ideas for how to organize digital files

Assume you're getting ready to go to work in the morning. You open your dresser drawer in search of something to wear and find three socks, a hat, and a sweatshirt. You locate an old Christmas costume in another drawer. You're stressed out and late because it takes so long to pick an outfit.

Your clothes are most likely better tidy, but your files may not be. Finding the documents you need when you need them is just as frustrating and time-consuming. According to a recent survey, one of the top three challenges for office workers in the United States is swiftly finding files and documents.

The good news is that you may save time by learning how to manage digital files.

Set goals for digital file organization

If you let it, organizing digital data may take over your life, so start by being focused about what you want to achieve. You'll avoid the project taking up more time and resources than you anticipated.

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Begin by determining who, when, and how:

Who needs to know about your digital file management system? The apparent response is "everyone," but keep in mind the demands of folks who aren't particularly tech-savvy and who will only be viewing your information on a limited basis.

When will you begin, and how much time do you have available?

How will you know whether you've made it?

"All 22 employees, but especially the writers and graphic designers, who develop the files, need to understand our new digital file system," for example. 

Prepare and get input

Discuss your organization's priorities with its leadership team.
Get feedback from everyone if you have the time.
To begin, consider the following queries:
What about the existing computer file organizing system do they like and dislike?
What is difficult to locate?
What tips do they have for keeping digital data organized?
What has already been successful for them?
Here's what you'll need in addition to their advice:
Computer and online file-sharing software are the tools you'll need.
It's easier for everyone to access files on a cloud-based server rather than on-premises.
Paper and pen for taking notes or making reminders (optional).
Unless you have very few files, allow at least two hours.

First, delete and archive.

There's a strong case to be made for keeping everything, especially tax-related paperwork, just in case.
However, if you have duplicate files or documents that you won't use again, remove them.
Delete files before you begin filing to avoid wasting time organizing them only to delete them afterwards.
Put them in an Archive folder if you're not sure if you want to save them.

Sort digital files according to their name, date, project, or department.

Now you're ready to get organized, but where do you begin?
Your organization's and demands will determine the best approach to organize files on a computer.
Determine whether filing should be organized by person, date, project, or department.
Following that, the recommended practice for shared drive folder layout is to start with the widest categories for your primary folders and then narrow down with subfolders.
This is what it might look like.

Name-based organization
Best for: Marketing or advertising agencies that primarily identify projects by the client's or organization's name.
Advantages: Names are less vague than terms like industry or product type.
When a client contacts you, it's simple to locate the appropriate folder.
Cons: It might be time-consuming.

Choose a naming convention for your files.

Choose a name for your digital files after you've determined how to organize them.
Avoid file names like "draft1.doc"; the more detailed the file name, the easier it will be to find.
Your file names should ideally be descriptive enough that you can tell what they are at a glance.
Begin with the biggest category at the top of the file name, such as the year or department, then work your way down.
If you're organizing by date, your file names might look like this: YYYY-MM-DD (year month day), followed by any further information you need (for example, 2021-06-26 Contoso-Suites social-media-ads).
Start with the name, project, or department you're organizing by, followed by whatever you could type in to find it (for example, Contoso-Suites social-media-ads 2021).


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