Organization is probably the biggest factor in being a successful mystery shopper.

I thought it might be neat to see how everyone keeps organized. I am shopping full-time, so I have tons of paperwork on a daily basis to keep track of.

Here's how I do it:

I have an AOL account and use their calendar to schedule all of my shops/assignments.

On my computer, I have a folder for each company for whom I shop. In these folders I keep folders for the types of shops. Example: company X folder will have folders for restaurant ABC, electronics store PDQ, office supply company HFT. In these folders I store the shop guidelines, scanned invoices, receipts, photos. I like to put the shop ID # in the name of the files, so I can find it quickly if need be.

I also have a spreadsheet set up to keep track of completed shops and paid shops. I'm thinking of offering the template for sale on ebay for $5 or so. It's very comprehensive.

I also keep an expanding file folder in my car. I use this to place completed shop paperwork and receipts. Keeps everything together, so I can carry it all in to report my shops at the end of the day. I actually bought the expanding file folder as the required purchase on one of my assignments!

I have a clipboard, where I place my paperwork the night before, in order of how I will perform my shops. The other day I performed 8 shops and this helped me know where I was going next.

Finally, I print out a map with directions with each of my stops in order. This helps me keep track of what shop is next and with mileage (tax deductible!).

What do you do?

I have a big desk calendar next to my computer. I fill in each shop as it is scheduled. I print out my paperwork the night before and keep it on a clipboard.

I have another clipboard for shops completed. I use my own simple spread sheet, date, company, location, assignment ID, pay, reimbursement, expenses, miles and date paid.

I have a file box, bought it on a shop for required purchase, I keep folders for each company I work for. On the outside, I record money owed and on the inside, money paid. My completed reports and pay stubs go in the folder.

I have all the companies I work for regularly under favorites on my computer. I use the save password feature so I don't have to look them up each time. I do try to use the same password as much as possible.

Making the world a better place to shop, one assignment at a time.

I find the simpler I keep it, the easier it is to be organized.

I use a small pocket calendar to enter shops IN PENCIL (in case I need to change a date for a shop) I write everything down in it like times for cerain shops to be completed so I can plan my day to know where to go first. Also keep track of milage.
I use a portfolio type of folder to keep track of my paperwork with the information needed for each shop.
I carry a small tape recorder to "remember" everything from a shop instead of taking time to write everything down, then when I get home, I have everything on tape and can pause and replay as needed.
I have only one BIG complaint! I have just acquired a camera phone to use, and can not figure out how to get real clear pictures from it. I found that using a camera phone for unrevealed shops that require pics a better fit than trying to hide a camera. Any suggestions?? It is called a "Chocolate."

Wow! you really are organized! I plan to take advantage of your ideas...especially using the pc for filing. My file is getting full of manilla folders. Thanks and keep on shopping.

Excellent
I have no paperwork, and wow, I am impressed.

I have large three ring binders that are sectioned off for each company. I 3 hole punch all reports, guideline and receipts and just keep them in the binders. I have another binder that is organized by alphabetical order in which I keep a cheat sheet for each job. When I get a job, I make a cheat sheet of important observations I need to make, copy it to take with me and file the cheat sheet in that binder. Next time I get that same assignment, I just pull out he cheat sheet, copy it again and I'm all set to go. I also keep a spreadsheet of all assignments, how much they pay and when I got paid. A large calendar sits beside my computer for keeping track of when jobs must be done.

I am paying a company now, they have never sent me a job.

I just use folders sort of. I am not very organized. I am getting alot of good ideas.
Thanks

I try to order a book last month called How to write to right for mystery shopping. I was going to recieved the book in two dayt, but now it has been two monthes.

lots of good ideas i think I will try some of them. i have been keeping my files in a cabinett i like the pc idea.

