Most of us are about keeping things simple. Especially business people. So many things to remember, so many things to do, so many steps to take.
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If you work with a product or software application long enough, you figure out ways to make it work for you and the ways that you like to do things. Take billable time, for example. Specifically, keeping track of your billable time with clients, either for meetings or for working on their projects.
I’ve simplified this process by utilizing color coding for calendar items. Combined with the To Do Bar in Outlook 2007, I’m easily able to see what’s coming up on my calendar that is of a billable nature…something that’s always very important to a business owner.
For me, this is a process that I’ve integrated into my business by combining my Outlook calendar, Business Contact Manager 2007, and Microsoft Office Accounting. I track my billable time on my calendar, link it to customer record in Business Contact Manager, and create the invoice item directly from the calendar item. See what I mean? Simple and easy.
Also, as a bonus, you can assign multiple color categories to any item. What this means is that you can have something color coded as a billable item AND for a particular project. Again, the benefit of using colors for calendar items is the ability to easily see what is coming up on your calendar by using the To Do Bar on the right.
Now, take this same concept and apply it to other things on your calendar that could be color coded for easy visual identification on the To Do Bar. Maybe billable items are not something you track. Perhaps you’re more project focused. You’ll benefit from color coding items on your calendar based on the project you’re working on. Using these simple features in Outlook 2007 can really help you identify the nature of what’s coming up on your calendar.
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