Filertek Dry Erase Hanging File Tabs

4 out of 5 stars

Filotek Dry Erase Hanging File Tabs

Pros reusable – as you can simply erase the label as often as needed snap cover to protect your label clear or color options dry erase very effective snaps easily onto hanging files fits all hanging files each package includes a dry erase pen   Cons do stand taller that standard hanging file tabs doesn’t hold paper inside well

Review

Each year I head to the NAPO conference and end up discovering something new and interesting.  In 2011, one of the things discovered were the Filertek Dry Erase Hanging File Tabs.  Immediately I was fascinated with these, yet some products do not always stand up to their appearance.  These hanging file tabs have – they are exactly what they seem.

What strikes me most about these hanging file tabs is the complete ease of use.  They snap onto the top of all hanging files that I have tried – from the standard thick paper hanging folders to the newer plastic ones, which tend to be a bit thicker than the paper ones.  Since they snap on so easily, they’re easy to attach and dis-attach, which isn’t always the case with the usual plastic tabs for hanging files.

The dry erase feature works beautifully – the ink adheres precisely to the dry erase surface of the tab.  This is in stark contrast to the similar Peter Walsh’s product.  Since the tab has a built in cover, it’s safe from being smudged off.  One of the warnings I was told about was how if it sits for a long time with your label, you’d need to moisten the label to erase it (not unexpected since it’s dry erase).  Whether you purchase the 12 or the 50 pack of tabs, they include a dry erase pen to use with your file tabs.

From what I can tell, these file tabs will last you for your lifetime – they are sturdy and since they are dry erase, you can reuse them indefinitely.  There’s no need to worry about finding (or making) those paper strips to label in order to go inside the plastic file tabs.  Even the snap cover appears to be quite durable yet not difficult to work with.

They come in a variety or colors – you can choose the clear option or you can get assorted colors (4 colors and includes some clear).  Sometimes it’s nice to have some color choices while at other times you might not want the distraction of colors.

There are a couple of possible drawbacks, though I do see these as quite minimal.  First, they stand taller on the hanging files than typical plastic file tabs.  This could easily be something that’s an improvement since it makes them more visible.  In my experience, file drawers and most places you would attach hanging file tabs are not short on space.  This means that the added height of these would be unlikely to cause any difficulty.  Second, if you didn’t want to write on the tabs, but rather wanted to insert paper labels inside the snap cover – the paper slides out.  I didn’t explore this aspect much to test using thicker paper or anything since with the dry erase feature, I don’t see a point of trying to use paper.

The Filertek Dry Erase Hanging File Tabs are a wonderful alternative to the standard hanging file tabs.  They’re easier to use and are indefinitely reusable.  They come completely ready for you to use them – no need to worry about having a dry erase pen on hand, it’s included.  There are some choices, yet not too many – with size and color.  If you need or want an alternative to the typical file tabs – these are definitely worth considering.