A business owner wears many hats. The main being master organizer. Your file cabinet needs to be the center command post of all hard copies. Without a simple file method in place, organizing is an intimidating task.

In auto repair everything happens at the speed of light with multitasking heading the wheel. Using a straightforward filing method in a timely fashion will cancel the dreaded paperwork pile ups.

Basic Organizing Essentials

Here is my list of office items needed to keep you from getting buried alive in paperwork.

• 1 inbox and 1 outbox (to sit on your office desk or hang on the wall)

• 2 drawer file cabinet for hanging folders

• 20 hanging folder with plastic file tab labels

• 20 manilla folder

• Black Sharpie

• Large Rubber Bands

• Paper Clips

• Stapler

• Banker boxes

• Paper shredder

• Circular file AKA Trash Can

Basic Labeling for Daily Use

Top drawer of the file cabinet is for your daily uses: Label front to back with hanging folders.

• Sales Invoices (manilla folders for each day keep projects or fleet accounts separated)

• Paid with Check/Cash (typically utilities or rent)

• Paid with credit/account

  • (manilla folder by vendor *cost of goods sold)

  • (manilla folder for returns by vendor)

• License/certificate folder for inspection by agencies

• For my Bookkeeper Hanging Folder (things to give your bookkeeper)

• Small tool Manuals or parts catalogs

Bottom Drawer Storage for Things we Keep Forever

Bottom drawer thing kept forever: Again front to back with hanging folders

• Business fresh applications ready for anyone to apply

• New hire paperwork (W2, i9…etc)

• Your employee files label by name

• Employee HandBook

• Retired employees files

Best Practices of Filing Done Once a Week/Monthly

Top drawer hanging folders should be emptied at the end of each week. All sales invoices and purchase receipts should be stored in a manilla folder clearly marked with a Sharpie the “Week-ending Date”. Band each week together with a large rubber band. As each month is closed out, band each week together as a month and store in banker boxes. Marked each banker box with a sharpie by months and years. Typically you can fit three to four months in one bankers box.

Post Office Filing with Each Delivery

All incoming mail that is “not” a bill, contract or statement shall be filed immediately in the trash or shred accordingly. Keep the filing simple. Use the inbox for all receipts coming in and outbox for bills being mailed out. Make it a habit to clear these inbox/outbox files out daily. You will find you have less stress and more time to focus on your final valuable product.

Automotive is Still a Hard Copy Industry

The automotive industry still does much paper shuffling. Hard copies are not yet a thing of the past. As old meets new, we can learn to be as organized as possible with our paperwork. Eliminating the need for a filing cabinet one file at a time.

Let’s Connect and Organize Together

Highway Bookkeeping can help you with your paper filing processes. Let us help you organize the hard copies and cloud store files where you can. Contact Highway Bookkeeping Business for more suggestions and helpful tips. We can show you how to keep it simple.

To find out more information visit HwyBookkeeping.com or contact Jacki  – Jacki@highwaybookkeeping.com – (702) 277-2732.