I too keep all my pictures I take under a file named by town an shop number. I keep these under my computer "My Pictures" Very easy to download to and very easy to access when needed. I keep all my files in a file cabinet under the company I did these shops for. When doing the shops, the night before I make sure that all my paper work is in order and I have reviewed it and Map Quest it out. This also helps me keep track of my mileage. The ones I have not been paid for I keep them in a seperate file until I am paid. Each day goes by I come up with another idea that helps me out in keeping things organized. Organization I have found out is so important to mystery shopping. Good Luck in your organization efforts.

I use Excel Spreadsheets for complete list of Mystery Shopping Companies. I have their information in alphabetical order with notes as to whether or not they are with BBB, if complaints have been files, etc.
I have separate worksheets for each company for which I shop. I have companies and locations listed along with date shop is due, amount due, date paid, etc. I enter them in black. I change color to red (shop address and date due) when I have completed the shop. Then change color to red when I have been paid for the shop.
I keep file folders on completed shops. I include copies of my submissions.
I have a Word document with tips that I pick up from different sources.
Hope this helps.

I use a palm pilot, and an excell spread sheet. I keep track of the jobs that I do on the Palm and my book keeping on excell. I have been shopping for about 9 months and have only missed 3 shops. I now get some high paying shops as well as e-mails to do shops before they are posted to the sites. Once the shops are done I tend to keep just the first page of the shoppers report and receipt or business card in a monthly folder. Hope this helps.

I do the folder thing on my desktop. Broke down to different companies. Inside each company the different establishments-under each of them I broke it down by month/year. Then under each month I have the job number. In my files names of each assignment I include the date and job number. Anything that I have to print I staple it together with the receipt. I put the car mileage. If I have to pay my son to do a M rated Game shop. I put that on there too. Then I enter the shop information on word and excell. WHen the utility bills are paid I enter them on a separate excell worksheet. Some of it is deductible for home office expense for the IRS. I try to keep everything I need together in one location. Once I have it all down as totals all I need is the totals to file my taxes. I put it together as a huge tax file. When tax time comes I can enter it into my tax program real quick.

The problem I have is my husband pay all the bills. Throws them in box. When I go to get them, I don't have the complete bills. He doesn't put the date he paid the bill or the check number. If he goes to the store and he buys paper or printer cartridges, He loses the receipt before he gets home. That gets kind of fustrating. For the bills I am gonna put a icon on there that says please enter the bills on this form, print it out and staple it to the paper and put it in my IRS box. I hope it works.

I have a rep for being organized, but you should see my apartment now. I average 3-5 shops daily, and sometimes I'll squeeze in a shop or 2 during the weekend. By the time I finish shopping, I start dropping into bed. Needless to say, the paper gets tossed on the side. I need a secretary. Hey wait a minite, I'm it.

Well, I tried in the begining to keep organized by having a manila pocket folder for each company. Now the folders are screaming because they are packed. They do hold a lot, but if I do a lot of jobs for any particular company, the folder gets stressed. I cleared out a file drawer and still have folders sitting on the floor next to my desk.

Well, here goes. I started taking big 3-ring binders and making up cheat notes so that I don't have to download and print guidelines/instructions/briefing every time I conduct the same shop. With each month, I will review the particulars against my cheat sheet to note any changes from month to month. These cheat sheets are filed with alphabetical tabs by company shopped as opposed to company shopped for. That way I am looking for the shop name and may have several different cheat notes for one company becasue I may do an assignment at the same location for different companies.

My next organizational task will be to make, I started already, 3-ring binders with shop review forms/questionnaires/surveys. I am using alpha tabs and I can compare these against the most recent form to see if anything has changed. Who wants to print that up again. It is suggested that a person review this paperwork before conducting each shop so they will know exactly what they arre looking for during the shop. Sometimes there are surprises if one just opens the form to submit the shop without having read the form in advance.

I will also 3-ring bind shop requirements/guidelines/instructions/shop information/scenarios to avoid having to print those again. The schedulers will usually point out if there have been changes since the last time the client was shopped. If there has been a change, I will print the most current version and shred the old version. If you don't have one already, a shredder has become my best friend.

