eMail- a whole new bunch of info to organize.
I'd love to hear the various solutions people have come up with to
organizing their eMail.
e.g. How do you determine what to save and what to delete? Do you
create special eMail files on-line or do you move the eMail you want to
keep into your existing computer and/or paper-based files.
Also, if you work for a large company that coresponds frequently through
eMail--do you have any special tips for organizing and retaining the
information.
Many thanks in advance for all your wonderful ideas.
Julie Morgenstern, NAPO Member
>> I'd love to hear the various solutions people have come up with to
organizing their eMail. <<
I don't have a solution because I don't do it well, but I have some ideas.
Just like with paper when you look at it, decide right then where to put
it based on if and how you're going to want to find it in the future.
Ideally I'd like to be able to find stuff by date, sender, subject and a
couple key words.
At the moment, by email is thru AOL and Compuserve and the software doesn't
sort or search as well as I'd like.
I do have 2 tips:
1. I configure my software to save all mail I send. Sometimes I copy an
entire message into my reply so I have a record of both directions in one
message. If each person did that I'd only have to keep the latest message
to have the entire thread.
2. For stuff I don't want to reply to but want to keep or do something
else with, I've started cutting and pasting relevant sections of messages
when I don't want to keep the whole thing. I just paste to an open document
in WRITE. The I can delete the email and when I'm done reading all my
mail, save or act on the different sections that are now all in one document.
Hope that helps.
John Seiffer
Hi Julie,
I like paper, so I do print out and file the e-mails I want to keep.
The same holds true of forum postings. Forexample, I just printed out
Mandy's posting on the job description and policy software - I recognize
it as good info (thanks Mandy ;-)) and want to keep it but don't need to
save it on my hard drive. Why I saved an e-mail or posting will
determine where I filed it, sometimes in goes in a general CIS file,
sometimes a person file, and sometimes a subject file.
I admit I'm not as good about purging as I should be, but by deleting
some stuff right away, it's just that much less I need to purge.
Hope this helps.
Holly Uverity
Hey Holly-
Thanks for your ideas on orhganzing eMail. Very simple and low maintainance
that's how I like my systems.
Aloha Julie!
<<I'd love to hear the various solutions people have come up with to
organizing their eMail.
For me keeping E-mail on my MAC is a cinch!
I end up saving quite a bit of stuff in order to track multiple projects. For example I have over 150+ filing cabinets created mostly w/a persons name. Much of the correspondence is needed to track the projects for stats, future "copy/paste" material, How To responses (to avoid redundancy & reduce my typing time seeing as I only use 6 fingers :) )... & a lot of "cyt"
Considering that I have to maintain records for the WFH project itself I
have 6 different types of WFH file cabinet folders alone. Within each is
a sub-file many times. Sometimes using a persons name for a specific
WFH task.
<<<e.g. How do you determine what to save and what to delete?
Unfortunately I *have* to save a lot...& fortunately it takes hardly
any space! For example my entire filing cabinet in CIS contains over
3000 msgs & it takes less than 14 megs of space. For me the 'ol HD is
*FAR* better than paper (yuk!) & MUCH QUICKER to find as needed!
Here is a good example. I am currently chairing a showcase for my NSA-HI
Chapter this month...(luckily all the people involved are using e-mail)
The memos to my presenters & committee co-ordinators have consumed a lot
of time & thought...I would normally delete these msgs. after the Showcase
on 5/28 ...& I just learned that the Board will ask me about "lessons
learned". Not only that...I will be using much of my correspondence to
create samples for a Procedure manual I will compile for their future
use (this way anyone who has never run an event before will have all the
doc to follow.. to suit their own needs on the logistics of creating
such an event).
All I can say is I did a HUGE "Whew" when I realized all that I saved
...is needed! For me this "e-mail trail" is enough to trigger the 'ol
memory when needed in the next few weeks :)
<<<Do you create special eMail files on-line or do you move the eMail
you want to keep into your existing computer and/or paper-based files.
Un-unh...I keep it all exactly as I create it on CIM. Why bother moving
it to another area of the HD when if you access the doc. it will tell
you "cannot open document as application cannot be found" (or something
of the like.) You see if it created under CIM...you need CIM to read it
whenever...unless you go thru tons of gyrations to make it a WP document.
<<<<Also, if you work for a large company that coresponds frequently
through eMail--do you have any special tips for organizing and retaining
the information.
Yup. Although I am a "small biz" sometimes I feel like it's a HUGE
operation. In organizing consultations w/many offices lately utilizing
E-mail ...I find many of them cannot find WHAT they want - WHEN they
want it! Seems like technology just moved the problem of *paper* to the
HD :)
Here is what may be considered *obvious* yet - believe me it is often
overlooked:
* Create file folders using first AND last names of people.. regardless
of the fact that you may be buddies (what happens the next time I meet
up w/a "Julie" for instance?)
* Prior to filing a msg. CHANGE the subject matter line to a likely
title if you are choosing to keep the msg. (ie: if I sent you a msg.
called "Howzit" & explained techniques in the forum...you would never
find it.) In changing the topic it creates a duplicate document...just
w/a different title. File the one that works & delete the initial
correspondence :)
* Only leave E-mail that you need to take an action on in your in-basket.
