posted
What software do you use for this on your computer? What features does it have and what do you find the most convenient? Do you track time management on it? What type of alarms do you find are most convenient for you? Are you faithful using it, or hit and miss?
-------------------- “Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?” -Winnie the Pooh & A.A. Milne
Kelly Thorson Kel-T-Grafix 801 Main St. Holdfast, SK S0G 2H0 ktg@sasktel.net Posts: 5496 | From: Penzance, Saskatchewan | Registered: May 2002
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I use Pagemaker. I keep it simple, just list the days/dates and I fill in what is happening for this and that day and apply a DONE when completed. If not completed, that listing goes into another day. I include jobs, bill paying, personal things to do, orders to make, etc.
I print the entire week out as I did it, at the end of that week. It's saved me several times on certain issues to be able to backtrack what I did when.
posted
I'm still small enough to use a small spiral notebook. As work comes in, their name, phone number, date, and job type goes in this book, along with any quotes given.
I have filled 3 or 4 of them over the last few years. Seems easier for me to keep track of where I'm at, and it's easy to look back at past work. I just write "done" next to each job as completed.
As far as my week goes. When it gets real busy, on Friday afternoon or Monday morning I will make a list of things and jobs to do for the week. Next to each of those is "materials ordered" or whatever the status is, and they get scratched off as completed, and marked as "done" in my spiral.
It seems you can be so organized...that it takes up too much time, so this works for me...at least for now.
-------------------- Ace Graphics & Printing Camdenton, MO. USA
posted
As much as I hate to admit it, Outlook is fine for most everything I do. You can set one time or reoccuring appointments, tasks, reminders, etc., and color code them in any order you choose. It's simple and straignt forward and it could do a whole lot more if you want it to.
Havin' fun,
Checkers
-------------------- a.k.a. Brian Born www.CheckersCustom.com Harrisburg, Pa Work Smart, Play Hard Posts: 3775 | From: Harrisburg, Pa. U.S.A. | Registered: Nov 1998
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Outlook here too... looked at and tested lots of others but always come back to Outlook. Having calendar, tasks, notes, email & contacts all in one program, plus having it easily sync with my PDA is worth a lot to me...
-------------------- Jon Jantz Snappysign.com jjantz21@gmail.com http://www.allcw.com Posts: 3395 | From: Atmore, AL | Registered: Nov 2005
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Oddly enough, we don't use the computer for that.
Anything that comes in or if a client wants me to come out, a new file folder is pulled out of the box, notes are stored in the folder and it goes in the verticle acrylic brochure tray that hangs on the wall. It has 3 dividers.
Each morning, I pull out all the folders I want to work with and put them in the front divider. One folder by one folder I do whatever it takes to move the job along. Then I put the completed folder to the middle section of the tray. Files that are in limbo are placed in the 3rd compartment furthest back. Completed files are moved to the billing tray...which is another acrylic 3 compartment brochure holder that hangs on the wall. (same thing: up front need billed, second compartment back is for those files billed and ready to be put in the file cabinate.
This way I stay flexible.
The problem some of us "LEFT BRAINERS" have is not being able to stick to a schedule....and that's me.
If I used the computer to stay organized, I be opening up the program every 10 minutes making changes to the planner....too much wasted time.
Its much easier to pull a folder out of the tray, and if I get distracted, I just put it back and pull it out the next chance I have.
AS FAR AS APPOINTMENTS go, I have a dry erase maker board on the wall in back and above the computer....I simply make a note of a haircut or doctor visit or client to see.
If I delt with 20 clients a day, and was just strickly suit and tie office manager, I might consider a planner, either paper or computer. Right now it just doesn't work for me.
posted
Calendarscope along with outlook works out fine for me.
-------------------- Mario G. Lafreniere (Fergie) J&N Signs Winter did show up! Posts: 1257 | From: Chapleau, Ontario | Registered: Jun 1999
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I use ACT! contact management software on my laptop combined with my PDA. My PDA is an old Treo 90 but it still does what I need.
ACT! - keeps ALL of my contacts in an organized fashion. I have clients, prospects, suppliers, vendors, etc., and do many mail merges to email.
PDA - syncs with ACT so all of my contacts are on there as well. But I also have "Documents To Go" where I keep a set of forms. I have an Estimate/Order form that allows me to print estimates on my portable printer, and I have an "Order Tracker" form that contains all of the steps involved with every order. It's a checklist that I just go down the list and check off. That way nothing is missed or not recorded. Of course, my PDA also has the datebook for scheduling appointments, etc.
That works for me.
-------------------- Randy Graphic Details Promotional Merchandise Distributor South Glens Falls, NY Posts: 381 | From: South Glens Falls, NY USA | Registered: Mar 2001
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