How would you organize these computer files?

In My Humble Opinion
1

My office is working on streamlining our sales and new client intake process, and part of the issue we’re running into is how to manage the dozens of files that are involved.

For example, just the first meeting with a client has:

  • The agenda e-mail template reminding them what to bring
  • A handout for the client.
  • The sales person’s script for presenting information
  • The sales person’s form for collecting information to be used later.
  • An Excel calculator to help convert this information to a price.
  • As many as eight different forms to sign (engagement letter, autopayment authorization, payroll service agreement, three state authorizations, two IRS authorizations). Many of these forms are required by banks and tax agencies, so we don’t control the number of forms or content of them.

It’s even worse when you look at all the files on the server because many of these documents need an original (say .docx) and a client-friendly version (say .pdf) and they pull in some image files as well.

Currently, we’re using some folders and sub-folders in Windows, and we’re also numbering some files to make them sort more the way we’d like. There are issues with this, especially if you can’t remember which folder the state power of attorney happens to be in.

We have also tried linking the files from other documents (such as hyperlinks in Word). I really like how this works when it’s all set up because you can create lists and tables of hyperlinks, put links in multiple places, etc. The problem is that these links break easily if any file is moved or renamed, and there’s a lot of manual copy/pasting of things to set it up in the first place. Once the file links start breaking, people are more likely to stop using it than they are to fix it

The files are modified/developed by two or three different people and accessed by two others. The files are stored on a central Windows server, so there’s no technical problems with giving everyone the needed access.

I imagine that this sort of issue is a common problem for businesses to solve, so I’d be grateful to know what other people have done or recommended. I don’t know whether it’s primarily a software or a personnel issue; probably both need to be addressed.

2

The usual solution to this (on the software side) is a document management system. Microsoft SharePoint is the most common, but there are several alternatives.

Some customer relationship management (CRM) systems also have a document management component.

3

This is the real answer, but if you can’t go that route, it seems to me that a smart thing to do would be to set up a sort of client template with all the blank forms and documents in it, and then just copy it and rename it by client name & deal date or something. That way, you’d have the standard documents - no retrieving them piecemeal and forgetting one, and you’d name them by client, so you could always find them grouped together.

I can’t imagine organizing them in any way other than client. I’d make sure and have a common naming scheme, so that if you do, for some reason, need to get all the XYZ forms for all clients, you can search for “XYZ_FORM_*.doc” or whatever, at a higher level in your directory tree.

4

I organize a huge number of dirrerent types of files for work. A document management system probably would be good idea, but I make it work. Here’s how:

I’m abolutely scrupulous about how I name files. It’s always ProjectName - DocumentType/Name - Applicable Date. I add more info if I need it.

Keeping it consistent means that the search box in the upper right of the window is a really effective way to find stuff.

So if I’m looking for “Anderson - TPS Report - 1-Oct-2015.pdf” I can put Anderson or TPS in the search box and you’ll get either all the Anderson files or all the TPS reports. Either way, it will be right there.
So you wouldn’t even have to remember exactly where that State Power of Attorney is. Yeah, you should, but if you have to find it quickly, you can just search.