The Paper Tiger ‘Finding’ Filing System | The Paper Tiger Blog

Posts Tagged ‘The Paper Tiger ‘Finding’ Filing System’

An Indexing Filing System Software Will Help Professors and Teachers with Paper Files

Wednesday, December 8th, 2010

Many people think that all that teachers do is teach our kids the things they need to know in order to be able to graduate and go on to college, or get jobs. They do not realize all of the little things that teachers do in order to be able to teach their classes. After all, lesson plans don’t just appear out of thin air, and tests don’t make themselves up. Teachers have to create their own lesson plans, create tests and exams, grade tests and other assignments and keep track of those grades, and so much more. Often, you will find quite a few filing cabinets in a typical classroom, and these are filled to capacity with all of the things that teachers have to deal with every single day. This is a really good reason why teachers should switch to a much easier form of paper management, such as that offered by Paper Tiger Filing System Software for Document Management.

If you are a teacher, you know all too well how much paperwork accumulates on your desk in the course of a day, and at the end of a week, you may even be buried under all of the paper files that you know needs to be filed away, but how to file for easy retrieval is mind-boggling. You may think that a file management system such as indexing software for filing is something that is just for businesses, but it is something that can really make your job a whole lot easier and free up a lot of your time. You can eliminate a lot of the clutter from your classroom, and your mind, so you are free to do what you really want to do: teach.

Some of the things that you can use this system for include:

lesson plans
keeping track of grades
keeping track of attendance
keeping track of appointments, such as parent and teacher meetings
filing away ideas for future lesson plans or assignments
much, much more

Paper Tiger Filing System Software is an excellent tool for teachers and professors who want to free up their time and space. Because this is an indexing system and not a scanning system, you will still be able to keep all of your original paper files. You can keep what you need, and toss what you don’t. This filing system software is designed to save you time and effort when you are ready to either file or retrieve your paper files. You simply indicate where that item is stored and assign it a series of relevant keywords. Then you never need worry about misplacing a file again. When you need to find something in a hurry, you won’t have stacks of paper files to go through or have to remember what name you put on the hanging file folder tab, because you can find it with just a few keystrokes on your computer.

The next time you are trying to find something in a pile of papers, perhaps a test that you want to hand out to your students the next day, and are ready to give up and make a new one because you have so much to go through that it is overwhelming, consider implementing a different sort of paper filing system that will save you a lot of time. If you’re filing the old-fashioned, alphabetic way without Paper Tiger Filing System Software for document management, you’re working too hard!

Learn what Paper Tiger can do for you, and how it can make your life a whole lot easier.

Tags: document management software, document management system, filing software, paper filing systems, professors, teacher management system, teachers, The Paper Tiger 'Finding' Filing System
Posted in Teachers/Professors: Schools, Colleges, Universities | No Comments »

Document Management – How Long Do I Have To Keep My Paper Files?

Monday, December 6th, 2010

Document Management – How Long Do I Have To Keep My Paper Files?
by Ramona Creel

At work, at home, no matter who you are or what you do — we are all bombarded with paper. Some days, as I help clients sort through their mail, I’m amazed that we have any trees left on this planet at all! Junk mail, bills, magazines, newspapers, memos, reports — it’s an endless source of stress. Things have gotten so bad that we’re developing a new fear in our society — “paperphobia,” the fear of having to deal with that stack that’s been sitting there for a week. But a good document management system is the key to overcoming your paper-induced worries!

Thinning The Herd

Remember the first rule of clutter — “the less you have, the easier it is to organize.” The paperless office is still a long way off — I can’t guarantee that you will ever be able to eliminate paper from your life completely, but you can certainly reduce the size of the piles. Let’s start by going through your old files and doing some cleaning out. I believe strongly that if you don’t have a good reason for keeping it, get rid of it — but a lot of folks are afraid to ever throw a document away because they might need it again “someday.” How do you define “someday?” I suggest that my clients ask themselves some basic questions about why they are keeping their paper:

Is the information relevant to my life, personal interests, or job?
Has this information become outdated? Can I find a more current document?
How easy would it be to replace this if I needed the information later?
What is the worst thing that could happen if I got rid of it?

That last question leads us to the subject of purging financial and legal records. This is a sensitive (and somewhat scary) issue, because there could be some harsh consequences if you throw something out too soon. I agree that it’s better to be safe than sorry, but fear is a poor organizing guide. If you simply take the time to educate yourself about how long you are legally required to retain each document, you’ll never go wrong. Effective document management is all about having the right information and acting on that knowledge.

Records Retention Guidelines

In recent years, an entirely new field of study called “records management” has arisen — dedicated to helping people understand how long they must keep certain documents. Based on the information gathered by this industry, I have compiled standard schedule for purging your files. But please understand that this is a complicated issue (especially in today’s litigious society), and each situation is unique. Many professions set their own legal guidelines for records retention, and you may have some unusual or extenuating circumstance in your life — so check with your accountant or attorney before pitching out any important legal, business, or financial paperwork.

