subject: Time Keeping – A Vital Element for Proper Records Management [print this page] Time Keeping A Vital Element for Proper Records Management
Whether you work at a law firm, an accounting firm, a dental clinic or any other type of business where you bill your clients for the time spent working on their file, you'll certainly need to be efficient with time keeping.
Keeping track of what you do is a vital part of records management. Let's say you have to perform research on a case before going to trial. When the time comes to get paid, you'll want to produce an accurate invoice detailing all the activities and time spent on each one.
But keep in mind there's another aspect to time keeping. To run an efficient business, you must manage your time with the same attention to detail as you give records management.
So start by reviewing your calendar. Is it jammed packed with tasks you hope to complete by the day's end? Do you have to attend a slew of events or would it help you to delegate to others?
Here's a simple way by which to find out if you're wasting time on unnecessary matters. Begin by keeping track of your work week. Assess how much time you spend taking care of emergencies. Calculate the time you have to spend searching for a lost file. Figure out how much of your days are dedicated to solving other's problems.
Second, discern how many interruptions you have like unscheduled calls or vendors stopping by unannounced. And finally, define the positive time you take for attending staff meetings, calling clients or responding to emails. And make sure you schedule downtime; you need to re-charge your batteries in order to work more efficiently.
Now that you know how your work week goes, make the necessary changes. Start out by naming a person to take care of vendors and office management tasks. Nominate an individual from every department to take care of "putting out fires." And last but not least, implement a records management program to ensure your staff is not at a loss when it comes to finding, storing or discarding documents. If need be, hire a records management professional to get you started on the right path.
Make the most out of your time and you'll have a successful business.
