upload your digital files to Google Docs format. Again, Paper Tiger is for indexing the paper files and other items that you need to keep in hard copy format, such as passports, instruction booklets, or CDs, DVDs, Books, home or office inventory and/or storage, etc. If there are some documents that you’ve scanned but still need to keep in hard copy format as well, you can also index them into Paper Tiger, so when you search for a keyword, you’ll be able to see that you have a copy in your physical file cabinet and you also have a digital copy of that file in your Google Docs.
So file your paper files as you normally would, but simply index the documents adding all necessary keywords you would relate to the documents into the paper filing system software as you file them into your filing cabinet. If yours is a business that has only one employee – you – there is a lot of work to be done, and you won’t always have the time to search through stacks of papers just to find one thing in particular.
You will be able to quickly find any file at the time you need it, whether you have the file in paper form or if you have digitized the document to a digital file in Google Docs.
It doesn’t matter if yours is a small business that you run out of one room in your home or if you work in a large corporation. Businesses of all sizes can benefit from using this online filing system. This type of software is excellent for helping companies and employees with time management, because they can use the time they would have wasted searching for files to do other things that are more important. Any business owner, no matter how big their business is, loves to find ways to save time and money, and using office management software to organize paper files is an excellent time saving tool. The software is easy to set up and use, and all you have to do is make sure that every new paper document that comes into your office that you make the decision whether you need the file in paper hard copy format or if you can shred it after scanning and uploading to Google Docs.
If you need to keep in hard copy format, index the information into Paper Tiger. Then, you can file the paper document into the corresponding hanging file folder and not have to worry about where you put it when you need it later. And those documents that can be kept in digital file format instead, scan to Google Docs and shred it.
Either way, implementing Digital Tiger, powered by Google Docs, with Paper Tiger Online, you may not be completely paperless, but you’ll have less paper and you will be able to Find Anything In Your Office In 5 Seconds or Less…Guaranteed!
Since 1998, Paper Tiger has been helping tens of thousands of businesses, professionals and individuals simplify their organizational and hanging file systems. Prior to Paper Tiger, there were only five possible solutions to dealing with the world of paper management. First, let’s take a quick look at those.
So, it’s exciting to think about what that could mean for the introduction of options such as Digital Tiger. This system will enable users to “Find Anything in Your Office in Five Seconds or Less… Guaranteed.” And, imagine being able to access your information from anywhere with an Internet connection.
With Digital Tiger, you can index your paper files that you need to keep in hard copy format into Paper Tiger Online, and scan your paper files that you no longer need in hard copy format, then upload the PDF to Google Docs where it will be digitally stored, with other digital files you’ve uploaded, converted or created in Google Docs format — all in an affordable and efficient Gmail Google Docs digital filing cloud storage account.
Digital Tiger, powered by Google Docs, is designed to work seamlessly with Paper Tiger Online, and is now available in Basic and Pro accounts. Paper Tiger Online will now connect to your Google account, making it Digital Tiger so that you can find all of your information with just one search — your digital files that are stored in Google Docs, and your paper and other physical items indexed in Paper Tiger.
We have put together two new Digital Tiger training screen casts. These will help you easily learn how to set up and start using the new Digital Tiger. See our Getting Started with Digital Tiger for a Paper and Digital Filing System for instructions and to review these new screen casts.
Don’t forget to let us know about your initial experience connecting to and using Digital Tiger by completing the survey.
Please join us for this FREE one hour webinar hosted by productivity expert, Anne McGurty of Strategize and Organize.
During this webinar, Anne will be demonstrating how to use Paper Tiger more effectively so you can get organized and be more productive.
In addition, she will demonstrate work-flow example request made during webinar registrations and discuss problems that people have getting organized, not only with their paper but other physical items. Find Anything In Your Office In 5 Seconds or Less…Guaranteed! Join us to learn more.
The webinar is limited, so don’t wait! Register today!
Don’t forget to answer the questions on the registration form.
After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.
Please visit www.strategizeandorganize.com to learn more about Anne and the services she provides including her special 30 day program, includes a 60 minute weekly coaching call and unlimited quick email questions.
Anne’s Personal Productivity 30-day Coaching special for only $297
To learn more about Paper Tiger and Digital Tiger, visit www.thepapertiger.com
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Anne demonstrates how to get started with Paper Tiger Online filing system software and demonstrates a work-flow example by filing items from her inbox through the life-cycle of document management to help you use Paper Tiger more effectively to get organized and be more productive. She included specific examples in how to use the File Clean-out Report to prepare for and possibly delegate purging or reorganizing your filing system, such as how to transfer files from Action to Reference locations (those actionable items that have been accomplished and now need to be moved from your action file drawer to the file cabinet), and gave some tips in how to maintain after your initial getting organized project.
As information, Anne is a professional speaker, productivity expert, professional organizer and author. If you want to learn more about Anne and her services, please visit her website at www.StrategizeAndOrganize.com. She may be in Colorado, but she’s nationally recognized as an expert and works with people throughout the US in person and virtually.
See Anne’s SPECIAL, contact her to get on her schedule and you’ll be more productive in no time!
You can contact Anne at amcgurty@strategizeandorganize.com or by phone at 303 881-0174.
See more information here on Paper Tiger Filing System Software for Document Management
Q: What is difference between file and categories?
A: “Category” is a word or words you may use to classify groups of related folders or items. Paper Tiger allows you to file information physically one way, but easily organize files virtually in a totally different way using Categories. See more information in this knowledge base article on what is a category?
Q: Can you put more than one piece of paper in a file? For instance, if you want to put all the bank statements in the same file.