You must keep the following documents forever (yes, forever!):

income tax returns
income tax payment checks
annual financial statements
books of account
corporate documents
stock records
retirement and pension records
licenses, patents, trademarks, and registration applications
investment trade confirmations and statements that indicate buying and selling
documents substantiating fixed asset additions
important correspondence
legal documents
CPA audit reports

Hold onto this paperwork for six years:

bank reconciliations and voided checks
canceled payroll and dividend checks
personnel and payroll records
purchase records
sales records
travel & entertainment records
supporting documents for tax returns
property records, builder contracts, and improvement receipts (if tax related)
sales receipts (if tax-related)
utility records (if tax-related)
medical bills (if tax-related)
other bills (if tax-related)
vendor invoices
supporting documents for tax returns
accident reports and claims

Keep these records for three years:

monthly financial statements (for internal purposes)
credit card statements
utility records (for internal use)
employment applications
expired insurance policies
medical bills (in case of insurance disputes)

You should retain these records according to the following guidelines:

car records (keep until the car is sold)
credit card receipts (keep until they have been verified on your credit card statement)
insurance policies (keep for the for life of policy)
mortgages/deeds/leases (keep for 6 years beyond the life of agreement)
pay stubs (keep until they have been reconciled with your w-2)
property records, builder contracts, and improvement receipts (keep until property sold)
sales receipts (keep for the life of warranty or the life of the item on large purchases)
stock and bond records (keep for 6 years beyond selling)
warranties and instructions (keep for the life of product)
other bills (until the payment is verified on the next bill)

Safely Disposing Of Paper

Just because you cleaned it out, does not mean that it goes in the trash! Did you realize that once you put something in a garbage can at the curb, it becomes public property? And reports of identity theft are increasing every day. When someone else gains access to your personal records (social security number, tax id, drivers license number, address, bank account information) and pretends to be you, the results can be disastrous. Using your identifying information, this person can take out loans, run up credit card bills, and run up a tremendous amount of debt — all in your name. And most times, you never know until you get the collection letter. It can take years to clear up the legal and financial problems this causes you, and it can temporarily ruin your credit. Proper document management is synonymous with safety.

So to protect yourself from this threat, be sure to dispose of your important records properly. Any piece of paper that contains account numbers, your social security number, or any other sensitive information should be shredded. If you only have a small amount of paper to destroy, consider visiting your local office supply store to pick up a personal shredder — they run as little at $20 or $30 these days. If you generate a large quantity of “shredable” paper, or just don’t want to sit there feeding in one page at a time, think about using a mobile shredding service. These companies will come to your home or office and shred your documents on-site for a fee. Just be sure that you choose a reputable company that provides you with a certificate or letter guaranteeing that your paper has been shredded unrecognizable.

Welcome To The Digital Age

In order for your filing system to be truly effective, it should really have two components — a paper side combined with electronic document management software. Software such as Paper Tiger Filing System Software for Document Management is designed to save you time and effort when you are ready to either file or retrieve your paper files. You simply indicate where that item is stored and assign it a series of relevant keywords. Then you never need worry about misplacing a file again. Simply search by the name of the document or one of the keywords and voila! If you’re filing the old-fashioned way without document management software, you’re working too hard!

About the Author

Ramona Creel is Professional Organizer, NAPO Golden Circle Member, and the original founder of OnlineOrganizing. A former Social Worker, she has always enjoyed helping people find the resources and solutions they need to improve their lives. Ramona now travels the country as a full-time RVer, sharing her story of simplicity with everyone she meets. She leads by example — having worked for more than 10 years as a Professional Organizer, and having radically downsized and simplified her own life as a full-time RVer. Ramona now considers herself a “Renaissance Woman” — bringing all of her passions together into one satisfying career. As a “Virtual Organizer”, she can create a customized organizing plan for your home or office. As a “Simplicity and Accountability Coach “, Ramona provides a proven program for making every area of your life a little bit easier — perfect for those who want to make the time and space to focus on their true priorities. As a Professional Photographer, Ramona captures powerful images of places and people as she travels. And as a freelance writer and blogger, she shares organizing techniques, travel tips, and social commentary with others. You can see all these sides of Ramona — read her articles, browse through her photographs, and even hire her to help get your life in order — at www.RamonaCreel.com. You can also follow her on Twitter, check out her Facebook profile, and subscribe to her blog feeds.

Tags: document management software, document management system, filing software, paper filing systems, records management, records retention, The Paper Tiger 'Finding' Filing System
Posted in Ramona Creel, Retention Guidelines: How long should you keep records? | No Comments »

The Paper in Your Office is Costing You More than You Think

Thursday, December 2nd, 2010

Read this article by Stephanie Calahan of Calahan Solutions and a Paper Tiger Expert for statistics regarding how much misfiled and lost paper files cost you. Stephanie also recommends Paper Tiger Document Management Software and Filing System in her Office Miracle to be able to find your files when you need them!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The other day I was doing my file clean-out (yes you really should go through and see what is still relevant!) I came across some statistics that I thought you might be interested in. Implications could make or break your business!

Companies typically misfile 2 – 20 % of their records. (Source: ARMA International)

Large organizations lose a document every 12 seconds. On average 7.5 of the documents are lost forever! (source: ARMA International)

90% of all workplace docs are still on paper; 30% of the average workday is spent searching for that info! (source: Assoc for Info & Image Mgt)

The average office spends $20 on labor for filing each document & $120 searching for every misfiled document! (source: Coopers & Lybrand study in Inc Mag)

The average office loses 1 out of 20 office documents & spends $250 on document re-creation! (source: Coopers & Lybrand study in Inc Mag)

Wow! Do you have processes in your business to make sure that these statistics are not representing you too? Comment below or at Stephanie’s original article.

