I got a call from a client this morning who had received a call from her former webhosting company. They said the expiration date of her credit card had expired. They wanted an update so they could continue billing her for hosting. Hmmm, she thought, “I thought I changed hosts a year ago?!”

She called me to ask who she hosted with (I’ve been doing her website updating), and I confirmed her suspicion that she had, in fact, changed hosts. She doesn’t have her email from that time requesting cancellation so whether she’ll be able to get a refund after all this time is questionable.

This situation brings to mind 2 simple systems I use that keeps track of
1. hosting information
2. order and account information, including cancellation information

1. Hosting information.
I have a spreadsheet with my web accounts information. The spreadsheet includes columns for:
- the website url/company
- a one or two word description of what they do ex. website host
- username
- password

I fill out and print out one of these for each client I do web work for and attach it to their file. For your own print out, either file it in your business binder, or in a folder called “Hosting and Password Info” and then file it with your computer files or business files.

2. Order and Account information via email management.
I use Entourage for my email program which, for all practical purposes, is the Mac version of Microsoft’s Outlook. I created a folder that is labeled “Orders/Accounts” and whenever I send or receive an email that has important account information, such as a request to cancel, I put a copy of the email in this folder. As long as the account is active, I leave all relevant emails in this folder. Important: keep this folder vital! this is not a place for informational emails!

The advanced version of this system: if you can easily create a new email address for yourself and can set up rules in you email program, read on…

Setup a folder called: Orders/Accounts
setup a rule that all emails to accounts@yourdomain.com, ex. accounts@projectsimplify.com, be automatically routed to folder: Orders/Accounts
whenever you send an email with important account information, CC or BCC yourself at accounts@yourdomain.com
whenever you receive an email with important account information, either drag it to the folder, or forward it to: accounts@yourdomain.com