A:Yes, absolutely! That’s the beauty of Paper Tiger. Instead of having duplicate files throughout your filing cabinet, if you don’t remember what you’ve filed something under, you can conduct a search in the database and Paper Tiger will let you know where you can add the new document. You would simply edit the item in Paper Tiger to add any necessary keywords for the new document being placed in a file already created.
Q: Does printing out the reference list slow down after awhile? Seems like it might be daily at first.
A: Yes, after you have indexed your documents from your filing cabinet and cleared your desk, you will only need to update when new files come in! Of course, depending on how much you index daily would determine if you actually need to print daily. If you only indexed a few hanging file folders, it might not make sense to print daily.
Q: If we are OCD and want the number to match alphabetically, can we make those changes?
A: With Paper Tiger, you can still file alphabetically but it’s not as easy because the database locations in Paper Tiger do not stay sorted alphabetically. See Alphabetic Method for Paper Tiger Online or Alphabetic Method for Paper Tiger Desktop Version
Q: When one gets to the end of the tunnel, how does one keep things organized? Allot time at the end of each day or end of the week?
A: Yes, exactly. Anne gives an example sometimes in relation to how you maintain keeping your clothes picked up. When you pull off your clothes in the evening, you take the time to hang them up or put them in the laundry. Same with maintenance of your filing system…take a few minutes, maybe 15 minutes at the end of each day and file and index into Paper Tiger what has come in or what you’ve worked on that day. Your desk will look more professional and you won’t feel the stress of being cluttered.
Q: What are the recommended basic locations for items or files-action, reference and archive?
A: Yes, Action, Reference and Archives are the basic location names, and there could be also locations named for Books, or CDs, or DVDs, or rooms in your home, etc…whatever you’re indexing/organizing. You are not limited to our suggestions. Let the way you think be the determining factor in how you should file your paper files or index your physical items.
Q: I have HUGE piles…about 10 piles about a foot high each! How to approach the daunting task in a measured time allocation way without spending days at it?
A: We suggest started with 1 or 2 piles at a time. Whatever you decide you can handle at one time, sort through that amount and determine what needs to be filed in a reference file or in an action file, and what needs to be trashed or recycled. Then index the items needing action into an Action location in Paper Tiger, and index the items you’ve sorted for reference into a Reference location. Schedule the same amount of time on your calendar for another day, and go through another couple of stacks until you’re done. This may take several days of an hour or two at a time, but before you know it, you won’t have any stacks and you’ll be able to find what you need, when you need it!
Q: What Paper Tiger do you recommend for home only use?
A: This depends on how much you want to index into Paper Tiger because you can index to organize almost anything as long as you can put a number onto the item. If you only have a couple of desk or file cabinet drawers, the free or Basic plan might work for you. If you want to organize paper files, books, CDs, DVDs, your garage or other storage locations, etc., then the Pro plan would be what you need.
Q: You must not have a pendaflex for each paper. So I’m guessing you might have 20 sheets in each pendaflex?
A: Yes, you can have as many pieces of paper in a hanging file folder as relates to the same file topic. Just simply edit the item in Paper Tiger’s database to add any new keywords as you need to relating to the new documents you add to the same hanging file folder.
Q: If you have 20 different items in pendaflex number 1, is there a way to note where each one is?
A: If there is not a logical chronological way to file the items, you could possibly divide the different items within the hanging file folder into manilla folders. You can note in Paper Tiger what files are in which manilla folder.
Comment: I like the idea to write on the file index copy where to file a new item at my desk, index them into Paper Tiger, and then just pop them in the file later.
Comment: These questions coming in are mine too, very helpful!
Comment: This is great! Making me feel there is light at the end of the tunnel!
This year, stick to the resolution to declutter your life by getting truly organized. It’s probably a task you have been putting off for ages because it seems like such an overwhelming task, yet can be such a simple thing to accomplish. It’s all about taking the first steps to get started. The first step is making the commitment to clear the clutter in your home, office or personal space, so that your life will begin to be less stressful and productive. Before you know it, you’ll actually have more time for yourself.
Eliminate the frustration you experience every time you try to locate an important document and cannot find it amidst the disorganized mess acting as your “filing system.” We receive calls and emails all the time from people telling us that they have stacks and stacks of files that is causing more stress than it’s worth and need help getting organized. Paper Tiger Filing System software helps companies, non-profits, government agencies, professionals and individuals all over the world get control of something they hate…filing the paper on their desk & in their office, and can help with the life-cycle of document management, but it’s Not Just For Filing Paper.
Reduce the stress and anxiety you are probably feeling without even realizing it from having your home or office in disarray. Make this year the year you completely organize your life.
To stop the overwhelming feeling of getting started with a serious organizational system, start by making a plan of action — a step-by-step list of what to do and how to do it. Set goal dates for each step of your organizing process, and schedule time on your calendar for each step.
Working with paper files, documents and other items that traditionally get put into a filing system, you can start by going through one stack at a time, and decide what needs to be kept, which of these files are actionable and which ones just need to be filed for future reference, and which items should be tossed. Then index the paper files by typing in any possible keywords that could be used for each file so you can retrieve the item when needed by conducting a Google-like search in the database. Paper Tiger will assign a file number for each hanging file folder to match the item number in the database. You can add to those items in the database by simply editing the item and adding any new keywords relating to the new document being filed, and place it in the correlating file folder.
Of course for some people, the only way to make it happen is scheduling the time on the calendar, and simply diving in and getting the job done.
Whatever approach works for you is the best way to start, but just make sure to actually get started. By making and committing to a plan, you ensure that you will stick to your resolution. Please also take a look at our article Customize Your Filing System with Paper Tiger’s Indexing Method to help you see the filing system possibilities.