To your success!

Steph

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About the Author

Who could you be if your story was no longer holding you down? Stephanie LH Calahan works with intelligent, highly motivated, busy entrepreneurs, executives, producers and other professionals to teach them how to do more with their time, space and information. She believes that life is meant to be lived and that fabulous vision combined with practical systems can make that happen very quickly. As the creator of a number of programs, she focuses on helping you identify solutions for the way you think and work. She and her team of experts at Calahan Solutions, Inc. help you maximize every hour and every dollar you invest in your business and life. She frequently delivers transformative presentations and workshops to kick start massive business success through systems and simplification. You don’t have to do it our way, because we help you find your way!™ Contact Stephanie at 309-826-5263 or support[at]calahansolutions[dot]com or network with her directly www.NetworkWithSteph.com.

Tags: document management software, document management system, filing software, get organized, paper filing systems, The Paper Tiger 'Finding' Filing System
Posted in Stephanie Calahan | No Comments »

A Good Paper Filing System Can Help Those Who Have Trouble Organizing Things

Wednesday, December 1st, 2010

Do you have trouble keeping things organized, especially all of the paper files for your small business? Is this problem flowing over into your everyday life because you just can’t seem to get organized at all, and it is starting to affect your life and your business?

Well, maybe you should look into getting professional help. No, we are not talking about psychological help, but help getting all of your business paperwork organized so you can find anything you need whenever you need it, quickly and easily. This is a great way to declutter your office, and in a way, your life as well. Because, if your work life is cluttered, you will probably bring this clutter home with you (at least in your mind, because you are worried about finding things), so your life may end up becoming quite cluttered, also.

A lot of business owners rely on using the traditional method of alphabetical filing for all of their paper files. This is okay, to a degree, but it does require quite a bit of maintenance, and it is not a job that you can always find people to do willingly. After all, filing it is pretty boring. Also, people tend to think differently about files from one day to the next, so it is common to have to look in different places in your filing cabinet to find the right title in which you filed it previously. So, instead of drudging through files all the time, or making one of your employees suffer through the task, why not consider going to a different method of document management, such as indexing using Paper Tiger Filing System Software for Document Management. This software is easy to learn how to use, so you should have no problem learning everything you need to know in half an hour or less.

Another bonus to using the Paper Tiger is for archiving old files. For instance, if you do like to clean out your hanging file folders every so often and get rid of old things you do not need or send them to a storage facility for those you have to keep for a certain length of time, how to archive using this paper management system is simple, and you’ll be able to track where they are in the event you ever need them again. You can even set an Action Date to remind you when to toss them or take additional action on them.

You can also use this filing system software for managing things other than your paper files. If you have books, binders, CDs, DVDs, items in storage containers or a storage facility, or any kind of collectors items or inventory, they can also be cataloged using this filing system.

When you sign up to use Paper Tiger Online Filing System Software, you will be ready to start using the software in under a minute. If you ever have any questions, there are videos, online help, frequently asked questions and the Paper Tiger Knowledge Base, so you are never without resources for learning. There is also online chat available, so you can have your questions answered within minutes.

It is estimated that people waste 150 hours per year looking for lost items. Indexing your paper files and all your other physical items will save you a lot of time and money that can be used for other areas of your business. De-clutter your business and your life when you take advantage of all that Paper Tiger Filing System Software and Document Management has to offer.

Tags: Declutter, document management software, document management system, filing software, get organized, paper filing systems, The Paper Tiger 'Finding' Filing System, videos getting started now guide tutorials help instructional instruction
Posted in Declutter | No Comments »

Tips on a Good Document File Management System

Tuesday, November 30th, 2010

In every organization both large and small, there is a demand for optimum efficiency and a productive work-flow. The fact is, no matter how much business you conduct or how busy your personal life is, we still have to deal with actual pieces of paper. Luckily, Paper Tiger Filing System Software for Document Management makes it almost fun to organize and track your documents.

Paper Tiger makes filing-as-you-go a breeze. Use Paper Tiger on your Ipad, Iphone, or your personal computer network. Today I’ll provide 3 excellent tips on how Paper Tiger can turn your office from a zoo to a state of the art file repository system.

One of the biggest headaches with file management is clutter control

Your goal is easy retrieval, and if you can’t find a file, you might as well not have that file at all. In Paper Tiger, the user has the option to assign reminders and action dates. Assigning toss out dates for replaceable files can become prudent to decluttering a disorganized office. If you never throw anything away, you’ll make the filing cabinet manufacturer very happy, and waste time trying to find anything. You simply don’t have to keep every scrap of paper forever. But keep in mind that some documents, for legal or financial reasons, must be kept a specified length of time. See our Retention Guidelines blog posts that you might find helpful.

Organize by Categories

Make files easier to find by creating a list of detailed categories in every database, and try to place every file you have within a specific category. For instance, Star Wars, Star Trek, and Avatar would all reside within the same category of “Science Fiction” within your “DVD” database, though they may be in entirely separate locations. Having a relational organization system will limit office redundancy by a ton. Whatever method you choose, make sure your system is obvious and consistent throughout your files to make retrieving paperwork as simple and thoughtless as possible.

