Let’s be real—manual admin work has had a good run, but in 2025, it’s officially past its expiry date. Tasks that used to be considered part of the job—filing documents, chasing signatures, digging through email chains—are now productivity killers. They slow your team down, create bottlenecks, and eat away at the time you could be spending on high-impact work.
The good news? These tasks are now completely automatable—and if you’re still doing them manually, you’re leaving time (and money) on the table. Here are five admin tasks that should be firmly off your to-do list in 2025—and what to do instead.
1. Saving and Filing Emails Manually
If your inbox is still doubling as your document management system, it’s time for an intervention. Manually saving email attachments, dragging files to client folders, or forwarding emails to colleagues isn’t just time-consuming—it’s a recipe for lost documents and miscommunication.
Why it’s a problem:
- Wastes time every day, especially during busy periods
- Leads to inconsistent file naming and misfiled documents
- Increases the risk of data loss or duplication
What to do instead: SuiteFiles allows you to save emails (and their attachments) directly to the correct client folder in just a couple of clicks. Better yet, you can file emails straight from Outlook, with folder suggestions based on your recent activity. This ensures your records are always complete, consistent, and accessible.
✅ Automation win: No more manual dragging, no more lost attachments.
2. Chasing Clients for Signatures
Sending a document, waiting, following up… and following up again. Sound familiar? Signature delays are one of the most frustrating bottlenecks in any workflow. And they’re entirely avoidable.
Why it’s a problem:
- Adds days (or even weeks) to approval timelines
- Requires constant monitoring and reminders
- Causes client frustration when documents get lost or stuck
What to do instead: With SuiteFiles, you can send documents for digital signing straight from the platform and let the system take care of the follow-up with automated reminders. You can also track progress in real-time and get notified as soon as a document is signed.
✅ Automation win: Set it and forget it—SuiteFiles handles the chasing for you.
3. Manually Creating Common Documents
Still copying and pasting client names into engagement letters? Manually editing recurring contracts? Not only is it tedious, it’s a breeding ground for human error.
Why it’s a problem:
- Increases risk of typos and incorrect information
- Eats into time that could be spent on high-value work
- Slows onboarding and internal workflows
What to do instead: Use SuiteFiles’ document templates with merge fields to automatically populate client details like names, dates, and job specifics. Whether you’re preparing proposals, letters, or contracts, what used to take 20 minutes now takes 2.
✅ Automation win: Professional, error-free documents—at speed and scale.
4. Creating Folders From Scratch for Every Job or Client
If your team is still manually setting up new folders every time you onboard a client or open a new job, you’re spending time on a task that could be automated in seconds.
Why it’s a problem:
- Inconsistent folder structures cause confusion
- New team members don’t know where to save or find documents
- Manual setup takes time and creates risk of missing key folders
What to do instead: With SuiteFiles’ folder generation templates, you can create a complete folder structure—pre-named and ready to go—with just a few clicks. This ensures consistency across the team and makes onboarding smoother for staff and clients alike.
✅ Automation win: Standardized, scalable file organization without the effort.
5. Digging Through Files to Find the Right Version
Ever opened a document, edited it, then realized someone else was working off a different version? Or worse—had to redo work because you weren’t working off the latest file? That’s friction fatigue in action.
Why it’s a problem:
- Creates duplicate work and confusion
- Risks sending the wrong version to clients or colleagues
- Slows down collaborative work and increases stress
What to do instead: SuiteFiles’ version control and live collaboration tools mean everyone’s working from a single source of truth. You can view, revert, or compare previous versions as needed—and work on files simultaneously without risking overlaps.
✅ Automation win: Confidence you’re always working from the right version, no matter who’s involved.
Bonus: What You Gain by Automating These Tasks
By taking these five admin tasks off your plate, you can reclaim 5–10 hours per week, reduce costly errors, and free up your team for work that actually moves the business forward. It’s not about working harder—it’s about working smarter.
In 2025, manual admin is no longer a necessary evil—it’s just unnecessary. SuiteFiles helps you streamline your workday so you can spend more time focusing on your clients, your team, and your goals.
Ready to drop the busywork? Book a demo and start your year with workflows that work for you.