Using a document management system is the best way to get and stay organized. The great thing is, you can use this same type of organizational system for things other than paper filing. Typically, you use an indexing system to control your document management system, but this same method can be used for almost anything causing clutter in your home or office. If it can be cataloged and numbered, it can be organized by using Paper Tiger’s indexing system.
If you want to organize other items in addition to paper files, you can start by separating these things into boxes or bins, whatever is appropriate for the types of things that you’re organizing. Using the same approach as with your paper files … go through the items and decide what needs to be kept and which items should be tossed, given away, or collected in a box for a yard sale.
Whether it is your DVD collection, books, even your seasonal decorations, you should use this opportunity to get rid of or sell the ones you no longer need.
From here, you use the indexing system to type in any possible keywords that could be used for each physical item you’re indexing so you can retrieve the item when needed by conducting a Google-like search in the database. You would affix an item number label to the item or box to match the item number in the database.
With Paper Tiger Filing System software, you have a document management system that will enable you to finally declutter and live an organized life. You will be able to find what you need, when you need it and be more productive, less stressed and have more time for yourself in no time!
CALL TODAY! Contact productivity expert, Anne McGurty of Strategize and Organize, to schedule 30 minutes to strategize and organize a FREE analysis of your situation.
Are you managing both paper and digital files? Feeling stressed?
How do you bridge the paper world to the digital world?
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The car industry got it right…it’s no longer a gas or electric decision — it’s both – a hybrid.
With your paper files and digital files, you need a hybrid as well. The solution is Paper Tiger Filing System Software for Document Management with its new addition of Digital Tiger.
Imagine
Why make the transition alone … it’s not a tactical project that you can piece-meal … you need a strategic solution to be in the hybrid world.
All you need to do right now is the make the decision to spend 30 minutes with Anne McGurty, productivity expert, to strategize and organize and engage in a free analysis.
Call 303 881-0174 or email at amcgurty@strategizeandorganize.com today to get on Anne’s schedule and take advantage of this free analysis!
No kidding – 30 free minutes! Call or email today!
Our friend, Stephanie Calahan has pulled together some amazing, giving experts and together they are going to share all!
Visit Fire Up Your Biz – Enrich Your Life! to get signed up for free. You can attend one session or all of them!
As an entrepreneur you need to confidently take your business to the next level… if you’re not, you may be going nowhere fast… In fact if you are like 95% of business owners, you are already there…in the area of a million ideas and nothing getting done. Fire Up Your Biz – Enrich Your Life was created to help you weed through all of that. Say “YES” to getting the right systems and processes in place so that your business can thrive. Say “YES” to getting your message out in a big way and you’re ideal clients say yes to investing in themselves and get great results because they worked with you. Say YES to weeding out all the distractions, fears and other things holding you back so that your business can take root and deliver back to you the benefits that you want from it! The sessions are free and value packed. Sign up today to Fire Up Your Biz – Enrich Your Life!
If you’re like many business owners, you know a ton of stuff about the field you’re in. You’re a hard worker. You have tried a number of things to manage your time, space and information, but systems and processes just don’t stick.
Why is it when it comes to staying focused and getting things done, you feel like a failure? It’s not true, of course, but it can feel that way.
As entrepreneurs, we can be fun, dynamic, creative, inventive, expansive thinkers, out-of-the-box thinkers, quick-think-on-your-feet thinkers, adaptable, sensitive, and frequently have above-average intelligence.
We can also experience what can seem like odd paradoxes in behavior:
- Easily distracted one day and hyper focused the next
- Unaware of details one day and compulsive about details the next
- Assertive and demanding one day and then passive the next
- Amazingly forgetful sometimes and memory for the most minute detail the next
- Very unorganized in some aspects of life but extremely organized with elaborate systems in another aspect.
- Desiring structure but rebelling against it or abandoning structure
- Risk taker that can be stopped by endless “what-if”scenarios
- Even an Outgoing Introvert
“You can’t get there alone. In fact, you can’t get very far at all.”
~ Keith Ferrazzi – author of Never Eat Alone
Does that feel familiar? If so, I invite you to join Stephanie and the expert line-up to Fire Up Your Biz – Enrich Your Life!
Get focused and TAKE ACTION!
Do you wish you had a business consultant right by your side helping you make the hundreds of critical decisions that you are faced with daily? Have you looked at other successful business owners and wondered how they were able to figure it out? Now you can find out!
We’re going to share all of the secrets that you need to get your business — and your life — on track. Get the benefit of advice, brainstorms and business shortcuts from global business consultants/coaches, who are bringing their ‘best game’ to the table.
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Here are the 20 confirmed sessions, but there are more in the works!
Depressing Desks and Psychic Debris: Cleaning up the Work Space by De-cluttering the Head Trash
(Regina Lark – https://www.facebook.com/AClearPath – 01/18 @ 11AM CST)
Cluttered minds and cluttered closets weigh us down, thwart productivity, and make it difficult to move forward with ease and a sense of clarity. Negative thinking blocks the light of positivity, and overwhelmed spaces block us from the simplistic life. The clutter and chaos of this “psychic debris” often reflects the clutter and chaos of our living spaces, but just how do we clear the debris? Join me in listening in to Regina Lark and Stephanie Calahan present Depressing Desks and Psychic Debris: Cleaning up the Work Space by De-cluttering the Head Trash.
Unlock the Secret to Achieving Your Profit Goals
(Nicole Fende http://www.facebook.com/smallbizfinance 01/19 @ 11AM CST)
Join Numbers Whisperer Nicole Fende, and her trusty companion Fluffy the Finance Feline, for a session that is sure to super charge your profits. You will learn a simple exercise that uses only 4 numbers to boost your bottom line. Stephanie Calahan will be talking with Nicole as she shares the same strategies she uses for her profit coaching clients to help them reach multi-platinum profits.