Back up your files regularly

Whether you’re backing up files for an office move, or to reorganize your filing cabinets, it’s important to follow a regular back up regimen. Archiving business data is more than a matter of good housekeeping; it could be a matter of your business’s survival. There are two steps to archiving business information for successful backup. Identifying the critical data that needs to be archived, and abiding by a regular schedule. Backing up your actual files may seem like a daunting task for any secretary or file administrator, but this is another hurdle which the Paper Tiger is able to leap. With Paper Tiger, you can also print out a hard copy of your database so that you can find your files in the event your computer or the internet is down.

Tags: document management software, document management system, paper filing systems, The Paper Tiger 'Finding' Filing System
Posted in Document Management | No Comments »

The “No Vacation” Holiday Is a Great Time Management Tool

Monday, November 22nd, 2010

By Denise Landers
Key Organization Systems, Inc.

If you do not have vacation time blocked off on the company schedule now for the end of the year, do not despair. It seems everyone wants to have the holidays off, yet when we submit our annual vacation request, we may be turned down. If you are glum over the prospect of limited holiday time off, console yourself with what you will actually be facing:

Reduced traffic
Quiet atmosphere
Limited interruptions
Greater concentration
Shortened hours
Lower stress
Sympathy from others

Throughout the year, it is easy to be swept up by the crisis du jour. You may be responding to constant interruptions, multitasking all the time. There is often no opportunity to pause for thinking and planning. More involved projects get set aside for a “better” time when you can concentrate. Many times these delayed activities are the most “important” projects, the ones that will actually make a difference. However since they did not have a deadline or an “Urgent” tag attached to them, they were shuffled aside.

Here is your chance to catch up. Rather than joining the throngs at the airports, jostling through overcrowded stores, or fighting for a spot on the lift line, enjoy the opportunity that is presented to you in the office.

51% of workers rate their productivity as just as high during the holiday week.
25% say it is even higher. (Harris Interactive Survey)

What can you do that would make you feel energized for the new year? After catching up on key projects, look around and see where organizing could help you be even more productive. Areas to examine:

Daily Systems: Do you have an effective system for handling all of your daily incoming items? A good system will allow you to easily prioritize each day and ensures that you will never overlook and opportunity or miss a deadline.

Desk: Only what you use on a regular basis needs to be close to you. Remove the accumulation from the past year.

Email: When was the last time you zeroed out your inbox? Set up folders both for daily action items and for reference files.

Filing: Are your file folders stuffed and drawers overflowing? Clean out unused, unneeded items. Do you hesitate to file anything because you will never find it again? A good program to help with that is the Paper Tiger Filing System Software for Document Management.

When you find yourself at the office during those holiday lulls, enjoy the peace and look forward to another time when you really need a break. Hopefully it can be a time without peak fares, overbooked resorts, crowded slopes, and too many obligations. Meanwhile you are organized and ready for a productive new year!

Denise Landers is the author of Destination: Organization, A Week by Week Journey and the owner of Key Organization Systems, Inc. As a national speaker, trainer, consultant, and writer she provides clients and audiences with the time management training tools and techniques that improve daily work flow and increase productivity.

If you would like to jumpstart your organizing efforts and add to your time management skills, we can help!

www.twitter.com/@timetrainer

Corporate Training: workshops and consulting to increase daily work flow and reduce stress

Individual Assistance: our onsite and virtual office organizing to bring about changes quickly

On Your Own: books and CDs to work at your own pace

Tags: document management software, filing software, get organized, holiday, paper filing systems, The Paper Tiger 'Finding' Filing System, vacation
Posted in Denise Landers | No Comments »

Top 10 Paper Organization Tips

Friday, November 19th, 2010

By Bonnie Joy Dewkett
The Joyful Organizer®

Paper is one of the biggest problems we have as a society. Here are ten quick tips to get you organized and keep you that way!

Have a big pile of paper? Flip it over and start sorting at the bottom. Chances are that most of the stuff on the bottom is old, expired, or no longer valuable to you. You will be able to make a big dent in a short period of time.
When deciding on whether to file something or throw it away, ask yourself if you will really need to access it again. FACT: We only access 20% of what we file.
Consider using Paper Tiger Filing System Software and Document Management, an indexing system that works like a search engine for paper files to help you get organized and stay organized.
Use names that you will be able to recall easily. For example, if you never remember the name of the gas company, file it simply under gas. If you use Paper Tiger, you will also be able to add keywords into the database so that any name you think of when you need to find a file, the software will be able to tell you where it is in seconds. So in this case, the Item Name would be “Gas Company”, and in the keywords section, you would input the name of the company, i.e., “Bob’s Natural Gas”, the address, the service person’s name, etc., and you might use “Utilities” in the Category section.
Most bills can be thrown away after one year’s time. Consider using a monthly filing system to keep track of when to throw them away. Create 12 hanging file folders, one for each month. As you pay the bills that month, put them into that month’s folder. When the month rolls around again the following year, throw away the previous year’s bills and start over again. This will ensure that you never have more than one year’s bills taking up space in your office.
When sorting through paperwork, touch it once and make a decision. If you need to take action, do it now. If someone else needs to attend to it, give it to them. If it is something to reference later on, create a reference file and place it there. Putting it back in the pile to address later will only make things worse.
When you have a lot of tasks to do for the day, quickly sort the tasks in order of importance. Do what is most profitable or important to you first, then move on from there. Therefore, if you only have a little bit of time you will be addressing the most critical issues first.
Stop the mail from coming in. Sign up for digital statements to cut down on the paper entering your home.
Sign up for the Do Not Mail list here: http://www.directmail.com/directory/mail_preference/
Although it will not prevent all unwanted mail it will reduce the overall amount you receive.
Finally, call catalog and magazine companies and tell them you no longer wish to receive their offerings. If you have a subscription period left, and you find you just don’t have the time to enjoy the magazine, change the address and donate it to a school or senior center in your area. For most catalogs, you can view their offerings online and even if you throw one catalog away, there is another coming in the mail very soon!

