Also, it doesn’t work very well if you’re working on the same file for an extended period of time. Further complicating the storage issue is the need for many businesses to share documents between employees. You may see this disk referred to as the C: drive. Sometimes what's old is obvious as in the example of the folder named "Invoices" above. If file A is to do with client X, it goes in folder X. If you've got multiple projects for the same clients, you can either give each project its own top-level folder or have individual project folders within each client folder. It was time for an upgrade since I spend about 8 hours a day … You can rinse and repeat the following 4-step process every time that you have to deal with many files … The goal when naming files is to be able to tell what the file is about without having to open it and look. Looking for something to help kick start your next project? Harry Guinness is a writer, photographer, traveller, and International Man of Mystery. Never miss out on learning about the next big thing. Unless you've got a large number of similar files then it’s overkill and you won’t be bothered to stick with it. Design templates, stock videos, photos & audio, and much more. Name Files and Folders Intelligently. If you get weekly financial or marketing reports that are the same document just with different numbers then it’s ideal. Doe_John_Proposal.doc.) With that out of the way, are you ready to learn about organizing folders? A project or client-based structure is perhaps the simplest to stick to. I’d recommend you check out Backblaze. Now that you’ve decided how you’re going to organize your files and folders, we need to talk about something very important: backups. Equally annoying is scrambling around at year-end trying to find documents pertaining to company accounts for the accountant or even worse, the taxman. If you’re not a fan of your files being stored in some far-off cloud, … In general, I’d recommend going with a project or client set up by default. This will help you access the files you use more often and neatly store away the files you won't be needing immediate access to. To summarise, save and name right your files and folders from the start, be specific with naming, clean your desktop regularly, use file structure, and color-coding. There are three main ways you can structure your file system: project or client-based, date-based, and file type-based. Host meetups. Finally, when I’m doing something where there’s a chance I might lose a lot of data—like updating my computer—I create a local backup so I can quickly restore things without having to wait for them to download from the internet. A proper document management plan should include all aspects of handling documents, including storage, retrieval, backups, and security. Install Fences. You’ve got files all over your desktop, a Downloads folder crammed with app installers from two years ago, and who knows where the file that Jason from Billings needed yesterday is. On the other hand, if you can’t even keep your shirts and your socks separate, then you need to start with a really simple set up that you'll be able to stick to. Let’s get started. For example, if your document resides in My Documents\Invoices\2017\Customers\Doe_John_20180416.doc and the file is shared or emailed all the recipient will see is the Doe_John_20170416.doc and may not be able to tell that the file is a customer invoice without opening it. there are apps like Hazel that can automate it for you, Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign. As I stressed at the top of this article, the most important thing about creating an organized file structure is that you stick to it. "Naming Conventions." It also has the benefit of making your files accessible from anywhere. The Document Folder Whether you use Windows or Mac, you will likely use the /username/Documents folder on your computer. 1. The month you last used it in? I recently got a new computer. Even if each project or client folder is a little bit messy, things will be a lot better than they were. If you follow these file management tips consistently, even if you don't know where something is, you know where it should be - a huge advantage when it comes to finding what you're looking for. Within an office, this is typically accomplished by using a file server or network attached storage device (NAS).. Try to not go more than three folders deep. If you've got a fast internet connection, are allowed by corporate policy, and don’t work with terabytes of data, then just keeping all the files you work on in a cloud service is a great way to keep it safe. Having a single location for all electronic documents makes it easier to find things and to run backups and archives. Use the Default Installation Folders for Program Files. I actually use one since my work is largely grouped into writing, photographing, and invoicing. Learn how to organize computer files and folders so that you can easily find what you need, and save some storage space on your hard drive. You can shave a “General” project file folder, but that can quickly create more problems than it solves. All your data is gone. It’s so simple to stick to and it'll give your computer a bit of much needed organization. Wherever possible use descriptive file names instead. Use the Default Installation Folders for Program Files, Good File Management Makes Finding What You Want Easy, The Beginner's Guide to Document Management, Your Business Needs a Computer Use Policy—Here’s What to Include, How to Organize an Office Filing System to Speed Up Your Filing, The 8 Best Microsoft Office Alternatives of 2021, Power Up and Be More Productive With These Time Management Tips, How to Use E-File for Federal Business Taxes, Get Organized With These 3 Easy Home Business Filing Systems, Hate Filing? or an AA at the beginning of the file name. Subscribe below and we’ll send you a weekly email summary of all new Business tutorials. And once you've got a file organization system in place it’s really not that hard to stick to. (The terms drive and disk are interchangeable.) "Configuration of the My Documents Folder." © 2021 Envato Pty Ltd. Not only does this mean I've got two offsite copies of all my files, but I've got the option to restore previous versions and restore everything if needs be. Give electronic files logical, specific names and include dates in file names if possible. Do not create complex, deeply-layered folder structures. Envato Tuts+ tutorials are translated into other languages by our community members—you can be involved too! As folders are added over time, you can either keep them at the same level—like Folders 1, 2, and 3 in the chart below—or nest them within each other for a hierarchy—like Subfolders 1B and 1B-1 below. Microsoft. Keep reading for some solutions on how to organize computer files so that you can tidy this area up. Place them Left-to-Right, starting with the top and making your … Do you leave the marketing presentation in the folder for the month it was created in? Now, before diving in we need to address the biggest problem with any file organization system: you. Just having your files well organized isn’t enough, you need to keep them safe. Similarly, duplicate files are almost never the answer. There’s no point setting up an intricate file system where every folder is colour coded, tagged, and cross referenced with every other folder. The goal is to have every file in a folder rather than having a bunch of orphan files listed. Hard drives can—and do—fail. Collaborate. Let’s look each way to organize computer files. If your client folders are getting messy, adding file type-based subfolders is a great way to sort things out. If it's not, keep your folders uncluttered by clearing out the old files. The goal of electronic file management is to ensure that you can find what you're looking for, even if you're looking for it years after its creation. Hoover the mouse to the option Group by. the drive letter + folder names + file name) is 260 characters. Use common abbreviations wherever possible, such as Jan for January or Corp for Corporation. Proper file computer organization is a great habit to pick up to make your life easier, especially if you work from or with your computer frequently. "Maximum Path Length Limitation." Keeping your electronic documents organized can be quite a chore in today's "wired" world. I mean, how many … Organize your desktop in a convenient way, and use file management tips in real life. Let’s look at how to fix it. An organized computer is much more pleasant to use. The desktop takes up most of your screen, and it’s the area where you’ll do most of your work. Proper organization of digital documents is especially critical in a shared environment - if one of your employees is absent (temporarily or permanently!) Organizing your computer files can feel like an impossible chore. Ten tips to Organize Files and Folders on a computer. How To Organize Files on a Computer by Creating a Timeline T he best way to organize files on a computer is to create a timeline for each project you’re working on. This isn’t a true backup since there’s no versioning and limited recovery options, but it’s a great first layer. All the data, whether it’s for the Windows 10 program files, apps, or even printer drivers, inside your computer is stored on a disk. If file B is to do with client Y, then, shockingly, it goes in folder Y. Accessed May 1, 2020. As well as using Dropbox to keep my data secure, I also use a dedicated cloud backup service.