Mindset Matters: Secrets to a Powerful Mindset
(Des Gray http://www.facebook.com/DesGrayMindWorks 01/19 @ 7PM CST)
Behind every achievement, every action, every communication and every stress point – there hides a mindset. If you want to get more, do more and ‘be more’ – you need to know what’s under the hood, and more importantly, how to drive it. Des Gray and Stephanie Calahan will help you discover insights that will open new doors and opportunities.
We’ve Got To Stop Meeting Like This: How to Run Meetings that Actually Get Things Done
(Debbie Rosemont http://www.facebook.com/simplyplaced 01/25 @ 11AM CST)
Meetings are a critical activity yet people complain that meeting are boring, unproductive and a waste of time and money. Time, energy and money invested are too valuable to waste. Listen in on this session as Stephanie Calahan talks with Debbie Rosemont to discuss how to eradicate bad meeting habits and replace them with good!
Get the Right Support for Your Business, Inside and Out
(Marcia Hoeck 01/26 @ 11AM CST)
In order to be excellent at the things you and only you can do, you need the right support from people, both inside and outside your company. It’s difficult going out and slaying the dragons every day, and without the right people around you, it will be a lot harder. Join Marcia Hock and Stephanie Calahan as they uncover how to get the right team in place and make them thrilled to thrill you.
Get Time and Tasks Managed Quickly
(Michelle Panzlaff http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tidy-Tiger-Solutions/104767006250472 01/26 @ 7PM CST)
Do you have a pile of to-dos on your desk? Will one more sticky note completely cover your monitor? Mastering how to get things done without guilt and without costly rework is critical to moving your business forward. Join Stephanie Calahan as she talks with Michelle Panzlaff to learn how.
Conquering Your Fear with a Knockout Punch
(Dr. Shannon Reece http://facebook.com/drshannonreecefans 02/1 @ 11AM CST)
To succeed in the competitive world of business you must learn the right skills to combat the enemy within. The truth is that everyone experiences fear. Knowing how to deal with it, and defeat it is the difference between average and excellence in business. Discover how to change your fear from a liability into an asset. Stephanie Calahan will be talking with Dr. Shannon Reece to help you uncover and eliminate the fears that are holding you back.
The 3 Surprising Keys that Open the Door to Small Business Abundance
(Andrea Feinberg http://www.facebook.com/andrea.feinberg 02/02 11AM CST)
A recent survey of 3000 small business owners revealed a shocker: 91% believe the dream life they imagined when they first started in business will never be real. Well, it can be but it takes a massive rejection of the conventional route to business success. In this conversation, long-time business owner and coach to business owners Andrea Feinberg will talk with Stephanie Calahan and share 3 critical mind sets that must be in place if you want a business that runs like a well-oiled machine, whether you’re there or not, and allows you to focus on building all your tomorrows; this is life on your terms.
A Busy Family’s Guide to Getting Organized So You Can Live Your Best Life and Still Enjoy Your Family
(Ellen Delap http://EllenDelapProfessionalOrganizer 02/02 7PM CST)
It’s 5pm… no dinner on the stove but laundry is in the living room and your kids are nowhere to be seen! Join Certified Professional Organizer and Certified Family Manager Coach Ellen Delap as she is interviewed by Stephanie Calahan to learn how to pull it all together: your family, your time and the rest of the stuff too!
From Procrastination to DONE!
(Carrie Greene http://facebook.com/carriethru 02/08 11AM CST)
95% of the population is prone to procrastination AND 25% are chronic procrastinators. Procrastination is more than just annoying. Procrastination leads to loss of money, time and energy. Procrastination leads to overwhelm and stress. It’s time to stop putting off till tomorrow what you can get paid for today! Listen as Stephanie Calahan talks with Carrie Greene on how to go from procrastination to done!
5 Keys to Social Media Success: Do it Right, Stop Wasting Time and Get Results!
(Janet Slack http://facebook.com/solopreneurbiz 02/09 11AM CST)
Social media is the most powerful new marketing tool in decades and you owe it to your business to have a true understanding of how it works. It’s time to get down to the nitty gritty on social media and find out how to use it effectively to grow your business. There are lots of myths and misconceptions about social media marketing and it is time to learn exactly what works and what doesn’t. Learn what you need to do BEFORE you begin and how to maximize your use of your time on the sites. Whether you are using Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter or Google+, you’ll want to join Stephanie Calahan and Janet Slack as Janet shares tried and true ideas on how to leverage these hugely powerful tools to benefit your business. You won’t want to miss this session – we are going straight to the heart of the matter – with a focus on specific strategies to make you successful.
How to Overcome your Mental Money Barriers, and Break Free to Success
(Georgina Sweeney 02/09 7PM CST)
Join Stephanie Calahan as she talks with Georgina Sweeney about How to Overcome your Mental Money Barriers, and Break Free to Success. In Georgina’s exciting breakthrough session, not only will you learn new ways of thinking that you can apply immediately in your business to achieve greater success, you’ll also experience mindset shifts right on the call! Georgina will share the strategies and exact same thinking that she used to take her business from nearly standstill to over $100,000 in less than four months – without a website, a list or even business cards! This and more awaits you!
Networking for Success
(Heather Townsend http://www.facebook.com/theefficiencycoach 02/15 11AM CST)
The strength of your network can literally mean the difference between success and failure. Get your networking right and the business will start pouring in. Get it wrong and it just becomes a demoralising time-consuming activity. The rules of the networking game have been changed by the social networking – have you adapted your networking strategy to harness the power of on-line AND offline networking? In this session, Stephanie Calahan will talk with Heather Townsend as she explains how she managed to grow a six figure business (and secure a lucrative book deal in the process), by building a powerful network – without any prior sales or marketing experience.
