If you’re still using old filing cabinets and paper files, it’s time to go digital and start using quality management software to keep track of your quality records. Follow these five steps to help digitize and organize your quality records.
1. Scan & Upload Documents
The first step to digitizing your quality records is scanning them. Whether you scan them one by one in your office or hire a scanning service, it will be worth the effort and expense. You won’t lose time searching through messy file cabinets — in fact, searching for documents will be easier than ever. When it comes to storing your freshly scanned documents, consider quality management software with cloud storage and document management features. This way your records will be available from anywhere you have an internet connection.
2. Use Detailed Naming Conventions
Ultimately, you will need to come up with a naming system that makes the most sense for you and your team. Here are some basic guidelines that will help you find the right files quickly and eliminate confusion:
● Be as specific as possible
● Resist abbreviations
● Include the date
Remember, the ultimate goal is to make sure you can quickly find the document you need on a digital platform. Consider how you will search for the document in both the near future and for months to come. You can learn more about file naming conventions at the Purdue University Libraries website.
3. Organize Files by Content Type & Date
As you name files, you’ll also want to consider file organization. To ease the transition into digitizing quality records, you may decide to use the same system you used with your hard copies and filing cabinets, but if you’d like to start fresh, try organizing your files by content type or chronological order.
4. Re-evaluate Your System
Once you’ve had your new digital filing system in place for a few weeks, go back and take a look at each section and category and evaluate whether your new system has helped you become more efficient. You might find that some digital folders contain more files than others and need to be split into two separate categories for ease of finding documents. Alternatively, some folders may have only one or two documents that could be combined into other digital folders.
5. Make Organizing a Priority
Organization requires time and consistency, but it is possible to minimize the burden. Instead of spending a few hours each month organizing your digital files, try dedicating a few extra seconds to making sure you’re using correct naming conventions. If your file names are consistent, you’ll find documents quickly — whenever you need them.
Click here to see if switching to software that includes streamlined document management is right for you.