5 Tips on How to Fill Out a Digital Logbook Like Zip Shift Book

There is a lot to learn about the interesting, useful business management tool that is the digital logbook, and this information will truly determine how effective this tool turns out to be, and how much value it will add to your business. The most crucial aspect of properly using a digital logbook is this - knowing how to fill out a logbook. Sure, you know what information goes where and you filled out the categories, etc., but until you have started to fill out a logbook, you can't understand how important the organization of your input is.

It is for that reason we are going to present you with five tips, which will help you make the most out of a digital logbook by managing information effectively. Some tips will cover details, some the broader strokes of the information input, but all of them will help you turn a logbook software system into a much more useful one, one that is poised to provide a significant amount of value to the way your business is managed. Let's get into the five tips for how to effectively fill out a logbook.

Don't Make Notes in a Logbook Using Shorthand You Won't Remember

This is a great tip for when you fill out a logbook. You want to be sure that everything you write down is something that you will be able to understand later on. So often we abbreviate words, use contractions, and other tricks to keep the physical writing as quick as possible. While this saves time up front, I can guarantee you will have a moment where you go, Wait, what was I talking about? You need to develop a system, maybe even keep it at the front of your logbook for reference, that outlines what your shorthand means. Make sure you always shorten words in the same spot when you fill out a logbook, using the same punctuation, and you're already ahead of the game.

Double Check Where You're Writing in a Logbook

Something you don't want to run into when you fill out a logbook is the issue of accidentally inputting information into the wrong section. If you're in a rush, this is a really easy mistake to make. Nobody would blame you, but it can still be an unprecedented inconvenience when you realize what you're looking for isn't where you thought you put it, and you need to dig through your logbook to find it. Before you fill out a logbook or write a single word, double check to make sure you are in the right section of the log, and you should be fine going forward.

Keep Initial Logbook Notes Brief

What you want to do when you fill out a logbook, is make your initial notes as short as possible, especially those regarding communication with staff members. The reason for this is two-fold; first, you want to do this so the staff member doesn't think you're ignoring them, but also because it gives you the chance to make sure the information you do take down is correct. This might sound a bit counterintuitive, but think about it; if you take short notes when you fill out a logbook, you will be able to keep up with everything being said as it's said, so you don't lose any important details.

Use Bullets and Numbers to Organize Data in a Logbook When Possible

Obviously, not every one of the notes you take in your logbook will be able to support this. However, whenever possible, I recommend you use a bulleted list or numbered list when you fill out a logbook. It will not only make everything more visually appealing, which in turn makes it easier to read, but it will also make the information more substantial by being easy to organize and separate.

Be Willing to Delete Personal Data From a Digital Logbook

When you are interacting with your employees, there is a good chance that some personal information about them may come up; I'm talking about significant things, like their address, phone number, bank account number, and other information that may be used by someone with malicious intent to do some serious damage. If this information ever ends up in the logbook, be sure to transfer it somewhere more secure and delete it from the log. I would, however, note in its place that you have done this, so the record of you receiving the information remains intact.

We hope that you've found this discussion of how to fill out a logbook useful and that this article can serve as a sort of guide to filling out this business management tool in the future. As we mentioned in the introduction, creating a logbook is only the first step; you must be able to accurately fill out a logbook for it to be of any real value. This information should serve as the first step towards that end.

The Zip Shift Book digital logbook is not the only solution provided by Hubworks that can benefit your business. Other Hubworks tools, such as Zip Schedules and Zip Forecast, also help to improve the bottom line of your business by monitoring scheduling, labor hours, and sales. To find out more information about how other Hubworks solutions can benefit you, check out our article which discusses the 7 Ways Forecasting and Workforce Planning Can Increase Your Profits, and is also on the Hubworks Blog.