Data/File Organization

I have been thinking about doing the same.

My thought is to keep the same file system on digital form

The same job numbers will connect to the same files that have been given the same folder name and scan all contents into that digital file.

We just replaced our old large format printer last week with one that will do scanning and I would like to scan all our files into digital ones..But just looking at the sheer mass of files (7000+) and other materials makes it hard to get started...

And being out in the field a lot more these days (money saving) puts my office time at a premium!

I worked for a guy that was filing by date only, impossible to find anything. We setup project numbering buy year and project. That was functional. I then suggested a spreadsheet that would cross-reference date, location (plat name in town and section township and range in the rural area), project name and number, client and any nickname for the project. That worked well, as long as it was managed.

He bought another office that had a super filing system. A large number of files (several decades worth) all very good data. He decided to hire my daughter to create a spreadsheet to help find the files he was having trouble finding. She worked all summer and did a fine job. The problem was not solved, seems the folks refused to file, re-file or manage the hard copies. 🙁

If I was doing this on a large scale and looking to be able to use it long into the future I'd put it into a GIS system. Scan all the paper and then attached to either the sections or parcels mapped in the GIS. That way when you went looking you could zoom in on the map and then drill into the available data.

It might not be worth it going back but should be the way forward. Maybe the data could be entered as the need occurs going forward. If your business is large enough you might be able to have some employees hack away at it with their slack time.

I absolutely agree with you about this and it is my preferred solution going forward. I use Maptitude and am going to check to see haw hard it would be to program some sort of tool that would easily link the data. I have most of the data from the counties I regularly work in including tax parcel numbers and that would be the easiest way to originally input/direct the data. Have to keep up with parcel nu,ber changes, but that is not to hard.

the scanner is awesome. we scanned every map in years ago.

before you go too fast, get a good naming scheme and be sure to have the paper size figured out. we had that plan filing system with the plastic 3-ring edge taped to each plan. the scanner wanted to scan a typical size, so to scan a plan we needed to remove the plastic. we missed a hundred or so old septic plans.

we have some septic plans in a different folder, the rest are by client name. when we research through those in the other folder, we put them where they belong.

additionally, some scans need rotation, so we do that as we find them.

we still keep the folders.

as far as referencing, for the past 25+ years, you should have information in a database. we are just finishing the cleaning of the address fields so we can link the data to the GISs. it's on my list of side projects, but that is a long list.

Have to keep up with parcel nu,ber changes, but that is not to hard.

once is easy, twice is annoying, a thousand times is hard.

Managing a hard copy can be a problem. You may have a LIS problem
and not a GIS problem. For example, the 10-page zoning laws for
Wilson County get scanned. Does you have that unique scanned file
put in every section, township, and range? I have seen a bunch of
mortgage inspection mills file by subdivision but leave out the
section, township, and range. Sometimes it is helpful to know the
additional information.

If you do a massive scanning project, be sure to include twaining
which allows you to do searches in the scans for important information.

Very similar situation here. I have 20+ years of records from a surveyor who did excellent work up until 2005. All of his original drawings are ink on mylar. He had a card index by T-R-Sec. that works fine, but I was spending to much time pulling files when researching and most of the time I just wanted to see the drawing when putting together an estimate or talking to some one on the phone. Not to mention that these valuable drawings have no protection from a fire or such.
SOLUTION: My 16 year old daughter (works cheap for gas money) is scanning the drawings and saving them as a PDF. The file name is "Twp-Range-Sec-1/4 - Job Number - Client Name" (ie. 28N13W21SE-043022-Smith). When she is done, I will be able to look at what I have in any area or do a search to fine by number or name. In these economic times and the future ones, I think it is important to me able to pull this information together as I am talking to prospective clients. If they have to wait a day or two for you to get back to them they may already of hired someone else.
Scott

You just have to scan and classify one or two jobs per day... It adds up. When there is nothing better to do in the winter, you can eat up weeks scanning and organizing the data.

Later on we will scan the field notes and other important data, attached it by appending the PDF. Throw out all the paper and file cabinets. 🙂

:good: