Organize Your Information
Common standards for organizing and storing information results in:
- Less time spent trying to find information, verifying its accuracy/relevancy and/or identifying inconsistencies
- Reduced duplication and volume
- Increased collaboration
- Greater usability and availability of information across the department – Let's stop re-inventing the wheel!
Follow the guidelines below in order to properly organize the documents/emails of business value that you collect, create and receive in the course of your business activities:
- Save your documents in a corporate repository (e.g., SharePoint, network drive) that is being used by your team.
- Adopt the principle of open by design ensuring the protection of documents that are private, and confidential.
- Establish a folder structure that is clear and easy to follow and that is reflective of your business function and activities. Discuss with your Branch/Region IM Lead/Broker on implementing a file classification structure to help you organize your information in a consistent manner.
- Clearly name your documents/emails so that they can be searched, accessed and used:
- Be clear, consistent and descriptive
- Insert the date
- What type of document is it? (for example, briefing note, report, presentation)
- What is it about? (subject of the document)
- Who is the intended audience? (audience examples include committees, organizations)