You get instant recognition that file folders are in the proper place when you use color-coded labels. File folders with alpha or numeric labels without color code can easily be mis-filed and virtually lost in a large filing system. Avoid that problem with color-coding your labels.
You have probably seen color-coded labels in your local doctor’s office or as props in a TV medical drama. While healthcare is a big user of color-coding, virtually any office filing system is improved with color-coding.
There are many benefits to color-coding files. First, blocks of color, associated with the same character or number (i.e., “A” or “1” ) are grouped together. This assures all “A”s are in the same location. Since “B” is represented by a different color, if a folder that begins with “B” got mixed in with “A”, the color difference would be immediately apparent. If the file was simply text, there would be no visual clue that there is a problem.
Color-coding also improves the reliability of business information because it is easier to find a file on a shelf and proactively prevents misfiles. Data is found quicker and more reliably.
And if you use date color-code notation (year codes) you can more quickly and reliably identify records that can be purged or moved to off-site record storage. For example, a doctor’s office could add a color-code year to the patient’s file label and update it as patients are seen by the physician. Then, on a yearly basis, the office staff can quickly identify patients that have not been seen for some time and move those records to off-site storage, freeing space in the current patient record area.
Another key benefit is an increase in the volume of records that can be stored in the available space. Part of the increase in space efficiency is the ability to file records above eye level. Lateral & vertical file cabinets max out at 5 drawers because above this, you cannot see into the drawer. Side tab labeling lets you go 6, 7, 8 or sometimes 9 levels high, adding 40% or more storage in the same number of square feet.
Plus, if you use high density mobile storage (moving shelves), you can literally increase storage capacity of a room more than 330%.
Get the full story here at www.officefurnituresanjose.com
A firm in the Bay Area called us recently to see if we could solve an upcoming record management filing problem. The space set aside for record storage in a pending move was much smaller than their existing space. Could we help?
The client has legal files, currently stored in Pendeflex folders in lateral and vertical cabinets. They have four, 42” wide, 5-drawer lateral cabinets and 40, 25” deep, legal width 4-drawer vertical file cabinets. The file cabinets are full of files with about 1 Pendeflex holder per 2 filing inches. We calculated they have about 4,611 filing inches of records (12 filing inches per foot). Although spread out in their current facility, these 4 lateral filing cabinets and 40 vertical filing cabinets would need to be stored in a room about 20 feet by 15 feet in the new location (or about 300 square feet). Over time, the cost of the 4 lateral file cabinets and 40 vertical filing cabinets was about $16,000 that works out to about $3.50 per filing inch.
Space Needed for Existing Filing Cabinets
Since the client only had a 15 foot by 12 foot room in the new location that could be dedicated to corporate records, the client called upon us for a solution.
High Density Storage will come to this client’s rescue. A 15 foot by 12 foot room can be outfitted with a high density mobile storage system with 1 fixed shelving unit and 4 movable shelving units. Each carriage holds a 76” tall, 7 opening, legal depth filing shelf unit. By converting to side tab filing (the professional way to store records), taking advantage of space above eye level, and eliminating wasted space (aisles), the high density system will store 6,076 filing inches in this small space, a 39% increase over the current filing capacity of their lateral and vertical cabinets. Plus, an added benefit, this solution only requires 180 square feet of space, 39% less than the alternative 20 x 15.
High Density Storage Plan
Another benefit of this solution is the elimination of the Pedeflex hanging files. Eliminating the Pendeflex hanging files freed up an additional 242 filing inches, the equivalent of almost 2 ½ vertical file cabinets. RefBPCH-0006
The investment required to install this system the high density mobile system is about $20,700. So while the investment amount is more (about 29%), there is more storage capacity (about 39%) and the space requirement is less. This solution works out to about $3.40 per filing inch. And the customer continues to get the benefit of reduced space by lower lease rates and building costs such as heating and air conditioning.
You can see a quick 50 second video of the moving aisle high density storage system concept at
If your organization is running out of record storage space (or any storage space), give us a call at 408-656-1709. We provide a no obligation assessment within a day or two and can often double or even triple the items you can store in the square footage you already have.
We were recently asked to do a workplace ergonomic evaluation. One of the recommendations was to position the keyboard at optimum height to minimize body stress when working at the keyboard. Desks and cubicle work surfaces are typically 29″ above the floor, fine for writing but not the best height for keyboard positioning. Putting the keyboard on a typical work surface is too high for most people and ultimately lead to stress, carpal tunnel syndrome or other arm, back problems. It’s a worker comp claim in the making.
