When it comes to organizing your digital files, one of the most important things to keep in mind is how you are going to label your files. The best thing to remember when labeling your files is that your file-name convention is meant to help you find information quickly.
Here is a quick list of tips to consider when labeling your digital files:
- Your file name convention should be unique and easy to remember.
- Use dates. Starting your file names with a date will allow your files will sort themselves out on their own, chronologically. It’s best to go year > month > day.
Example: If today’s date was January 1, 2019, you would start your file name with 190101 (year = 19, month = 01, day = 01). It’s important to always have six numbers. - Separate the date from the rest of your file name with an underscore “_”.
Example: 190101_ - Following the date, the rest of your file name should have signifiers (project name, client name, etc.) to identify what the file is right away. If you’re renaming files for an organization, it’s important everyone involved understands the naming structure.
Example: 190101_project - Separate signifiers either another underscore “_” or with a hyphen “-“.
Example: 190101_project_name or 190101_project-name - BE CONSISTENT.
*Special characters are not allowed. However, Emjois have made their way into file name allowances for some devices.
*Use lowercase text (your preference).
In summary, remember that the sole purpose behind file-naming conventions is so people can quickly search and locate files and documents. Dates and other signifiers are crucial to making the navigation as effective as possible. It’s very easy to become overwhelmed, so keep up with your file names. We hope you can apply these simple tips to your own file-naming method; you’re well on your way to having a clean and professional digital filing system.
#StayOrganized
*If you’d like to research more about naming your digital files, Standford University provides great resources and tips on its website.