Along with these tips, ask yourself the following questions:

“What is the worst thing that would happen if I threw this document away?”
“How difficult would it be for me to get it again if I had to?”

Bonnie Joy Dewkett, CPO^® is an organizing expert, author, and motivational speaker. Her company, The Joyful Organizer®, creates and implements organizational systems for the home or office. These changes allow her Customers to create calm from chaos at work and at home. Bonnie has achieved the prestigious designation of Certified Professional Organizer, CPO^®, fromThe Board of Certification for Professional Organizers.She is a member of The National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) and has published The Joyful Organizer’s Guide to a Joyful Move which is available on her website http://www.thejoyfulorganizer.com.

Phone: 203-731-4651
Email: Bonnie@thejoyfulorganizer.com
Twitter: @thejoyfulorg

Tags: document management software, document management system, filing software, get organized, paper filing systems, The Paper Tiger 'Finding' Filing System
Posted in Bonnie Joy Dewkett | No Comments »

Zoos Need A Proper Filing System To Help Improve Efficiency

Friday, November 19th, 2010

Zoos can be a terrific place to visit. Millions of people visit zoos all around the world every year. The range of creatures in captivity is enormous and caring for the animals is top priority. Zoos need a proper filing system, Paper Tiger Filing System Software for Document Management, to help improve efficiency and enable staff to spend more time with the animals.

Zoos have always been popular with tourists as the types of animals kept in each zoo vary from country to country. It also means that the overall care and maintenance of the zoos and their animals has to be different as well.

In 1994, the Born Free Foundation (BFF) and the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) created what is now called “The Zoo Enquiry.” It was a significant file that recommended certain standards in terms of animal welfare and how zoos were to be involved in conservation.

World-wide legislation was created to cover every aspect of the overall health and well-being of all creatures in captivity. This covered everything including: nutrition and hygiene, condition of the animal accommodations, veterinary care and codes of practice to enable self-regulation of the industry.

There are lots of different records that need to be kept. They include: budgets, food and nutritional orders, other requisitions, rostering of staff, feeding time rosters, maintenance of individual habitats, cleaning of the public areas, veterinary visits and health checks and individual records relating to every single creature in the entire zoo.

Record-keeping is an integral part of running a zoo. Because there are so many different factors to contend with, outdated paper-based document management systems are no longer capable of coping with the amount of information needing to be kept.

Therefore, a more sophisticated system must be put in place that will reduce the amount of time wasted on filing and retrieval of documents. This means that staff will be able to spend more of their valuable time caring for the needs of the creatures in their zoo.

A zoo really needs to use document management software that can be tailor-made to the specific needs of the individual zoo. Different countries would have varying needs. A filing system can be created with titles that are relevant to their unique, yet specific, requirements. These titles would be used by all staff and will make it easier to access the location of files and documents within them at any given time.

If staff can file and retrieve documents fast and efficiently, they are free to focus on their other duties and this means that more work can be done in less time, which is a positive thing when it comes to analyzing the zoo’s budgetary requirements. It also means that if they have a fixed amount of money, more can be used for the animals themselves.

If zoos have better record-keeping methods, it will be easier for them to share knowledge with other zoos pertaining to such matters as diseases, differences in behavior when an animal’s habitat has changed, mating issues, family lineage and numerous other pertinent facts that may need to be accessed quickly. It’s vital that accurate records are kept so that zoos can share this valuable information.

The inhabitants of the zoos are constantly being studied to better understand how to care for them in captivity. The actual habitat is analyzed and altered sometimes. They keep a few animals in the one area, either the same species or sometimes they mix them to see how they cope.

They change the way the animals are fed and some also promote closer animal-keeper interactions by instigating different training exercises to see how the animals react. Complete and accurate files have to be kept on everything that occurs within the zoo.

Zoos need Paper Tiger Filing System Software for Document Management to help improve efficiency because they’re not what you would call a “typical business” and therefore their requirements have to be completely tailor-made. That’s why they need an intelligent, flexible document management software program. Then they can keep up with everything and not spend too much time away from their main job of caring for the animals.

Tags: document management software, filing software, paper filing systems, The Paper Tiger 'Finding' Filing System, zoo, zoo record keeping
Posted in Document Management | No Comments »

Paper Tiger Filing System Significantly Reduces Stress and Anxiety!

