Books of accounts

In my partnership and proprietorship firm i maintain bank payments file in which i file all the vouchers according to serial number of cheque number. We do not maintain it date wise. So if i want to search for a particular voucher or bill i have to first open tally and in party ledger account find when the payment is made, see the narration in which cheque number is written and then search in my bank payments file according to the cheque number. Is this the correct way to record in books??? If not please guide me as to how should i maintain them. Also guide me how to maintain a journal voucher file? Which voichers to be kept in that file?Thank you in advance