Top Tech Tools for Busy Business Owners
(Brandie Kajino http://www.facebook.com/bkajino 02/15 7PM CST)
So many choices! If you are like me, you know you need tools in order to get the important things done in your business. Too many choices, not sure how to decide and fearful of choosing the wrong tool? It can be a bit frustrating and overwhelming! Join Stephanie Calahan as she “gets the goods” from Brandie Kajino talking about Top Tech Tools for Busy Business Owners. Feel empowered by the new technology rather than confused & feeling like pulling your hair out! Don’t miss the 10 essential tools you might not be able to live without!
Conquer Email Overload
(Stephanie Shalofsky http://www.facebook.com/organizingzone 02/16 11AM CST)
How often have you started your day by checking email only to find that two hours later you are still checking email? It’s time to take charge of your email so that you’ll have more time in your day. Stephanie Calahan will be talking with Stephanie Shalofsky to uncover the juicy details of email management. By the end of this session you will have a list of email strategies and tips that you can start applying immediately.
Passion Management: How to Juggle/Prioritize all of the Passions We Have
(Lisa Montanaro http://www.facebook.com/LMOrganizingSolutions 02/16 7PM CST)
Do you have more than one passion and get overwhelmed with trying to decide which to do and which to implement? In this session Stephanie Calahan and Lisa Montanaro will take a look at “Passion Management” and how to manage all of the passions that you want to tackle in your business and life.
Five Secrets to Streamline Your Work Flow
(Miriam Ortiz y Pino http://www.facebook.com/morethanorganized 02/22 11AM CST)
Listen in as Stephanie Calahan interviews Miriam Ortiz y Pino about the Five Secrets to Streamline Your Work Flow. Discover how to clear space to create and support for your ideas to flourish, so you feel energized and essential. Learn why workflows increase the appraised value of your business and how to save over 6 weeks a year, so that you can do those things you have been putting off.
When Life Interferes: Making it through Life’s Transitions as a Business Owner
(Sue West https://www.facebook.com/SueWestOrganizingCoach 02/23 11AM CST)
Changes interrupt life. Big life changes need our attention, yet so does our business. Join Stephanie Calahan as she and Sue West, Certified Organizer Coach® discuss time strategies, work strategies and home management strategies to get you through the life change.
TiME Strategies for the Busy Entrepreneur
(Allyson Lewis http://www.facebook.com/AllysonLewis.SevenMinutes 02/23 7PM CST)
TiME™ STRATEGIES for the Busy Entrepreneur offers proven concrete steps for prioritizing, organizing and simplifying your work in today’s over stimulated and interrupted life. This interactive session with Stephanie Calahan and Allyson Lewis provides an extensive step-by-step program with strategies for achieving results in today’s work place by offering the fundamentals for radical change.
Solopreneur Motivation Secrets: Create the Work Environment and Results You Want
(Elaine Quinn http://www.facebook.com/pages/No-Place-Like-Working-From-Home/196504717026980? 02/29 11AM CST)
Working from home isn’t for everybody. There are unique challenges that face almost all solopreneurs. Among the most uncomfortable are the lack of structure, systems and support. However, with a little mindset adjustment it’s possible to stay motivated and productive. Join Stephanie Calahan as she talks with Elaine Quin about Soloprener Motivation Secrets: Create the Work Environment and Results You Want.
Sign up today for free to Fire Up Your Biz – Enrich Your Life!
Digital Tiger, powered by Google Docs, is now available in Basic and Pro Paper Tiger Online accounts. Paper Tiger Online will now connect to your Google account, making it Digital Tiger so that you can find all of your information with just one search — your digital files that are stored in Google Docs, and your paper and other physical items indexed in Paper Tiger.
We have put together two new Digital Tiger training screen casts. These will help you easily learn how to set up and start using the new Digital Tiger. See our BLOG post on these new screen casts.
In addition to the new Digital Tiger, the following enhancements have been made:
* Time zone can be selected from Database Preferences. We have chosen to make this per database since some companies have different databases in different time zones.
* Database can now be exported to Excel file.
* When editing an Item, the Location and Item Number show in the edit dialog box.
* When adding or editing an Item, clicking the X in the upper right corner without saving will present an error stating “You have unsaved changes. Either save or discard them before proceeding.” This will prevent the box from closing without saving your information.
* Dashboard enhancements:
> Option to minimize/maximize the Recent Activity log.
> Most recent blog post available with option to minimize/maximize.
> Link to Tutorials and Training.
We look forward to your feedback, which you can provide by completing the Digital Tiger survey or emailing support@thepapertiger.com. Any technical problems with the app should be reported to our support team, not in the blog comment section. If you happen to email us, it is always helpful if you include specific information including the Internet browser you are using and provide screen shots if possible.
Thank you for using Paper Tiger and Digital Tiger!
Outlined below are 10 great reasons to move to Paper Tiger Online for your document management and filing system needs!
1. FILE or FIND from ANYWHERE – You can sign onto Paper Tiger Online Filing System Software from any computer with an Internet connection. Find your paper files or other physical items no matter where you are. For example, if you are on a business trip and need to have a document sent to you or if you want to catch up on some paper filing while at home, Paper Tiger Online makes this very easy! In addition, with the new Digital Tiger enhancement added to Basic and Pro accounts, you can now search from Paper Tiger Online to find both your paper and digital files!