Tuesday, November 16th, 2010

The bottom line for me as an entrepreneur is that using the Paper Tiger Filing System Software significantly reduces the amount of stress and anxiety in my life. When I discovered Paper Tiger, I discovered what it was that prevented me from filing papers away in a timely manner. You see, I’m a perfectionist, and every time I would sit down to do some filing, I was faced with the prospect of having to come up with the “right” way to label a file folder. Let’s say I wanted to file sales literature about a CRM company called Salesforce.com. Should I file it under the name of the company? Should I file it under CRM (Customer Relationship Management), which is the category name for this product, as a subject file? Should I file it under Sales and Marketing for my company, which is what I would use the product for, as a subject file? And where was the other information I had collected about this company? Because the real goal of filing is fast retrieval, I worried that the label name I came up with would not be the label name I remembered when it came time to pull this information out of the file to review it. That made me anxious, and it made me dread filing, so I rarely did it. And I lived in the midst of stacks of paper, unable to find what I needed when I needed it. Oh, the time I wasted looking for stuff I needed at the last minute!

Now I don’t feel any pressure to come up with the perfect name for my paper files. First, I can quickly and easily find out if there is any similar information I’ve already filed by using the search bar to look for CRM, Salesforce.com, Sales, Marketing, or other related terms. If there are already files I’d like to file it with, I can quickly do so by entering the any additional keywords relating to the new document going into the file, and then placing it into the hanging folder. If not, all I have to do is create a new file–perhaps with a general term like CRM–and add all of the keywords that I think I’d use to refer to it later, and I’m done. This little software program has had a profound impact on the quality of my life.

Michele Engel
President & CEO
Insightrak

Tags: document management software, paper filing systems, Productivity, The Paper Tiger 'Finding' Filing System, what to do with paper files
Posted in Sales | 2 Comments »

You Can’t Afford NOT To Be Using A Smart Document Management System

Monday, November 15th, 2010

Whether you’re a small business or a huge multinational corporation, you can’t afford not to be using a smart document management system, like Paper Tiger Filing System Software and Document Management, unless you’re happy throwing away your profits. Did you know that experts estimate that people waste 150 hours per year looking for lost information?

Technology is really streamlining the way that business is being conducted. Gone are the antiquated days of dusty basements filled with shelves and wall units crammed full of paper-based files. The days of tediously trawling through mountains of files to find a single document with that vital piece of information for that urgent board meeting are also gone.

What you really need is a document management system that will save you money and time, and increase your profits while decreasing expenditure. The great news is that the solution already exists. Just decide to make the change.

Instead of the archaic filing system you currently tolerate, your new filing system will be easy to learn and implement. It will be user-friendly for everyone from the CEO right down to the staff in the data processing centers.

All files will use a standardized naming system so that duplication is virtually eliminated. Documents in all formats will be easily stored in the same file. This avoids unnecessary duplication of documents. Desks won’t be overflowing with files and papers all the time and staff will be more productive when they can find what they need when they need it.

Information can easily be shared within departments, no matter where they’re located. Documents can be filed easily and files can be retrieved as fast as necessary because your computer software will tell you the location instantly.

Your board members will be ecstatic when you tell them that your ideal system will help staff provide better service to your clientele because information is more readily accessible. A happy customer is a repeat customer and it’s easier to keep customers than to try and get new ones.

When you think about the return on investment for such a filing system software, that will save you and your staff 150 hours each every year, you can’t afford not to be using a smart document management system.

Try Paper Tiger Filing System Software and Document Management today and see how efficient and organized you and your staff can be in no time!

Tags: document management software, filing software, get organized, paper filing systems, The Paper Tiger 'Finding' Filing System
Posted in Document Management | No Comments »

New and Improved Paper Tiger Tech Support Portal

Thursday, November 11th, 2010

Paper Tiger Tech Support Portal is Now Live!
by Andrew Solomon of Paper Tiger Tech Support Team

The Paper Tiger Filing System Software technical support team has been in the midst of creating an interactive support page, to assist customers in Paper Tiger technical issues. This new Paper Tiger tech support portal is now live and we believe that the functionality will improve our customers’ experience in resolving questions or issues they have with Paper Tiger Filing System Software.

The support site is divided into two main sections, Paper Tiger Desktop and Paper Tiger Online. So if a Paper Tiger user has a question or an issue with their Paper Tiger Desktop application, he/she would enter the Paper Tiger Desktop portal. Each portal is customized to assist users in troubleshooting issues depending upon the platform of their software. By searching our frequently asked questions knowledge base section on our site, the customer will be provided an immediate answer and most issues can be solved without opening a support request ticket. The Paper Tiger Support FAQ is not just your average list of commonly asked questions. The functionality has been optimized by our very own Paper Tiger Software engineers to present the user with the most relevant and common troubleshooting issues and articles in order to get to resolution faster.

Search and See as You Type

We wanted to build a support page where users can get what they need in a fast and efficient way. The Paper Tiger Support portal is built with a powerful live search engine, which is able to scrub our entire knowledge database and return the most accurate search results with easy to see keyword-highlighting. Please give our support portal a try the next time you have any Paper Tiger questions or issues.

Open a Ticket:

Paper Tiger Support team guarantees that our well developed support articles will ratify 95% of your Paper Tiger issues, but in rare cases when our support pages are unable to assist you, don’t hesitate to open a ticket with our technical support gurus. After completing and submitting a short form, a Paper Tiger technician will be able to process your request, and handle your situation appropriately. This will give our technicians a greater understanding of exactly what the client needs, and will enable us to deliver the best customer service possible and in a more efficient manner. Users can also attach as many databases and screen shots as they may need to any support ticket filled to assist our tech support reps in responding to issues more efficiently and effectively.