Respond, File or delete the rest.
* If it is an item *you* need for future or constant reference..."forward"
the e-mail to yourself & leave it in the out-basket. (this way if you
ever hit send or send all by accident ...YOU get it back again!)
I have about 8 files in this area that are CONSTANTLY referenced & it
sure cuts down on time!
* Whether you work in a large company or not...utilizing the "file sent
msgs." field is extremely helpful. I have a record of all important
out-going msgs & I either delete them or re-file them under the persons
name or the project it is linked to. I hate to tell you how many times
I have needed to reference these msgs. This was a trick Ilearned in my
other life in the early '80s. In those days one needed a paper trail on
all kinds of stuff & being a techno-head in those days I picked up all
kinds of things that can be used in my afterlife on CIM too!
* The biggest & most valuable tip is ...BACK-IT-UP!!!! All this work
will easily go down the tubes in no time if this simple little step is
omitted ( a voice of experience here - trust me:)!! )
OK! - Hope this helps!!!! And Mahalo nui for your participation!
Aloha,
Julie Signore - NAPO Member
Jules,
<<* The biggest & most valuable tip is ...BACK-IT-UP!!!! All this work
will easily go down the tubes in no time if this simple little step is
omitted ( a voice of experience here - trust me:)!! >>
All the while I was reading your wonderful ideas for organizing eMail,
I was also remembering your disaster of not too long ago. I kept
thinking, "back-up, back-up". Then just as I neared the end of your
message, preparing to respond with my sermon, OH YES! She says it!
"BACK-IT-UP!!!!" Well done, Jules.
Jackie Tiani, NAPO Member
Hey Julie--
Thanks for your detailed response to my question on eMail. You gave me
so much materia;l, I'm going to hjave to sit down with ther instructions
(I printed them out) to guide myself through the learnig curve.
I'll be back in touch with questions as I'm working on the ideas.
Thanks a million,
Julie
Julie -
>>I'd love to hear the various solutions people have come up with to
organizing their eMail.<<
Like Julie S. I file everything electronically - rather print unless I
need to give it to someone else. I use CIM to file all my CS stuff that
I save - via subject. There is shareware to convert CS to word processing
but it's not really that useful. I can print a CS message to PaperMaster
and add text and print or fax if I need to.
Internet e-mail that I want to keep I usually print into PaperMaster and
store it in a folder by subject. Since my internet service provider
only lets me have a certain amount of storage in email, I generally keep
the area pretty clean.
Corp. emails follow pretty much as Julie S said. File electronically by
subject and/or person and/or project. Change the subject line so it is
relevant to you.
Hope this is helpful.
Sincerely,
Sandy Stelter
Hey there Sandy--
>>Internet e-mail that I want to keep I usually print into PaperMaster
and store it in a folder by subject. Since my internet service provider
only lets me have a certain amount of storage in email, I generally keep
the area pretty clean.
>>Corp. emails follow pretty much as Julie S said. File electronically
by subject and/or person and/or project. Change the subject line so it
is relevant to you.
When you say store electronically, are you transferring them to
Documagix also?
Many thanks for your response!
Julie
Julie,
Claris just released new EMail software. I haven't had the opportunity
to buy it yet but I'm going to place a call to them today and ask for a
demo. I subscribe to several online services so retrieving my EMail
takes about 15 minutes. From what I gather, this program automates the
retrieval and transmission of all EMail whether you're on CServe, AOL,
Internet, Prodigy, etc. The number for Claris is 800/293-0617 if this
sounds like it may be of interest. Once I've had the chance to check it
out, I'll post a message and let you know what I learn.
Mikki Lesowitz
Mikki,
I'd be very interested to hear what you think of the e-mail software
from Claris. How about a little on'line review session when you've seen
it???
DJ Watson
DJ,
I spoke with Claris last week and they did not a demo disk available at
the time. I tried to download the demo from their Web site but the
application wouldn't open once it was downloaded.
I think the EMail software is $49.00. I haven't taken the plunge yet,
but when/if I do, I'll be sure to post my thoughts.
Thanks for your interest.
Mikki Lesowitz
Hey Mikki-
Thanks for the info re:Claris's eMail software. Cllaris tends to make
wonderful products. I will probably give them a call. In the meantime,
let me know what you think of it if you try it first.
Thanks,
Julie
Julie,
Please see the note I posted to DJ re: Claris EMail software. If YOU
get to it first, I'd be interested in YOUR thoughts!
Mikki Lesowitz
Thanks Mikki. I'll look for it in the forum. I'll let you know if I
can't find it. Is it a system that works for you?
Julie Morgenstern
Mikki,
I've been using Claris Emailer (on a Mac PowerBook 5300c) for the last 8
months. Someone told me ahead of time that Emailer would change my life!
I was sceptical -- but now agree!
Emailer has some very nice features for filtering your incoming mail
and putting it into filing cabinets, automatically respond to it with
specific files, etc. Very, very slick.
The other great benefit for me is that it creates a common In Box across
the multiple systems where I have email accounts.
Scott Loftesness
Scott,
I was unable to get a demo disk from Claris, but your review speaks for
itself. Thanks for your response. I may have to forego the demo and
just take the plunge.
Mikki Lesowitz