6 Steps To Digital Organization
“Don’t ruin your marriage by being messy.”
- Don Parks*
If you are disorganized in the physical world, you will be disorganized in the cloud one.
Sure, you can search for many things in many ways in the cloud. But even the most robust of search options get dodgy if you don’t have systems in place to organize your digital world.
Operating digitally is as inefficient as operating physically if there aren’t organized systems for it.
It’s a frustrating, time-sucking, dog’s breakfast either way.
*Don Parks was my Father-In-Law. He was very funny, charming, and amazingly organized. His son, my husband of 22 years, is also very funny and charming. But organized? Well, let’s just say, not quite like his father. That is why Don’s wedding speech advice came in so handy, Jeff took it to heart and has become somewhat - not amazingly, but somewhat - organized.
Don’s grand organizational skills and Jeff’s ability to be (somewhat) organized became apparent recently. Proving that even the messiest of folks can get their act together if properly motivated.
The home next to ours (Mittens’) is for sale. In 1982 a 12.98’ property strip from Mittens’ was purchased by Jeff’s parents, the previous owners of our cabin. Recently, there was some discussion from the real estate agent that the deal was never completed properly and that the Mitten Deed didn’t show that piece of land being transferred. We bought our place coming up on 5 years ago. I had the Sale Agreement & Deed nicely filed away. We looked at it, and sure enough, our agreement showed some part-lots that cobbled our property together. The survey was at our lawyers so we couldn’t double-check that the survey part-lot numbers matched what we had. In the meantime, to get some sleep, we needed the purchase agreement and Mitten/Parks’ deed transfer paperwork of the 1982 sale, showing that the part-lots agreed with our current deed.
I bet you are exhausted just reading this monologue, but hang in there.
It took Jeff only minutes to find the paperwork - from 40 years ago - filed away in Don’s precise and organized system. Along with the original Deed from 1918!
The part that made my relentless-organizer-heart sing was that my husband had squirrelled away his Dad’s files in a place that he could find quickly!
Of course, we have now moved all this to a digital space. In fact, this was pretty much the last of the important paperwork we had physical copies of.
Being digitally organized is only as good as the systems you set up.
So what are the starting points for an organized digital system?
Create folder systems for digital documents
Some apps do this automagically for you
Use a nesting system
Create naming conventions for everything: workflows, projects, folders, documents
For accounting folders, it could look something like this: Client Name/Year/Month and key folders such as Reports, Payroll, business details…
Workflows: how about prefacing them with Bookkeeping, Personal Taxes, Onboarding (or shorten them to BKPG, PT, ONBDG…)
Then break it down with words like Weekly, Monthly, Year End, Review
And further down with Client Name if your CAS work is very individual
Standardize your document types
Storage reduction, distribution, tidiness…
Craft a system of what is created in spreadsheets, docs, slide decks
Decide what will become PDFs (which take up less space and can be opened/read by any operating system)
Declutter regularly! Even the most organized of systems becomes overwhelming to search if you are hoarding. Plus digital storage costs more if you - well, store more...
Have a routine where you trash redundant files and those you will never need again
If you create temporary documents for any reason, delete them immediately upon using them
Have a folder for previous years for each client so you can tuck them all into one place
Have a folder for re-homed clients to house them all in a single spot
Download emails that you don’t need in your system any longer
PDF them and put them in folders on your digital storage site
Some apps do this in a single click and will include any attachments
Zip files together - I couldn’t decide if this went under folders, decluttering, or document types - it is key in so many ways that I gave it its own number
Use a password manager app
It manages and keenly organizes all the logins and details of your digital world
I have no idea how I went so long without going all in on mine
Time for a little navel-gazing.
Are you operating with an organizational mindset - in life and in business?
Is under your kitchen or bathroom sink a complete shambles?
Can you find things in your physical world within a few minutes?
Can you find things in your digital world within a few minutes?
