With all that going on, it was easy to get disorganized.

That meant we had to spend more time on those tasks, which didn’t leave much left over for planning future projects and other tasks.

We had to find a better way to manage IT’s workload.

The solution: We started using a document collaboration component in our server’s operating system.

It lets us keep track of all those elements under the same umbrella.

For example, one feature is the creation of task lists.

Basically, it’s a list of jobs that lets us assign each item to a team member.

We use those for everything from tracking help desk tickets to scheduling renewals of warranties and service contracts.

Also, we keep a running list of possible future projects that everyone can view and add to.

That makes it easier for us to trade ideas back and forth.

All in all, it’s a way to keep ourselves organized so we can work work efficiently. And that gives us more time for value-adding projects.

(Kim Myrick, IT director, Patuxent Publishing Corp., Columbia, MD)

If you haven’t gone paperless, it might be time to consider it. Plenty of organizations are getting rid of hard copy records and not only do they save trees, they boost productivity and get better organized in the process.

Of course, the first step is actually getting organized. If your paper filing system’s a mess, you’ll want to get that under control before you start scanning.

The following five steps can help ensure a successful paperless conversion:

1. Don’t look back. Forget about converting old files — start with your largest customers or vendors and your newest ones as well.
2. Stay away from temps. Scanning’s a boring, low-value task that’s perfect for a temp, right? Wrong! You want someone in your department who knows your data and your policies — someone who’ll be around to help others learn the new system and how it’s organized.
3. Stick close to home. You’ve going to devote a lot of time to the conversion process, so the last thing you want is for staffers to have to walk halfway across the building because the scanner’s so far from files. Remember logistics in your planning process.
4. Be generous with the hardware. High-end scanners can be pricey, but go for the best quality you can afford. You’ll recoup the money in fewer do-overs and productivity losses that come with a lousy machine.
5. Get the training you’re entitled to. Imaging vendors don’t make much on training, so they’re not going to go out of their way to offer you much of it. Press them for all you can get, even if you have to supplement it from other sources if you have to.