Do you save everything on your hard drive?
Do you know how to save/file your computer documents properly, efficiently, and effectively?
Do you have a hard time locating documents after you've saved/filed them?
Most likely whenever you *create * something on your computer you'll want to save it.
So before * SAVING * anything, ask yourself the following questions:
WHO needs it?
WHAT use is it?
WHEN will I use it?
WHERE will I find it?
WHY do I want or need it?
HOW long do I need to *SAVE * it?

Just like your * paper * files, you should save/file your computer documents into folders. Your folders on your computer SHOULD mirror your * paper * file folders, thus causing less names to remember, and less confusion on where you saved/filed something.

Microsoft automatically sets up a folder for you titled * MY DOCUMENTS * where you can save/file your documents. It isn't very efficient if you save/file ALL your documents in this folder UNLESS you create YOUR own folders within the * MY DOCUMENTS * folder.

Look at it this way; say you have a file drawer where you keep all your *paper * files and you call the drawer * MY DOCUMENTS *. If you open the drawer and have no folders, subfolders, or systems in place, how on earth are you going to locate the document you need? You stand there staring at a drawer full of documents, scratching your head wondering if you can locate the document before lunch! How will you know where to put the NEW document you just created or received that you MUST keep?

HOW TO CREATE NEW FOLDERS

~~ Click Start (Usually located on the left bottom of your screen)
~~ Place Pointer on Programs
~~ Place Pointer on Windows Explorer and Click

You have now entered/opened your electronic file cabinet.
Here you can "see" every document, file, and program that is on your computer.

We're going to create subfolders (or interior folders) in MY DOCUMENTS folder... not really mine but yours :-)

~~ Locate and move POINTER to MY DOCUMENTS
~~ Double Click on MY DOCUMENTS

You will be presented with a list of all the folders you have saved/filed in MY DOCUMENTS and/or any folders that you may have already created INSIDE MY DOCUMENTS folder.

Notice MY DOCUMENTS folder is highlighted, which means ANY folders you create during this exercise will be located * INSIDE * MY DOCUMENTS folder.

~~ Move POINTER to File and CLICK
~~ Move POINTER to NEW
~~ Move POINTER to FOLDER and CLICK
~~ Type in the name of your new folder and Press Return/Enter

Voila!! You have a new folder!

To continue making new folders, move your pointer back to MY DOCUMENTS, CLICK to highlight and follow the above steps.

You can even create new folders within the ones you just made. Why would you do that? Let me give you an example:

Let's say you created a folder * CLIENTS *. You have three clients, Larry, Moe, and Curly, that you send/receive email and correspondence from that you need to save/file, and be able to access when needed WITHOUT LOOKING through all the *CLIENTS * files. Highlight * CLIENTS * folder and follow the above process for each SUBFOLDER (Larry, Moe, and Curly) you need to make.

HOW TO SAVE A NEW DOCUMENT

You've just created a new document to Larry and now you need to * SAVE * it. Your computer will need to get some information from you in order to save your document and know where to save (file) it to on your hard drive.

Larry is a client and you have already made him a folder. You have completed the document and it is STILL OPEN (on your screen).

~~ Move POINTER to FILE
~~ CLICK on FILE
~~ Move POINTER to SAVE and CLICK

A SAVE AS Box will appear. Notice the three sections: Save in:, File name:, and Save as type:.

The Save in: section should have the last folder name that you saved a document to. In this case you want to save your document in your * Larry * folder, which is located in the Clients folder, which is located in MY DOCUMENTS folder.

~~ CLICK the small black down arrow next to the folder name in Save in:
~~ CLICK on MY DOCUMENTS
~~ Locate the CLIENTS Folder in the box and DOUBLE CLICK on it
~~ The CLIENTS folder should now be in the Save in: section
~~ Locate and move your POINTER to the * Larry * folder and DOUBLE CLICK on it
~~ The * Larry * folder is now in the Save in: section

Now you have to give your document a name.

~~ PRESS Your TAB Key to move to File name: or move POINTER to File name: and CLICK.

~~ Something will already be there BUT you want to give the document a name you will remember and can easily locate when needed.

Let's say the document is about the meeting you had with Larry regarding his hair stylist on June 12, 2000. You might name the document something like this:
Hair Meeting 61200

~~ Type in the name you want to give your document
~~ Press ENTER/RETURN
OR
~~ Move POINTER to SAVE and CLICK

WARNING WARNING!! DO NOT do the above if you need to SAVE the document in a DIFFERENT FILE FORMAT, such as TEXT or HTML Code.

Save as type: the default is usually Word Document but notice the small black arrow next to this and CLICK on it. Here is where you are presented with a list of file types that you might need to save your document into.

Your document is still open (on your screen) after you have named it and SAVED it. To close the document:

~~ Move POINTER to File and CLICK
~~ Move POINTER to Close and CLICK

TIP: If you make any changes inside the document BEFORE you CLOSE it you will get a prompt asking if you want to save changes, click YES. If you click NO, your changes WILL NOT be SAVED in the document.

Next month - I'll be back with Part 4-b of SAVE in D-BUST YOUR COMPUTER where I'll discuss the SAVE AS function, AUTOSAVE, and saving to a floppy and a zip disk. Next I'll finish up SAVE in Part 4-c with saving your sent/received email, and saving your favorite website locations.

Smiles, not Piles,
Janet L. Hall

Janet L. Hall is a Professional Organizer, Speaker, and Author and owner of OverHall Consulting. Janet is based out of Southern Maryland and can be reached at 410-586-9440, 800-687-3040, or e-mail her at overhall@chesapeake.net. She has extensively researched organizing and timemanagement techniques and developed "The 5 W's of Organizing, a TEASER, and a "TICKLE"?". Janet can "OverHall" your office, home, and computer clutter. She has written two booklets, writes for several internet magazines, conducts teleclasses, and has a monthly newsletter, OverHall IT! To find out more about her services and products, please visit her web site at http://www.overhall.com

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