3 Ways to Create a Better System for Information Management

As administrative professionals, managing large amounts of information efficiently is crucial for ensuring smooth operations. Whether it’s handling emails, documents, or projects, having a well-organized system can significantly improve productivity and streamline decision-making processes.

Being able to locate what you need when you need it helps you become a reliable, go-to resource on your team. And it helps build confidence and trust with everyone you work with.

It’s easy to get overwhelmed with all the technology and tools available to help us do our work. However, while technology should definitely be part of the solution, it can’t be the entire solution.

Here are three simple yet effective strategies to help you enhance your information management system:

Color Coding for Clarity

Color coding is a visually intuitive way to categorize and organize information, both in physical and digital formats. By assigning different colors to various categories or types of documents, you can quickly identify and retrieve them when needed. Here’s how you can implement color coding:

1. Physical Files: Use colored folders or labels to differentiate between different projects or document types. If your office already uses color to represent certain topics or themes, begin with that. If there isn’t an existing color code, then you can brainstorm a system that makes sense for you. If you’re going to implement this across calendars and digital tools that overlap with others, it’s important to discuss it and create something that makes sense to everyone on your team.

Here's an example:

• Red: Speaking Engagements and Legal
• Blue: Business Development / Operations
• Purple: Marketing / Advertising
• Orange: Vendors / Suppliers
• Dark Green: Financial / Accounting
• Lime Green: All Things Admin Team
• Yellow: Training
• Pink: Personal

To work successfully with a neurodivergent brain, having printed materials for follow-up and review is essential. However, without a good system for gathering, containing, labeling, and creating a home for these pieces, things can quickly become unwieldy. Translucent colored poly pockets combined with colored file folders provide instant visual distinction for daily priorities in a sorter.

Here are a few additional resources consistently used to keep printed materials organized and visually distinct:

• Poly expandable document folders with button and string
• Inspirational or decorative folders
• Three-tier acrylic file folder sorter

2. Digital Tools: Leverage the color-coding features available in digital tools such as email clients or file management systems. Assign specific colors to categories in your email inbox or use tags to visually group related items together.

Here are two examples of this:

In Microsoft Office, categories carry across email, tasks, and calendar. So, once you create a list of color-coded categories in Outlook, you can use them in all three areas.

A red block on the calendar signifies a speaking event, while a red box on emails or tasks indicates something related to a speaking engagement. This system allows for a quick overview of the week without reading the details of each appointment, making it easy to identify what needs attention and preparation at a glance.

Adopt Consistent File Naming Conventions

File naming conventions make it easy for you and others to search for and find the information you’re looking for. Begin each file name with a three- or four-letter abbreviation to categorize it.

Think about the main types of documents you create. Then, pick an abbreviation that represents it. For example:

• FORM – Forms
• LTR – Letters
• MEMO – Memos
• LBL – Labels
• MAP – Maps
• ENV – Envelopes
• RPT – Reports
• SIGN – Signs
• BOD – Board of Directors

Keep this list of abbreviations posted where you and others who may need it can easily reference it when creating or searching for files.

What’s nice about this is that all your files will show up together in alphabetical order by the name of the file. So, if you're looking for an envelope template, you don’t have to remember exactly what you named it; just scroll down the ENV file names and it’s right there!

If your file names include dates, always use a six-digit naming convention. This way, they’ll always appear numerically by date. For instance, if you have a blog post document, save it as:

Blog Post for 04.17.25 – Getting Organized With Information Management

This naming convention tells us what type of file it is (a blog post), when it will publish (April 17, 2025), and what it’s about (information management). This gives us three different ways to find the file in our system.

Taking a few extra seconds to create a specific file name that utilizes standard naming conventions and includes relevant information for context goes a long way towards staying organized!

Utilize Tools That Integrate Seamlessly

We’re all using technology to do our work. So, choosing the right tools that integrate well with your primary software suites can greatly enhance your information management workflow. The goal should be to streamline work with technology, not make it more complicated. With that in mind, here are some examples of tools that offer seamless integration:

• OneDrive and Dropbox: These cloud-based storage platforms simplify document management by centralizing files and enabling secure access from anywhere. Their robust integration with popular productivity tools allows teams to collaborate in real time, ensuring that everyone works with the most up-to-date versions of documents.

• Teamwork: A comprehensive project management tool that unifies communication, task tracking, and file sharing. Its ability to sync with other platforms like email and Slack ensures that updates, deadlines, and progress are visible in one place, keeping projects on track and eliminating miscommunication.

• Slack: A dynamic communication tool that keeps conversations organized and actionable. With seamless integrations across platforms like Teamwork, Zoom, and file storage solutions, Slack helps teams quickly share information, manage tasks, and respond to updates in real time, fostering collaboration without cluttering inboxes.

In a remote work environment, integrating tools is essential for maintaining smooth information flow and keeping details organized and accessible.

Different individuals may have varying preferences for receiving updates—some may opt for email notifications, while others rely on logging into platforms like Teamwork or monitoring updates through Slack. By ensuring these tools are interconnected, everyone can access the same information, regardless of their chosen method of communication, fostering alignment and efficiency across the team.

Final Thoughts

Administrative professionals handle a lot of information each day, so it’s crucial to find the best ways to manage and organize it. Creating a color code, developing naming conventions, and using the right tech tools make information management simple.

When there’s a place for everything and everything is in its place, your entire team will be more efficient!