Understanding Different Types of Filing Systems

Having a well planned filing system in place will make it easier for employees to find the records and documents that they need. This will enable them to make more efficient use of their time and ultimately lead to greater productivity.

A well organized filing system will help employees save time. Instead of spending time looking for files employees can accomplish more work. In this way a well planned filing system can help increase an organization’s productivity (Reference, 2016). There are several documents that a business may need to file. Documents can be related to a business’s external or internal transactions. Tax returns and invoices are examples of documents that arise out of external transactions. Internal memos, client dossiers, etc are examples of internal documents that need to be kept on file. Today many of these documents can be stored digitally. However, businesses have not gone completely paperless and there are still a lot of documents in paper form that need to be properly archived. A filing system is the systematic storing of paper documents. The filing system dictates where and how documents are stored. Filing systems have evolved with time. Mentioned below is information businesses should know about modern filing systems:

File Size

Before investing in file storage equipment like filing cabinets, folders, manila files, etc, businesses should consider the size of the documents that they need to file. An A4 filing cabinet will work for most documents however not all documents are A4 size. Some of the papers that businesses need to file are larger. For instance, an architecture firm should invest in drafting storage cabinets to properly store the large drawings and blue prints that they create.

Horizontal Filing

Horizontal filing is a good option for smaller businesses that do not have to deal with very high volumes of paper. Documents are placed one on top of the other in a flat file or a binder. They are arranged first chronologically and then alphabetically. It is an easy system to understand. However, since documents are placed on top of each other it can become difficult to retrieve older records.

Vertical Filing

Vertical filing systems are the most commonly used today. In this system documents are stored in an upright position. Specially designed metal or wood filing cabinets are used to store documents in this manner. The drawers in such cabinets are taller so that folders can be placed comfortably inside. These folders have a tab that is visible without the need to remove the folder. These tabs can be used for labelling and providing information on what the folder contains. This reduces the time taken to find specific records.

Security

Businesses should also give some thought to the security of their documents. Records should be kept in a separate area that can be locked when unoccupied. To provide security against potential damage by a fire, organizations can invest in a fireproof filing cabinet. Businesses can purchase such cabinets and other storage solutions from AJ Products. More information on products available can be found on their website.

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