Question: Is there an easy way to keep art files so I can find them later?
Answer: While this technically is not an accounting question, cataloging your art files is important for keeping your order management organized.
During my distributor days, I kept a folder in my documents called “Art.” I would keep all my client art there, and use my customer’s name and the purchase order (PO) number as the file name: ABC Company PO 1234.
Today, I notice some of my clients include the type of product in the file name as well: ABC Company PO 1234 Keyrings.
The goal is to make it easier to find the art file again should you need it. With this system, all of the various art files for ABC Company will show up together when searching by file name.
It was common for my clients to tell me to use the same art they supplied for their last orders. I would then either put the new PO number on a copy of the file or just add the PO number to the file name: ABC Company PO 1234, 1345.
Whatever system you choose, be consistent so you can find your client’s art easily. It will save you a great deal of time with your orders.
QuickBooks Premier and Enterprise can be modified to better serve ad specialty distributors. Harriet Gatter is a QuickBooks ProAdvisor, a former accounting professor and a former ad specialty distributor. She advises ad specialty distributors to use QuickBooks Premier and Enterprise, often in conjunction with other industry-specific software, to manage the complexities of the ad specialty business, with the results being time saved, errors eliminated and an overall accurate accounting of your business. Contact her at [email protected]
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I have a great piece of software for my Macs – DiskCatalogMaker. As long as you know the file name – either a job number, or the customer, or part of a name such as “ChicagoSkyline” you can find it – I store much of my data a CDs for BackUp AND large external dives – and when I create a new CD or have had additions to the drives I run the Catalog function – it records and saves the list and then I can run a such and it will tell me “CD408” File: “Connections” or “Sue1” File: “George”. It still works great and better then it did in the early 90’s!
That sounds like a great piece of software. Thank you for sharing the information! Does that work with PC’s as well?