FILING  - the book

A DIY guide for those who are changing, updating, re-engineering, refurbishing or simply studying filing.

Sample Chapter

FILING IN ONE PAGE

What you really need for a filing system now - and the major hassles.

• Ban the four-drawer cabinet

  The 105 year old four-drawer cabinet is the world's most ineffective and inefficient filing medium. It is so bad you may as well put the files all around the floor. You all want the latest version of DOS or Windows on your PC but you are willing to tolerate technology that is 105 YEARS old. (Now you will tell me that you can tolerate change.)

• Put someone in charge

  When the social club is successful, it is because someone is in charge of, and enthusiastic about it. When no-one cares it is a fizzer. The same applies to the filing. Put someone in charge.

• Go lateral

  That is where you put the files on shelves, and they have a tab on the side.

   

• Use Colour

  Coded labels on the sides of covers to avoid misfiling.

   

• Use Fasteners

  To hold the papers into the file so they don't fall all over the floor.

• Remove doors

  Don't put doors on cupboards. No-one ever closes them, and if they do they never lock them. Why bother?

• Thickness

  Never let a file get more than 1"(25mm) thick. The easy thing to do is to close that part, and open a second part of the file.

Remember PARKINSON'S LAW

"Files will grow to fill the available space"

Obey HAXTON'S LAW

"If you don't give them anywhere to put junk, they won't accumulate junk."