What about all those receipts that have to be kept for future reference. I'm not obsessed with 3-ring binders, but they will once again fill that need. Everything will once again be filed alphabeticall by company shopped.

How do I keep my head on straight about all the shops that I have scheduled and shopped. Thank God for Excel. When I first started this Mystery Shopping think, I knew that I would be overwhemled, if I decided to keep at it. Well I have an Excel spread that is updated several times a day. These column headers work for me. Column 1 = # column that lets me know exactly how many shops I have done. Column 2 = job #/assignment # because some companies require that the # be entered before the report can be completed. Column 3 = Company...that the company I am shopping for (i.e. Trendsource). Column 4 = Shop...that is the company that I am shopping at (i.e. McDonald's). Column 5 = Location...City, Mall, Street, etc. whatever I decide to place in that column that will help me map out my shop plan for that day. I don't want to have to backtrack so it helps to picture in my mind where I will be going that day. Column 6 = the type of shop (i.e. restaurant, cellular, purchase-return, audit, etc., Column 7 = Grade...Before I enter a grade in that column, I will put in any special things that I need to remember about that particular shop. I will place shoop hours in that column someetimes a shop must be perform during certain hours. I will also place the departments that need to be shopped for a particular client. Column 8 = Applied...I like to not when I applied for a particular shop. This column can also contain "self", if the shop was a self assign shop. Column 9 = Assigned...that date that the applied shop was assigned to me. Column 10 = Start...this column contains the shop start date. Column 11 = Due...this is the due date. By having colums 10 and 11, I can see the shop window. I know that I can't start before the start date and I must submit by the end date. Column 12 = Shopped...this is the date that the shop was performed. Column 13 = Start...this is an hourly value that represents that time that I started the shop. Column 14 = End...this is the time that the shop was completed. Column 15 = Time...this is column 13 minus column 12. Column 16 = Fee...Pay value. Column 17 = Payday...before it becomes payday, I will usually enter the amount that will be reimbursed on certain shops. Once I am paid for a shop, I will enter the date that the payment was received.

This same type of sheet can be produced with a pending header to keep track of shops that I have requested to be assigned to. This is my way of keeping track so I that I don't schedule too many shops on the same day or schedule something that may create a conflict.

Well it's time to get shopping.

Happy Shopping Today and Always.

After I had been mystery shopping a while, I commented to my husband that there is an awful lot of paperwork involved. He listened to what I do and agreed. I started typing on a manual typewriter, so I have a lot of secretarial skills that nobody else uses today. I understand that several shoppers use Excel, so I took an Excel class. While I was impressed with what Excel can do, I was not sure I wanted to use it just yet. I learn mostly visually, and how I organize things helps me remember. My files provide a memory shortcut as well as information I may have forgotten.

I have tried three-ring binders but the drawback for me is that if something goes in it, it never comes out. Also, I find it inconvenient to carry them around and to add to and use them. I also dislike extending files because they are never the right size and information tends to get lost in that little slot.

Right now, this is what I do. I need to keep track of all the companies, who their clients are, contact information, and the schedulers' names. I need to keep track of my jobs by month and by company. I also need to know who owes me, who has paid me and how much I am making per month. In addition, I need to know what's on my calendar.

I use colored file jackets (not file folders, file jackets--similar to expanding files but they don't expand and are only one pocket). Each one has a purpose. Green means today. Yellow means this week. Purple is for next month. Red is for extra merchandising papers that get in the way with the mystery shopping information. I have others of different colors that I use for storing working papers. I carry a green one around marked "Photocopies, etc." We no longer have a photocopier in our home so I have to go out to get extra copies of a form that managers sign, copies of receipts that are mailed, etc.