Thank you for using Paper Tiger Filing System Software for Document Management!

Tags: document management software, frequently asked questions, Tech Support, tech support portal, The Paper Tiger 'Finding' Filing System
Posted in Tech Support | No Comments »

Paper Tiger Quick Tip

Friday, November 5th, 2010

Did you know? In the typical ‘In Box’ …

* 40% can be tossed or recycled;

* 40% can be filed, and

* only 20% require action

Let Paper Tiger Filing System Software and Document Management help you keep track of the 60% that you need to keep for various reasons! Also for those files that can be archived out of your frequently referenced filing cabinet, how to archive is simple with Paper Tiger.

Tags: The Paper Tiger 'Finding' Filing System, The Paper Tiger quick tip
Posted in Tips for Using The Paper Tiger | No Comments »

Singing Paper Tiger Praises while Cleaning off the Desk!

Thursday, November 4th, 2010

For many years I have struggled with keeping my desk cleaned off. Not only was this a chore that never seemed to go away, but I would often feel overwhelm just by the idea of having to get out the label maker, figure out what to call the file, and then have to thumb through the alphabetical files in order to get the new file where it belonged. Because it was often too great a chore for me to engage in, I often put it off until I couldn’t handle the site of my desk or “organized piles.” Moreover, the old system worked fine for annual bills and such, but miscellaneous papers would forever be filed into a state of “organized lostness” somewhere within the confines of the file cabinets; never to be seen or heard of again.

Then I discovered Paper Tiger Filing System Software for document management! It did not take me long looking over the website before I realized that this was “must have” software. I ordered the desktop version and shortly thereafter discovered that Paper Tiger Online was in Beta, and that I could sign up to test the software for free! This was exactly what I needed as I have computers in multiple locations in the home (my home office, my wife’s desk upstairs, and a laptop that floats throughout the house), and having the ability to access Paper Tiger from anywhere was a huge bonus.

We set up the database with several locations. My wife has her lateral file close to her desk that we called “Mum’s” location. Then I created an “Action” location close to where I work most. I use one location for “admin” documents in another lateral file, and I have a “reference” location that I use to archive anything and everything that comes across my desk. Although the numbering system seems awkward at first, it is actually incredibly useful and fast. Essentially Paper Tiger acts as a powerful index system that tells you what numbered file is empty and available for a document, or it will let you know if there is a match somewhere that would fit the type of document that is being filed. Since the index numbers are set up ahead of time on the hanging folders in the filing cabinets, it becomes a breeze to file papers as they come in.

For the sake of efficiency (or at least what works best for me), is that I take the document, look up the index file location (by utilizing the search feature), or I set up a new index number for item if I need to. Once I know where the document is going, I write the file number on it, and I place it in my Action drawer in a file called “to file.” If my wife has something that needs to go down stairs in one of the files in my office, she “Paper Tigers” it, and she will put a yellow sticky on the page with the file number and put it in my inbox. This too will make it into my little “to file” file. Then once a week or so (or when I’m feeling disengaged from my work), I will take out the “to file” file and in about 10 minutes or less have all the papers in that file put away where they belong!

One last use we have for Paper Tiger at the moment is that we have taken all our DVD’s and put them in a big leather binder and have thrown the cases away. Each slot in the binder that has a DVD has a number assigned to it, and we wrote the corresponding number with an indelible marker on the actual DVD. Once this was done we cataloged all the DVD’s in Paper Tiger. This has been a great tool since our kids will often get out a bunch of movies all at once and we can easily find out where they go by the number. Also, if we want to watch something, all we have to do is search for it in Paper Tiger, find out the reference number and easily turn to it in the DVD binder.

Well, we may not be “singing” Paper Tiger praises, but my wife and I are constantly commenting on how immensely useful and efficient it is. Thanks to Paper Tiger, our desks are cleaner, our work is less stressful, and things don’t get lost in file cabinet. Thank you Paper Tiger! We look forward to many happy years as customers.

Kevin McAllister
Lead Pastor of Family Worship Center (www.afamily.cc)

http://www.namelounge.com

Augusta, ME

Tags: document management software, document management system, filing software, get organized, paper filing systems, The Paper Tiger 'Finding' Filing System
Posted in Clergy/Churches | No Comments »

Home Office Organization that Finally Makes Sense

Wednesday, November 3rd, 2010

Running a home office can be very trying no matter whether you are using it to keep track of the family’s finances or running a small business there. If you don’t keep track of your papers and other items in a manner that makes sense, you will never be able to find things as you need them. Bills may not get paid on time, incurring late charges and other penalties simply because they were buried under other items. There are a number of systems that you can use to make your home office that much more efficient but there are a number of drawbacks to consider with them.

Systems that Require Scanners or Labelers

Some document management systems require that all your paper files be scanned and then formatted to a disk drive for “filing.” There are often many things that cannot be scanned and there are issues with the scanner itself. If you don’t have a scanner, this type filing system would suggest that you buy one. And this document management system may not be ideal because once you have scanned everything and put it on the computer, what if that system crashes or you are not near your computer for that moment?

With a scanning document management system, labeling everything does not always work either, especially since it does nothing to get everything organized. Sure, you know that those are all the home bills sitting there in the nicely labeled file folder, but they get moved from place to place because they have no real designated spot and they end up buried once again.

