How to Organize Your Electronic Files

Time to Read:  Under 2 minutes

This is the second in a series of three articles on managing your electronic files.  Last month’s newsletter described the various options available for electronic file storage.  Did you choose your default location?  If not, you may want to read the October article.
 
Once you have decided where you are going to save files, the next step is how.  If you don’t determine beforehand how you will organize your electronic files, you will have a hot mess in a very short amount of time.
 
I recently helped a team of 13 project managers dig through a huge, disorganized shared network drive, develop a better filing system, and trained each team member on the new structure and best practices on electronic file management.  Do you see a similar project in your future? 
 

Tips to organize your electronic files:

1. Document the type of information that will be stored in the system and the departments or people needing access to specific files.
2. Set up a folder/subfolder system that everyone will be comfortable with and will use.
3. Mirror the headings and topics in your paper (and email) system. The more similar the two systems are the better.
4. Limit the number of clicks as much as possible. Every subfolder is an additional click.
5. Construct file naming conventions that everyone will find meaningful and easy to understand.
6. Use underscores or dashes, not spaces, in file names. Example: JonesTom_3579_11-30-14.pdf.
7. Do not use special characters : / \ . , [ ] { } ( ) ! ; " ' * ? < > | & @
8. Use a consistent format for dates.  If you work with people overseas, remember that they may format dates differently.
9. Add as much information into the file name as possible so it will not be necessary to open it to know what it is.
10. Avoid abbreviations and acronyms that are not obvious to everyone.
11. Delete previous revisions once the document is final.
12. Create (or follow) a records retention schedule to ensure that outdated electronic documents are disposed of when they are no longer needed.
13. Be brutal about the documents you save. The more data to search through, the more difficult it is to find necessary documents.
14. Move frequently-used files or folders to the top of the list by inserting an underscore at the beginning of the file name.
15. Back up files regularly.

 
Letting your electronic files grow untamed into a jungle of information is not only inefficient but also frustrating.  Please contact me to help you, your team, or your entire organization manage your electronic information assets in an organized and productive manner.
 

Please forward this newsletter to others.  They can subscribe here.

 

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Next Month's Newsletter Topic: Searching for that Perfect File?

For many people, December is a time for searching, searching, searching…  In that spirit, we will wrap up our discussion of electronic file management with a review of desktop search tools. 
 
If you have any search tips or favorite desktop search tools, please email me!
 
Look for the newsletter toward the middle of December – I don’t want it to get lost in the holiday hoopla.