When I do a shop, I run off my copy of the finishesd report, attach the supporting information such as a receipt or a business card, and file it in a 9x12" manila envelope. I write on the side the name of the mystery shopping company, date, client, sometimes the town or address if pertinent, and how much is owed. It doesn't take much time. Sometimes there are several shops in an envelope for the same MS company. I file them in a computer box which I reinforced with strapping tape. Down the sides, I have #10 envelopes for mailing receipts, invoices, etc., empty manila envelopes, and photocopies of a couple of maps for areas I frequent. When it gets full, I start looking for things to cull because I refuse to take up any more space for storage. I probably should also write on the envelope how long the company wants me to keep the papers. Once culled, they go in the shredder. I don't reuse the envelopes because they don't last long and because they already have writing on them. Perhaps I should.

I type a calendar which I add to with an inkpen until I need to retype it about mid-month. I attach the monthly calendars to the daily file jacket and next month's file jackets with paper clips. They are only for reminders since I write the information in a "real" calendar that I carry around with me. When I am done with the final version, it becomes a record of my shops that I put in the monthly record folder. I keep it on the computer, too. I have a fear of one or the other getting lost, so I like duplicate files.

In addition, I have a monthly pay record where I list the company, the date and how much was paid, totaled each month. When the year is over, I will go to another monthly record and file that one away since it is only important how much I am making this year.

Right now, I have registered with probably 1/3 of the companies I ultimately hope to. So I have a big clip on the stash of papers that have everything about my companies. I started out a few months ago making a "tickler file" in a file box. (I told you I have skills nobody else uses.) It was nice until I dropped the box. By that time, I was already putting them in this record because I realized that flipping a sheaf of papers is faster than flipping cards. I have my sheaf of papers "trained" so I can flip to my favorite companies. I find this easier when I am searching for something than to go to the computer, which might be busy, or might be acting up at that moment.

I write any companies I hear about on this alphabetical list. At first, I thought that would get in the way of what I am looking for, but it doesn't. I have boldface, underlining, and modified chart format, so I know what I am looking for.

I also have a one-page short record of my favorite companies with my user name and password for them. I can use it to quickly check their job boards.

Since many of my schedulers call me, I have begun adding their phone numbers to my cell phone.

The main thing any person should remember is that something that works for someone else may not work for them, but we can get ideas by reading what others are doing.

I know that eventually I will find something that works better, but right now this does. I designed it to accommodate my own searching habits.

I have a file cabinet with all the companies I have done shops for. In those separate files are the completed shops and all their pertinent paperwork and receipts. In the very front of my file cabinet is one section where I keep all my unpaid shops. Once I am paid for those shops, I make a copy of the check or keep the check stub and attach it to the paper work. I then subsequently place it into its appropriate completed file.

I keep a calender on the wall and a date book next to my computer where I write down my shop for that week, month etc... Once they are completed I cross them off in my date book.

When I print all the paper work for my shop, I clip it to a clip board and hang it next to my wall calender in the order in which the shops must be completed. I find that when the time comes to do the shop, my paperwork is right there and ready to go.

In one of the recent get organized summaries. I read an idea that I thought was great. It was, write down on the paperwork what company the shop was done for and how much is due. This just make the matching up of payment stubs and copied checks easier because not all paper work say the companies name on it. Saves for confusion and you having to go into the companies web site to check on history.

I just need to perfect a way to show all this at tax time. I am looking into excel and finding a program that will have all this in print when it is time to pull it all up.

My way is easy, uncomplicated, and it works for me. No color folders, binders, extra anything. Everything is kept in one place and easily accessible.

I use excel, and everything is colour-coded. Such as, if a shop pays $15, it is listed under the payment column as $15. The shops which haven't been paid yet are in one colour, and the shops I have been paid for have a green background.
The companies I work for all have their own certain colour as a background behind their name. This way I can tell at a glance which companies are keeping me busy, and which dribble in.
My dates are colour-coded. One colour for future shop dates, one for already finished shops, and red for shops which are coming up very soon.
I also have the date it should be paid, whether they pay with paypal or check, if there was a required purchase and for how much, and what scores I received on my shop.
I have a folder in my documents I keep all of my shop info in.