2. SHARING – When it comes time to adding others in your office (an administrator, co-workers, managers, etc.), Paper Tiger Online makes this a 60 second process! It could not be easier to share the information in your office. There is no computer networking or IT hassles to deal with, just decide who you want to add to your Paper Tiger Online account and presto…the new user is added to the account and they will be able to find anything in your filing cabinets in no time. You can even control what level of access that they have and what data they can see and/or modify. See our knowledge base articles for how the multi-user plans work.
3. COLLABORATION – Paper Tiger Online plays nice with Google Docs! With the release of the new Digital Tiger, you will be able to save and then easily retrieve any electronic document you save in Google Docs. Paper Tiger Online combined with Digital Tiger will allow you to have the best of both worlds … a great place to better manage your current paper files with Paper Tiger Online and the ability to search for your paper files and digital files in one place. Digital Tiger is free with either the Basic or Pro Paper Tiger Online accounts. You can turn your paper into .pdf format using your scanner or store any other type of digital file in Google Docs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc) and now that Digital Tiger is available, you will be able to easily search to find the files from Paper Tiger Online and Google Docs in one place.
4. ANY DEVICE or ANY BROWSER or ANY OPERATING SYSTEM (OS) – Paper Tiger Online runs on the Web (“In The Cloud”). So, it will work great with any web enabled device (Apple iPad, Apple iPod Touch, Apple iPhone, Google Android phones or any other Web enabled device). It also works with almost any browser and on any operating system (including Windows, Mac or Linux).
-Mozilla Firefox 3 and newer
-Safari 3 and newer
-Google Chrome 4 and newer
-Internet Explorer 7 and newer
5. NO INSTALLATION – After creating your account, you simply sign in at https://app.thepapertiger.com/ so there is no software to install and all the updates to the system, including on-going feature enhancements, just automatically appear. You don’t have to do a thing to maintain the product. No more worries about which operating system works with which product or what software conflicts with what product, etc. Paper Tiger Online makes filing SIMPLE!
6. AUTOMATIC BACKUPS & EASY EXPORT – Paper Tiger Online is housed at the industry leading IT hosting provider Amazon Web Services. Amazon is a publicly traded IT hosting company (NYSE symbol AMZN) servicing cloud computing products like Paper Tiger Online. Your data is automatically backed up nightly and security, as well as system up-time, are their primary concerns. In addition, you can easily export a copy of your data from Paper Tiger Online to your local computer at any time, just for safekeeping, and you can print out a File Index report of your database.
7. EASY CONVERSION – If you are a Paper Tiger Desktop customer, your existing data will be converted and uploaded into Paper Tiger Online. The entire process takes about 10 minutes and we are standing by to help you, if you need assistance.
8. FEATURES – Paper Tiger Online currently has a more intuitive interface, is much easier to use, and is fast. New features, as they are released, will automatically appear in your system. You will be notified of new features as they are made available.
9. LOWER COST – When you and/or your staff’s time are considered, it is much less expensive to run software “In The Cloud”. You and your team are relieved of any and all computer/software/IT hassles. The system simply works! Paper Tiger Online is very low cost…teams can be on the system for a few dollars per person/per month. Paper Tiger Online will be there for you when you need it and you don’t have to spend any of your time worrying about software!
10. START IN 60 SECONDS! – setting up an account in Paper Tiger takes just 60 seconds! You will find the process SIMPLE and PAINLESS…almost FUN! Just like you will find using Paper Tiger Online every day to manage the paper in your life! Give it a try…we think you will love it.
In this article, Rev. Robin Swieringa describes how she is using Paper Tiger Filing System software to index her extensive library and in her move from Canada to the United States. She will be so organized when unpacking in her new home! She won’t have to waste time searching through boxes to find something. She will be able to conduct a quick Google-like search in Paper Tiger’s database or on her file index report and quickly find what she needs.
I love Paper Tiger because I have a professional library of over 2000 books. In November, I began a project of cataloguing (or “filing”) the books in different bookshelf “locations” around our home. For each location, I then organized them by subject, then by author (so that I can also get up and physically look for the books I’ve owned for some time). Then I began assigning each book a number, and plan to assign new books consecutive numbers as they come in, regardless of subject or author, which I will cross-reference in the database.
After a couple of weeks into the project, we decided to move from Canada to the U.S. Although I’m tempted to drop the cataloguing in order to focus on packing everything else, I’m more committed than ever to completing the physical numbering of the books because packing and unpacking the books will be easier than ever with them numbered! I’ll be able to pack the books according to size and what fits into any particular box somewhat “in order” and label the packing boxes with the location and range of book numbers included. Then, when we unload the moving truck, we’ll be able to place the boxes in the correct “locations”, and I’ll be able to unpack the boxes and shelve the books in the numeric orders I’ve established by location! This will save many hours of re-organizing books after unpacking them.
Finally, I plan to catalogue my paper files before we move; this will help me both to purge what I really don’t want to move across the continent and to establish my new home and workplace offices in a jiffy.
By the way, for anyone moving from the U.S. to Canada, you are required both to number and make a list of every box you move AND to count and sort every item within each numbered box (e.g., “25 books and 100 CDs”) and include that information on the list of boxes, by box. Additionally, you must number and include every unboxed item you move on your list. Then, you must place a realistic dollar value on all the items you move. You are required to present your list to the Canadian border officials before they will authorize your entry into Canada. I now see that Paper Tiger would have been the perfect way to accomplish the numbering and valuations of the boxes and unboxed items, if not every item in each box.
Thus, Monticello could open a new “market” for Paper Tiger, if you haven’t already thought of it: Human Resources departments of companies that move workers internationally. Although they may have moving companies doing the boxing and listing of boxes, etc., the workers being moved might find cataloguing their possessions valuable, as well.
Thank you for a great and tremendously useful product!
