Keeping track of notes/references at work

[NS4U]

Does anyone have a good system of tracking things they come across (notes and such) at work so that they can save them for the future?

For example, today I hunted the ASTM spec for the corner radius of HSS tubes. In a couple years I may need this again... any suggestions on a filling system so that I have quick acess to this? Electronic or otherwise?

 

[jorton]

I wouldn't count on the backup. We had a 4 disc server that was supposed to be self redundant. We backed it up with a second 2 disc server and tape backup. Our IT consultant said it was impossible for us to ever lose anything. I think overkill was the term they liked to use. We had discs go out on both servers at the same time. Then we figured out that our tape backup wan't operating correctly. We lost over a month's worth of work. I don't trust the electronics. I keep a paper copy of almost everything.

 

[SteveMort]

MathCad by Mathsoft is an excellent tool for organizing calculations, formulas, and notes. I have developed detailed "live" calculation worksheets for many structural components from concrete to steel, wood, engineered lumber such as LVL's, and even composite members like flitch beams. I keep them up to date with code changes and whenever I need to design something like a base plate or a concrete retaining wall, I open a template and revise the input data accordingly. I like MathCad much more than a conventional spreadsheet like Excel because the formulas are displayed just as you would see them in a reference book and you can insert explanatory text to cite references, etc.

http://www.mathsoft.com

 

[NS4U]

what about calcs? Does anyone find it useful to PDF hand calcs (for example) and store those electronically?

 

[whyun]

For calcs, I use my "memory" to recollect which projects had similar calcs to use as a sample. More often than not, my memory serves me quite well.

I used to have a collection of MadCAD docs nicely organized by a decent directory structure but haven't updated or used the program in ages. I still have similar collection of Excel sheets.

As for pdf'ing example calcs, I haven't had time or energy yet. In a design office, though, it is a good idea to have sample hand calcs for various topics in design reference binders in a library where engineers have access.

 

[renko]

I seem to have bits of everyones ideas going at once - pdfs on hard drive at home and the office, ring binders with index, box folders, etc.

I like the idea of the excel spreadsheet with hyperlinks to all my stuff - but it would take an age to catalogue everything now.

Wouldn't a photographic memory be great!