A Hybrid, Better Solution

The Paper Tiger Filing System Software and Document Management is a hybrid of traditional filing and computer search ingenuity with the ability to help you streamline your filing system and find your items without having to run out and buy expensive equipment. You don’t scan your items so you can use the same filing system software to organize books and other items that would not be able to be scanned. (See our Not Just for Filing Paper webpage) Your files are set up in index numbered, hanging files with labels that you print from the Paper Tiger Software. These file numbers never change, but the information that is stored in them can: It is all taken care of by the filing system itself. After everything is where it needs to be, and item names and keywords relating to the items being indexed entered into the software’s database, the information is converted to searchable files. All you need to do is access a computer and conduct a google-like search to find exactly what you are looking for.

Your home office is now organized like a miniature databank, like your own personal version of the World Wide Web. All of your files are right there to be accessed by a quick search. The computer will generate a search result, showing you exactly which hanging file folder the requested information is in and where to access it. There is no searching through several different files to find an item because of differing thought processes of filing from day to day.

Tame your paper files (and other items) with Paper Tiger and get organized today!

Tags: document management software, document management system, filing software, get organized, paper filing systems, The Paper Tiger 'Finding' Filing System
Posted in Get Organized, Home Office | No Comments »

See How Home Based Electrical Contracting Firm Uses Paper Tiger Filing System

Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010

While setting up and running a small electrical contracting firm, based in a home office, I tried three, separate and distinctly different filing systems. The third system was “Paper Tiger – Professional version”. That was over 2 years ago and it has only gotten better.

When combined with Barbara Hemphill’s teaching on “FAT” (File, Act, Toss), and the six questions of “Wastebasketry”, which I now have framed on the wall for easy reference, I haven’t looked back. (See Paper Tiger Filing System Tutorials)

I am now able to sort, search and track over 1000 individual locations with confidence. Not to mention how it has helped clear my desk space and helped me focus.

After some experimentation, my locations have developed to suit three requirements:

Requirement One the physical thickness of items I need to file.

Anything from that proverbial single sheet of paper through to some quite thick and bulky brochures and technical specifications.

Requirement Two control over the sensitivity of a file’s contents.

Be that due to tax, financial or customer information. These files are simply more “mission critical” than the latest plumbing magazine or scribbled notes of meetings.

Requirement Three retaining conveniently short memorable names.

Short also means larger, clearer text printed on the physical hanging file “tab” or label.

It also uses up less space on screen for the location column, which means more space for keywords.

Thus the names and types of storage have become:

ACT & REF for my “Action” and “Reference” files.

CSO is my “Customer, Supplier, Organisation” cabinet. The sensitive files and mission critical files that are conveniently located close by and under lock and key.

All three sections use standard hanging files in metal filing cabinets.

MAG = Side open plastic magazine holders on book shelves. Great for bulky catalogues.

TAB = Leaver arch folders with 20 way dividers. TAB is short for “Tabs”. These are good to collect together product data sheets from different manufacturers, while retaining a traditional “book” format. 20 also means the folders number up easily; 20,40,60 etc.

STA = Think “Stack”. Also Leaver Arch folders, but each holding around 100 individual papers, as I like many others, like to cut out and save news articles and magazine pages for reference. These are placed in thin pre-punched plastic files with the corner clearly numbered.

ARC = Archives. Traditional box files stored in the loft for those historic records.

Finally, again thanks to Barbara’s idea,

INF = Information. Not a physical storage location, but a place that exists only inside the Paper Tiger database. A great place to “retrieve” those little notes, ideas and other miscellaneous items.

A word on filing cabinets. At the outset, I chose to invest in full size office grade cabinets, albeit second hand, and foolscap hanging files rather than the slightly smaller “A4” size that are available for home use. It was a case that these work well for the rigours of a business and are readily available and are unlikely to be a passing fad.

One key tip I have is that I found 50 hanging files per filing cabinet drawer is a great number for both drawer labeling and practical daily use. It is easy to count in “50′s per drawer.”

Finally, when explaining the system to others, I have my own slant on Barbara’s example of the car insurance certificate.

I ask people to imagine the image of a “common four wheel motorised transport device, sat on the driveway outside.” I then ask what they would file the “legal” paperwork under? Usually they reply with something basic like “car insurance” or “insurance certificate”. However I then say, “No… its not a car its a go-cart” and then explain, isn’t the Paper Tiger keyword approach better because we can add search words like:

The vehicle type:

“go-cart, quad-bike, car, van (important to our trade).

The vehicle make model

Ford, Courier

The document Type

insurance, certificate, policy, schedule

Or the common terms people use.

“Dad’s Taxi”

This last one comes more into its own when people are using the special “lingo” and abbreviations of their own industry, e.g. Medical, Education, Engineering etc.

With a cluster of strongly related words, it doesn’t matter how people search, they soon find it even when their thought processes of filing can be quite different. Which is significant in this household.

I now “file” with confidence because I can “retrieve” with confidence.

Paper Tiger – I’d be lost without it.

By Nigel Lovell
Lovell Electrical Services Ltd.
England

Tags: document management software, get organized, paper filing systems, The Paper Tiger 'Finding' Filing System
Posted in Electrical Contractor | No Comments »