Multiple Telephone Numbers - Easy Organization Tip

Business owners have dozens of telephone numbers to track. Many individuals do, too.

Keeping track of telephone numbers becomes a time consuming chore, and I have tried every organizational system imaginable.

Photo Credit: klynslis’ photos 403783768_6f08f1e154_m_1Multiple Telephone Numbers - Easy Organization Tip
I have used a Rolodex, business card holders, manually entered numbers into multiple cellular phones, (over and over before the SIM card came along), and entered numbers into all kinds of costly address/phone number type gadgets that were suppose to make life easier for me, and save me time.

I found myself spinning the Rolodex hunting for a number under the specified letter, with hopes it was filed correctly, flipping through pages of the business card holder, or spending time scrolling through dozens of names and numbers in phones or gadgets, until I got to the right one.

I said to myself, “there has to be an easier way”

And there is:

I opened my Excel spreadsheet program (any spreadsheet program will work)

Using three columns, I typed in three headers

Name

Office

Cell

I then typed in all of our clients names and corresponding telephone numbers - in no particular order.

I highlighted the three columns, and alphabetized the information.

I edited the spreadsheet to print the grid lines, set the font to my liking, set print area, and hit print.

All of my important telephone numbers fit onto two sheets of paper.

I placed the two sheets, back to back, into a plastic sheet protector.

I now have all of my important telephone numbers at my finger tips.

If I need to add a number, I go back to my saved telephone number file, insert a blank line, type in the new information, and reprint/resave.

So simple, so easy, and best of all, the least expensive method.

An added tip, print your telephone numbers on colored paper, making it stand out from the white paper that arrives on your desk.

You now have all of your telephone numbers alphabetized in an organized manner.

How easy is that?

For more ways to organize your office by color, read Organizing Your Office With Color

Tags: address phone number, business card holder, business card holders, excel spreadsheet, grid lines, important telephone numbers, least expensive method, photo credit, plastic sheet protector, sim card, spreadsheet program

February 25, 2008 | Filed Under Archives, At Home, At Work, Organizing

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2 Responses to “Multiple Telephone Numbers - Easy Organization Tip”

CatherineL on February 27th, 2008 12:07 pm

Hi Barbara - this sounds like a great idea. We used to use a Rolodex - the trouble was, we shared it and nobody could be bothered to go get the rolodex when we wanted to add to it.

And I’m always losing business cards, which is annoying. It would be great to have all contacts in one place like this where we can see them. I’ll try it.

CatherineL’s last blog post..Success: Are You On The Wrong Path?
Barbara on February 27th, 2008 2:20 pm

Hi Catherine,

This method is so easy, cheap and works like a charm. I hate digging to find phone numbers. Now I have them all at my fingertips, and am not wasting time
Barbara’s last blog post..Multiple Telephone Numbers - Easy Organization Tip