Rev. Robin Swieringa, M.Div.
Paper Tiger Professional licensee
Edmonton, AB T5W 0B5
Canada
Maintenance on Paper Tiger Online has been completed. During the scheduled maintenance on Paper Tiger Online application, we pushed several enhancements including Digital Tiger to Basic and Pro accounts. So far we have experienced very little disruption.
If you experience problems when signed into Paper Tiger Online, please first clear your Internet browser history and cache, then refresh your browser and try again. In the event that this does not clear the problem you are experiencing, please let us know by emailing support@thepapertiger.com and include specific information including the Internet browser you are using and provide screen shots if possible.
One thing specifically that we’ve noticed is that you may experience a search result formatting issue. If this happens while in the Database, please choose the Database Preference tab, then at the bottom of the Database Preference dialog box, click the button to Update Database Settings. This should fix the search result issue.
You can see a list of enhancements at Digital Tiger Now Available with Paper Tiger Online!
Please give feedback regarding Digital Tiger through the survey linked from the Dashboard or you can email support@thepapertiger.com.
Any technical problems with the app should be reported to our support team, not in the blog comment section. You can report technical problems by emailing support@thepapertiger.com and include as much detail as possible including the Internet browser you are using and any screen shots if possible.
Again we appreciate your patience during this time.
From dental offices to law enforcement agencies, almost all organizations and offices require a filing system of some sort. The issue can become troublesome however. Over time files become disorganized or put under different titles and not everyone knows what title to look for to retrieve the file. Hire someone new and just the time it takes to explain the filing system or for the new hire to actually work with it and make sense of it, can be costly man hours. Not to mention, that one person in the office who knows where everything is, goes on vacation or has to be out of the office for any length of time, and the frustration builds when documents can’t be found.
The paper filing system is an important task for any organization because retrieval is crucial. Without all these important documents organized properly, your company would be in chaos and could cause legal trouble. Come tax time, being able to get to all files necessary is what will make your timely tax preparation submission possible. Ever get audited and find yourself unable to locate certain records or receipts, and you could find yourself in trouble with the IRS.
Without an organized filing system you can’t accomplish what you need to in a timely manner. It is estimated that the average person wastes 150 hours per year looking for lost information.
With Paper Tiger Filing System software, you can declutter your professional office space and be certain your paper files are in order and can be found when needed. Not only that but you can be assured you will have a method in which you can save time, be more efficient, and train others to use it in no time at all. In other words, you can redesign your paper filing so that the workflow of your operation will be in perfect working order and never cause you stress again.
Your document management can be made simple, as well as new and improved, by implementing an indexing system for your paper files to remember for you where everything is! By using this type of document management software, you can have your hanging file folders numbered instead of trying to decide whether to alphabetize or what type of name to give something that everyone will understand and remember when searching for a file.
You simply type into the software database an item name and additional keywords that relate to all documents in each numbered hanging file folder and file it away. You can give items multiple keywords such as “Jones dental records” or “Xrays for Bob Jones” and any other keyword that would relate to the contents of the folder. By doing this, no matter what a staff member types in for a search term, he or she will be able to find the file with no problem. This enables anyone to find anything using this simple to use style of document management.
One of the great things about this type of indexing system is you can also use it for so many other things for both your professional and personal life. You can imagine how much easier it can be to declutter all aspects of your life by using this type of filing system. You can keep track of bins of collectibles or boxes for seasonal clothing or archive old paper files to an off-site storage and still be able to locate exactly where an item is with just a quick search in the database. As long as it can be numbered, it can be documented or indexed in Paper Tiger Filing System software.
In this article, Linda Cossel says she’s retired, however in her retirement, she is a Wedding Minister, a writer, a hostess, and a Computer Graphics Designer. Wow! That’s a lot to keep up with! How does she do it? Well, read on to see how Linda uses Paper Tiger Filing System software to stay organized in every area of her life! How many jobs do you juggle and have to keep track of things in your work and personal life?
I use Paper Tiger in several ways! First, I have a very busy retired life. I am a wedding minister, a grant writer, a writer, hostess and computer graphic designer for a restaurant. I also have an actual file cabinet that I store papers in and I have a virtual file cabinet where I store word processed documents.
As a wedding minister, I have to keep track of marriage licenses. I also have to store business cards for other wedding services so that I can refer my brides to them. In addition, I have to write numerous different ceremonies for my brides. I store the licenses and business cards in my file cabinet (tab no 27 and 6) and the ceremonies in my virtual file cabinet (tab 27 also).
As a grant writer, I need files for active, reference, and archived grant information. Under my active grants title, I have folders for all the grants that I am working on. Under the research title, I have information on local granting agencies, forms that I might use while working on grants, and any other information that I might need to write a grant. Under the archive area, I keep all past grants that have been accepted or denied. These are all virtual files on my computer set up with numbered folders just as if I were actually setting up a physical file cabinet.
I keep all my writing information and research in virtual files, as well as all my graphic design work. I simply set up a folder with a title, and then add 50 subfolders with numbers. In Paper Tiger’s database, I list all the subfolders so that I know exactly where I have stored all my work. This has greatly helped me to organize all the stuff on my computer and make it so easy to find!
In my actual file cabinet, I keep all the stuff that comes in the mail or that I collect in my Paper Tiger folders. I also keep a current print out of my File Index report from Paper Tiger in the top drawer for easy access. As I add to the folders, I write on the lines of my printout the new files and when I have time, I add them to the Paper Tiger program on my computer.
Before I started using Paper Tiger, I had so many piles and never could find anything. Just keeping all my business cards together was horribly challenging. Now, I have a place to put them so that they are available at a moment’s notice.
Recently, when my husband passed away, I had so many items that had to be dealt with from his estate. I filed all the papers and notices in the Paper Tiger filing system and when the different deadlines came up, I had all the death certificates, cards, and other paperwork I needed at my fingertips.
Paper Tiger has organized my unorganized house! I can find anything I need instantly and add new files just as quick. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate being able to finally find the papers that used to be in piles everywhere in my house!
Linda C. Cossel
Wedding Minister/Writer/Hostess/Computer Graphics Designer
Sarek: Spock, you are fully capable of deciding your own destiny. The question you face is: which path will you choose? This is something only you can decide.
Star Trek the Movie
You’ve probably already made a list of New Year’s resolutions, and it’s possible that getting organized is on your list. Let 2012 be the year you make the resolution to get your life organized. Get your filing system started and get those papers, records and other documents in order. You can, in fact, use Paper Tiger Filing System software to organize other aspects of your life, as well to declutter your environment.
If you have been living under a mound of clutter and are ready to take back control of your home, office or life, it’s time to declutter. Too many people put off getting their things organized and end up making the piles of clutter worse. Not only is this unsightly, it also makes it difficult to find anything when you truly need it. Straighten up your life by tidying up your papers, DVDs, books, photos, collectibles or other items that could be cataloged.
If you are organizing papers, you obviously need to be placing them in filing cabinets. Hanging file folders are a great system to use. When organizing your paper files, you can group them together by category. If you are using an indexing system you won’t even need to do that and can skip that step all together.
An indexing system takes the confusion and wasted time and effort out of what the old standard alphabetic filing system does. Using the indexing program on your computer, you type in the keywords that each paper or records could be classified as. By doing this, you won’t have to worry about forgetting what you called the paper file. Also, it means other people can access the system and find the paper in case you have an employee or family member retrieve something for you. The final step is simply to put the paper in the numbered file that coincides with it assigned by the software database. Then of course, you can add documents relating to the same topic by editing the item in the database to add keywords if necessary and add to the relating hanging file folder.
Say you have a collection of baseball caps or have more DVDs than you can possibly fit on the one shelf designated for it, you can file these items away and still make it easy to find later. You can put the extra DVDs in boxes or plastic storage bins. Each container gets a number and if you need to look for a certain movie, simply look it up on your indexing system and you will know exactly which bin to grab.
This works really well for things you may also keep in storage in the garage or at a storage rental unit away from your property. So, if you want to preserve that baseball cap collection, you can put them in sealed containers in storage. At some point when you are looking for one specifically, simply conduct a Google-like search in the software database. Gone are the days of opening every box in search of that one specific item.
Basically, if it can be numbered, it can be documented in Paper Tiger Filing System software. Make this the year that you declutter your home or office and finally get organized. Get started now and make keeping your life clutter free and organized your resolution. Then make the decision to maintain by taking 20-30 minutes everyday to file or put away what has come in for the day. You will be able to find what you need, when you need it and be more productive in no time!
During this expert webinar, Anne demonstrated how to get started with Paper Tiger Online filing system software and demonstrated a work-flow example by filing items from her inbox through the life-cycle of document management to help you use Paper Tiger more effectively to get organized and be more productive. She included specific examples in how to use the File Cleanout Report to prepare for and possibly delegate purging or reorganizing your filing system, such as how to transfer files from Action to Reference locations (those actionable items that have been accomplished and now need to be moved from your action file drawer to the file cabinet), and gave some tips in how to maintain after your initial getting organized project. In this webinar, Anne also demonstrated how to index magazine articles, because anything you can number, you can Paper Tiger! Watch this webinar to see how you can Find Anything In Your Office In 5 Seconds or Less…Guaranteed!
As information, Anne is a professional speaker, productivity expert, professional organizer and author. If you want to learn more about Anne and her services, please visit her website at www.StrategizeAndOrganize.com. She may be in Colorado, but she’s nationally recognized as an expert and works with people throughout the US in person and virtually.
See Anne’s SPECIAL, contact her to get on her schedule and you’ll be more productive in no time!
You can contact Anne at amcgurty@strategizeandorganize.com or by phone at 303 881-0174.
See more information here on Paper Tiger Filing System Software for Document Management
Q: How much time to set this up, typically–several weekends, 2 months?
A: Of course, this depends on how much you have to organize, but the secret is to not get overwhelmed before you start. See our blog post Customize Your Filing System with Paper Tiger’s Indexing Method
Q: I used Paper Tiger years ago but got out of the habit when it required a paid upgrade whenever I was connected to the Internet. Now I’m drowning in unfiled paper again. How will the old Paper Tiger files I have migrate into the current version?
A: When you upgrade to the latest version of the desktop version or if you decide you want the online version that Anne is showing today, you will be able to convert your old desktop version database.
Q: What can I do to keep articles torn out of magazines to keep them in order?
A: If you have a lot of magazine articles that you keep track of, create a Location in your database specifically named Magazine Articles. You can then index your articles.
If you only have a few that you want to keep track of, you can index them in your Reference location, and maybe give these a Category named Magazine Articles.
Q: What’s the best way to organize books? In a separate database dedicated to books? Or, a location within a database??
A: That depends on whether you want to see search results for your books along with all other files. Having different databases is only advantageous if you want to keep different filing systems separate and do not want to search for all files in all databases at one time because Paper Tiger does not search across databases. For example, if you have an Office database and a Home database, you do not want items to pop up from your Office database when conducting a search for an item in your Home database.
Q: Specific dates as to how long to keep different types of records.
A: Please take a look at our articles we’ve prepared and posted on our blog relating to this topic. I think you’ll find these helpful: http://www.thepapertiger.com/blog/category/retention-how-long-should-you-keep-records/
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