Or is it time to put the suggestions here into action?
Chrome & QBO Tech Tip
- All of my template workflows include details like this, and my Standard Operating Process Guides are start to finish standards for apps and internal processes
Craft a series of organized bookmarks in folders to open multiple tabs simultaneously.
When you right-click a folder on your bookmark bar, you can open all the bookmarks at once - in a new window or as new tabs in the same window you are in. This is a super efficient method to check a series of reports or open apps in one fell swoop.
But where it really shines is for clearing your bank feeds properly or for beginning the reconciliation process in Overview.
When clearing the bank feeds you should have AR and AP reports open, have checked UNDfs and have all feeds open simultaneously. That’s a lot of click-to-opens!
Instead, create a folder that has the following in it:
A few bank feeds
AR & AP reports
Create deposit
Featured Template
~~~
Featured Template ~~~
15% off discount code: BLOG
Although the International Version is featured here, all the Chrome Browser templates are 15% off!
One of the things we love about QBO is its custom reports. But... they can be tedious to set up.
That's why we've created a system of Chrome report bookmarks that makes generating dozens of common reports super quick & efficient.
Uploaded in seconds, these report bookmarks will make your team more effective and the reporting you give your clients more consistent.
Stop wasting time creating custom reports every time. Create an efficient reporting system that increases engagement with clients as they become more comfortable with online accounting.
What You Get:
Bookmarks are nestled in folders for a single clickthrough to your most common QBO actions. Never be at the mercy of clunky and often hidden navigation again.
Reports you need every day, all day - AP/AR/P&L Comparative/BS - in a folder to open with a single right-click
Direct links to the reports tab, search bar, customers, vendors
A folder with direct link bookmarks for all your QBOA work (overview, reclassify, reconcile, bank feeds, bank rules, recurring, settings, lists, audit log...)
AR and AP transaction action folders
A folder with common fintech apps links
Report bookmarks for Fiscal & Calendar Year End, Month End, YTD, Backups - there are dozens of reports cued up and ready to import into QBO client files - all with consistent naming conventions, date ranges and client name/logos all preset
You will marvel at the efficiency of using Chrome folders and bookmarks in your cloud accounting day! You will wonder how you ever worked any other way.
Check out my Youtube videos on Chrome Here
Join Your Peers Here
- CPB Ignite
Tues, Sep 20, 2022 3:00 PM - Fri, Sep 23, 2022 1:00 PM
Calgary Canada
Ready - Replenish - Rise
CPB Canada is gearing up for the IGNITE 2022 Conference in Calgary, Alberta from Tuesday, September 20, 2022 - Friday, September 23, 2022.
We welcome you back in person to engage in presentations, share successes and lessons learned, interact with speakers, and network with fellow attendees.
Join us in Calgary while we cultivate new ideas, receive practical advice, and make meaningful connections along the way!
I am hosting using Google Apps for Onboarding session and “Graceful Endings” Client Dis-Engagement session.
Sociable
- said in your head in a loud sing-songy voice
Brian K. Hlady, CPA, CGA on Twitter: "@JStaatsCPA I'm trying to channel @kellie_parks which is some deep learning I took away from her @ignitionapp session a few months ago. Get all the information before you start, and even before you decide if you'll take on the client." / Twitter
Simply yours, Kellie :-}
::Shameless Call To Action::
I sell bookkeeping templates, standard operating process handbooks and client guides.
15% off discount code: BLOG
PS: Don Parks had everything for his end-of-life so well organized, that we simply accessed a single package. Rather than unraveling all the usual schtuff we were able to mourn his life gracefully and gratefully. - Be like Don -
PSS: Here is a free organizing package for end-of-life details.
PSSS: If you use a password manager app - I use 1Password, but all of them are great - you will set the people around you up for a seamless experience accessing your digital life. Make sure a few key people have your login details and that’s all they need to look after things in the event you are incapacitated.