Our suggestions included a commercial grade under-work surface keyboard holder. And since the price of those units seem high compared to typical office super store purchasers, we were asked to provide information on the differences between consumer grade keyboard holders and commercial grade keyboard holders. While consumer grade keyboard holders are certainly less expensive, there are real reasons businesses should only consider commercial grade keyboard holders.
Professional/Commercial products do not require hand twisting a knob to adjust and set the height (and tilt at the same time). Height adjustments should be only dependent upon the user grabbing the edge of the tray, twist slightly to unlock, move to the desired height and let go. The unit should stay there. The only time you adjust the tilt is once and from then on the tilt is maintained. A unit with knob adjustment for the height would require constant adjustment every time you want to push the keyboard back under the work surface. A big no-no. Plus, the twisting knob is not something you want to do every time you want to set the height (not to mention the tilt will be constantly adjusting at the same time (no consistency))
The height adjustment mechanism on some consumer units are made of plastic. Not a good idea for reliability since this section of the keyboard holder needs to be robust.
Inexpensive keyboard trays are made of wood or plastic. Professional grade products are made of phenolic, an ultrastrong composite made of wood pulp and resin that is non-toxic, durable, and easy to clean. A phenolic tray holder is thinner and provide more clearance between knees and the bottom of the tray. And it will not crack or split.
The angle brackets on the bottom of an inexpensive keyboard holder are larger than the type typically used in professional grade products because there is only one 90 degree bend. Professional grade products typically have a 5 surface keyboard tray holder in the shape of a U with flanges, not a simple L. This means more clearance for knees and strength without bulk.
One way companies keep product prices down is to leave much of the installation finishing to the consumer. In consumer grade product, you often get a bag full of parts. Commercial grade products in contrast come almost fully assembled. You do have to bolt the keyboard track to the underside of the work surface and bolt the tray to the lift mechanism, but that’s about it in a commercial grade product. You aren’t going to be assembling the knob mechanism or other parts.
Consumer grade keyboard holders typically just have one track length and one shape – straight. Plus they are only available in one keyboard tray size. In contrast, commercial grade keyboard holders offer a variety of track depths and keyboard tray widths and shapes (for example, to accommodate curved front keyboards like those available from Microsoft. RefBPCH-0005
Commercial grade keyboard holders include a special bracket or clasp with their mouse pads. These constraints grip the mouse cord and help keep the mouse from falling onto the floor. If you have a cordless mouse, pads in commercial grade products have a lip that helps prevent mice from falling over the side.
BIFMA (Business and International Furniture Manufacturer’s Association) has established standards for commercial/industrial grade products used in offices. Consumer products often do not meet BIFMA standards.
Organizations that specialize in building commercial grade keyboard holders often have Greenguard certification and specific programs for recycling materials used in the manufacturing process. Consumer grade products don’t typically have the same level of environmental commitments.
Our firm offers only commercial grade product. In regard to Keyboard tray holders, we represent HumanScale, Idea-at-Work, Intellaspace, DolphinPointMarketing, and Workriteergo. These companies specialize in workplace ergonomics including sit/stand workstations, monitor holders, keyboard holders and lighting. Plus, many of their products are LEED MR 4.1 & 4.2 eligible. Typically commercial grade warranties are at least 10 years. Consumer products are typically warranted for only 1 year.
Contact us at 408-656-1709 for specific recommendations based on your requirements. Locally we are pleased to provide a no-obligation, on site work place review and specific recommendation.
Recently we were called upon to move office desks for a client. Since we did not do the initial interior design, we first inventoried their desk sizes and orientation. Of the 25 offices, 21 were U-shaped configurations and 4, L-shaped. Desks are referred to as right return or left return based on which way the return (the side the return is on when the user faces the main desk.
A typical desk orientation is right when the door to the manager’s office is on the left as the manager faces the door.
The current facility was evenly divided between Right and Left orientation, ½ of the desks were Right Hand, ½ were Left Hand.
Right Return L and U Desk Configurations
As we started to plan the move, we discovered, much to our chagrin, that the interior designer for the new facility pout virtually all the doors on the left. If this was a new installation, there would be no issue. However, since we were moving existing desks into this facility, this was going to be a problem.
Right Return Desks used with door on Left
Unlike cubicles that are easily configured, handed desks are not typically reconfigurable. Eight desks would NOT work in the offices because the office doors were on the wrong side. We can reuse the bridge and credenza hutch but the desks and credenza/returns had to be replaced because the pedestals are on the wrong side.