One problem with some of the ways that have been mentioned about keeping records is that companies combine payments (I'm not saying they shouldn't!) and we don't know exactly which shops they are paying. I think their check stubs should be itemized, or, if there were a lot of shops with that company that pay period, they should send a separate list. Just putting the site number on the check stub would help tremendously. Most don't do this. One company I deal with doesn't even put the date on the check stub.

One thing I do own that makes doing shops so much easier is a GPS. Now that I have it, I would be lost without it. Saves me on gas also because now I don't get lost.
It is not perfect, but the GPS comes through for me 98% of the time.

Great ideas!

I only have papers.

First the papers filled my computer desk. Then my bedroom.

I put a box out in the hall, and the papers started to travel down the stair.

I bought a little three drawer rubbermaid thing, and that helped. At least I could throw away some duplicates.

The kids won't mind when I throw their stuff on the terrace, so I can put papers in their closets.

Green Peace has a warrant out for me, for killing trees. (Some of the shop companies are also guilty as charged.)

My fax machine/scanner is starting to wheeze and demand overtime.

I'm a shrink. I took 15 cases at a time, max. Fifteen little folders fit in my desk. I never had a secretary, I took care of things myself. NOW I need a secretary.

Is there a 10 Step Program for over extended shoppers?

PS Its not that bad, though I might use some of your suggestions. But you have to keep on it, every second, or it keeps growing like a politician's lies.

gentlesky0 (Beth) -

ROFLMO!! Too funny! I think all of us (well, MOST of us) can relate and have "been there, done that".

"....papers in their closets."...Priceless!!

I am powerless over my papers and it is making my life unmanageable. I decided to get organized. I have a picture in my mind as to what I need to do to get this forrest full of paper organized. I have my MSP folders. Then I got this rocket scientist idea a while back to create cheat notes. As I read the guidelines I create a cheat sheet that summarizes the sometimes 7-10 page guidelines. Now I have something that is 2-3 pages long and it gives me the step by step of what I need to do. I center the company name and the MSP company on the top so that I can easily locate it later when I sign up to do another. I have over 200 Word documents with cheat notes. It has really paid off. When I take a shop, I'll browse the instructions/guidelines on the computer and compare it to my cheat notes. If it is exactly the same shop, I don't have to print it again. I will update my cheat sheet if the shop has changed a tad. I will print the sheet that contains all of the important specifictions (date due, time frame, amount paid, etc.). I will attach my cheat notes to the specs and then put it on my clipboard in chronologinal order. The night before the shop is due, I will transfer everyhting for the next day onto another clipboard and take that with me. I also check out the locations and chart my day with Rand McNally. I print a copy of my day's travel plan and take it with me. The hard copy of the travel sheet is used later to input my mileage travelled for each shop.

I also keep a hard copy of all of the different forms in two 3 ring binders. By the way, do they have 10" binders? LOL. I would like to have a binder large enough to keep all of the guidelines,together. I file them, not by MSP, I file them alphabetically by company. That makes more sense to me. I may have done McDonalds for a couple of different companies and I don't feel that MSP tabs are necessary, too much work. I just go from A - Z by company not MSP.

I also keep copies of shop forms. If the form is the same, why print it again.

The vision in my mind is clear, A binder for guidelines/instructions, a binder for shop forms,and my favorite is my cheat sheet binder. I used it today as I went off to perform a shop that I had done before.

I need someone to do my filing and I am it. Too bad I can't just burn it all.

To avoid too many pieces of paper, I print 2 pages per sheet and use both sides - so 4 individual pages fit on one page.

Check with each MS company about how long you need to keep the paperwork. Many companies only need you to keep it until you get paid. So about once a month, after being paid I check what paperwork I can dump and put in the recycle box.

I have a CC that I use just for mystery shopping - that way I can keep track of it more easily and for tax purposes it won't matter so much if I lose a receipt.

I also keep an Excel spreadsheet with a separate worksheet for each company. I also have a 'Totals' worksheet, a 'To Shop' worksheet and a sheet with all the companies I've applied to, their website addr, my login and password. These can be sorted easily and I'm sure I would have forgotten some jobs if it weren't for my spreadsheet.