Creating the Best File System Management for Your Company
Companies, regardless of the size of their operations, must always maintain order in all aspects, including handling their documents. Therefore, it is important to put in place effective file system management.
Such a system can help the corporate secretaries designate centralized storage for all the documents of the companies, making it easier for everyone to access them. These files could be filed physically or digitally stored in desktop computers, laptops, tablets, mobile phones, and flash drives among others.
At the same time, having an efficient file management system can help avoid doing reworks of hard-to-find documents in the database. While employees hate this, they have to recreate existing documents sometimes because they could not find them. This can be time-consuming and counterproductive.
File system management can truly help you keep your documents organized all the time so that your fellow co-workers will not have a hard time finding what they need when they need it.
What Are the Different Kinds of File System Management?
Paper Filing Systems
While most, if not all, companies are now using electronic databases, we cannot get away totally from the physical filing of documents.
This allows everyone to access physical copies of important documents right away. You just need to look into the filing cabinet and get the needed files.
It also serves a supplemental system for your digital database. Paper filing systems can be beneficial because sometimes files get deleted accidentally or they cannot be accessed due to technical glitch.
As a corporate secretary, you can organize your files in different ways. It can be according to:
- subject
- category
- date
- file number
- alphabetical order
Just remember that when you are implementing a paper filing system, make sure that it will be consistent across the board. By doing so, it will help you train the people to find certain files easily.
On the other hand, different departments and kinds of documents, however, may need a different paper filing system management. You should consider this before pushing through with your plan to avoid inefficiencies.
The filing system might be in place already if you are just moving into the role of the corporate secretary. Usually, it is best to keep the things the way they are to avoid confusion. However, if you believe there is a need to revise some aspects to improve it, go ahead and suggest your ideas right away. You might be able to get some tips from your predecessor.
Electronic Filing Systems
Using an electronic database is helpful for companies that have employees working remotely and those who need to access files anywhere but the office.
Among the most popular database software are Altibase, MySQL, Oracle, SQL Server, Firebird, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Cubrid, MariaDB, DynamoDB, and CouchDB. You can even use Google Drive and Dropbox.
Your digital files can be safely stored in these digital systems. Just make sure that they are backed up so you will not lose them under any circumstance.
Here are some tips to make sure your digital file system management is effective:
- Making file names standardized. It is easier to find files that follow the same format of names.
- Organizing through folders and subfolders. Sorting documents through folders and subfolders are one the most efficient ways to categorize your files.
- Increasing storage space. Cloud storage has its limits so you must be able to invest in subscription fees. Otherwise, delete files you deem unimportant to make room for other documents.
Establishing an Efficient File System Management
On the surface, it is necessary to create file names, folders, and subfolders that follow a consistent pattern as mentioned. But establishing an effective filing system goes beyond this. You should be able to do the following as well:
- As a corporate secretary, you need to understand how the people in your company look for files. You can do this by asking your fellow employees and department heads for suggestions or ideas on how to effectively arrange the files. Remember that you are not the only one accessing the documents. Their input is just as important.
- You need to know how to prioritize the files in your storage. The most important documents should be the one that is easiest to find as well. By knowing which documents are important, you can delete those that are unnecessary.
- Make sure your database is well-protected from online hackers. Put up a strong firewall.
Contact 3E Accounting today. We can help you search for the best company secretarial services in Indonesia.