And that is precisely why we always recommend reconfigurable desks for any of our clients who expect or plan to move (and in Silicon Valley, that happens often because of rapid business growth).
Two product lines from Indiana Desk (one laminate and one veneer) are completely reconfigurable. Recognizing a need for flexibility, Indiana Desk’s designers cleverly developed two lines that are easily reconfigurable. Called the Revolutions (veneer line) and Resilience (laminate line), these units feature predrilled under work surface pin receivers that accurately and securely attach pedestals and modesty panels to be connected to the work surface without drilling into or connection to side panels. Plus pedestals, lateral cabinets, and modesty panels are finished on all sides so that if their position is altered, it end configuration is a completely finished product. When reconfigured, no holes are drilled or patched. No glue is used in final configuration assembly. RefBPCH-0004
So if you are considering new office desks and may move, get reconfigurable systems to give yourself the ultimate flexibility and avoid unnecessary furniture expense because things don’t line up right in the new location.
When two organizations combine, one challenge is to successfully merge the records of the two organizations into on coherent system. There are two approaches, 1) keep the files in two distinct locations in the records area (file room) or 2), interfile the two systems. Interfiling is more work to do but many consider it the more appropriate approach on the long run.
For example, suppose two medical practices merge and the physicians and records manager decides to interfile, that is, put patient files into one system sorted by patient’s last name. While both filing systems may now be sorted by last name, the labeling systems might be different. For example, one group may use 3 color-coded labels placed at the top of a side-tab labels and the other might use 2 color-coded labels at the bottom of the side-tab. Since the primary benefit of color-coding is consistency so colors match until there is a character change (e.g., you see a red “A” until the patient’s last name changes to “B”, yellow). You lose that benefit if color-codes alternate between top of the folder and bottom of the folder.
So one system must change to match the other, preferably before the move. Unless there is a good reason to do otherwise, convert the system with the fewer records to match the system with larger number of records. With any luck, there might be a computerized data base of the file names, (i.e., a billing system may have the necessary data). If so, most of the work is done. First, have a computerized label designed that matches the existing system. (TABQUIK labels can match virtually any current labeling approach). Even if you have heretofore wrapped individual color-coded labels and applied Avery or Dymo labels, you can get a single label design that matches any system you have created.
Next, simply give that list of records (patient files) to the label/folder manufacturer who can create conversion folders for you, pre-labeled ready to go. The earlier you do this, the better. If your merger is a few months off, when you have pre-labeled conversion folders ready to go, your staff can start the conversion process as they handle folders in the day to day business of the organization. Thus, a portion of your folders are easily converted before the move reducing the time and expense of a dedicated conversion team.
Next, your shelving /cabinet supplier can measure the two filing systems and determine the filing capacity needed in the new combined record storage area. More than likely more capacity will be needed. If you are lucky you can just add some shelves or cabinets. If you have already filled the available shelves with shelves, you can convert some of those shelves to TwinFile rotating cabinets (click here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjhONcQAnZs), add sliding shelves in front of existing shelves/cabinets (SideTrac) or if things are really tight, add compacting mobile storage (placing existing shelves/cabinets on movable carriages and adding new shelves/cabinets). More than likely, you can get the filing capacity you need with more efficient filing systems. RefBPCH-0003
Once you have expanded the file space to accommodate the new files that will be added due to the merger, you need to disperse the existing files throughout the system. Your filing sales support person should be able to give you a map on a shelf –by-shelf basis of the patient last name(s) to ensure files are spread right. You need to leave space so the merged records will fit into the new filing area without moving records needlessly.
In the meantime, finish converting the existing files to the new file/labeling system. Use outsource resources (brought in for the job) if necessary. Your file consultant can often provide experienced personnel who have done this type of work for many other clients.
Have patient records moved by professionals who have moved records before, not just a furniture mover. You need to know with confidence that in an urgent situation, you can get to any record fast. People who move records as a business keep stuff organized and easily accessible. Don’t package records into boxes, simply have them put onto multi-level shelved file carts built to this purpose. When the file carts get to the new location, they serve as portable storage while you do the conversion. You can either bring in a conversion team or do the in-filing with existing personnel (perhaps scheduling a “staff day” to do this. When carts are well organized and the filing system has pre-divided into proper sections, teams can work on different sections logically and without running into one another. In most cases, the inter filing can be done in a matter of a few hours.
Be sure to have one person doing quality assurance, double checking the files to be sure files are in the right order on the shelves.
Using this procedure will give you the greatest chance of smooth, successful merger integration.
