Control Finances and Documents
Organizing financial records, whether at work or home isn’t easy. The organization of your financial documents can alleviate stress and aid in comparing costs or locate a receipt. It also improves customer service as it allows employees to quickly access the documents. This translates into faster responses and more consistent.
Collect all your papers. Look over your kitchen counters entryway tables, home office desks cars, garages, car trunks, and any other place where papers can accumulate. Eliminate clutter and dispose of unneeded materials such as catalogs bills, manuals for products, and envelopes that are empty. Create categories to help sort and organize the rest of your documents. A “To Pay” category could comprise the stack of invoices that have to be paid online or with cash or a check. A “To Read” category might include items that require to be reviewed quickly and could be filed or shredded after reading. Finally, the “Needs Action” category can include items that need to be addressed, like an issue with credit card charges or insurance claims.
Once your documents are organized, consider your storage options. Physical methods include using a binder or filing cabinet, or storing files in offsite storage facilities. Digital methods typically involve an industry-specific software for document management that provides a central, single location to store and organize documents. These solutions provide powerful security through allowing for users to have granular control over who has access to access and alter information. They also provide audit trails to ensure transparency and accountability.