File Management : Best Practices

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"Some reports suggest an average smartphone user might have between 10,000 and 50,000 files, including photos, videos, music, documents, and applications." - Gemini



One popular definition of music is "humanly organized sound." Without that organization of notes, it simply becomes one big cacophony.

The same principle applies to a stack of paper. While it may contain useful content, it becomes entirely useless if you don't know where to find what you're looking for.

In the workplace, individuals often create, download, and delete files without giving much thought to naming conventions and hierarchy.

Under normal circumstances, this might not pose a problem. However, what if you need to locate a specific document, like... now?

You would find yourself frantically clicking through dozens of folders in search of VeryImportantFile.pdf while sharing your screen to your coworkers on Teams. 

I am speaking from my personal experience, so I have decided to do a bit of reading around this topic and share what I have learnt. 

Declutter 

Delete those old drafts, redundant documents, and files (or archive them if they are still important). 

Use Descriptive File Names

 Instead of using a generic name like 'Report 2024', opt for a more specific and descriptive one such as 'Marketing Weekly Report 2024'.

Group by Project

If you are on a technical team, having a folder for each project containing all related files is helpful. 

Use Shortcuts

Create shortcuts for things you use a lot – files, tools, or other project stuff. It makes finding them quicker, saving you time.

Use a Hierarchy 

Below is an example of a hierarchy that you can use for work: 

L0 - Main Folders: Work Projects

  • Subfolders for each ongoing project (e.g., Project A, Project B)
  • Reports
  • Personal Documents

L1 - Project A (Inside Work Projects):

  • Research
  • Documents: Subfolders for different types (e.g., Meeting Notes, Presentations)
  • Assets: Subfolders for images, videos, or other project-specific assets


L2 - Documents (Inside Project A/Documents):

  • Meeting Notes: Subfolders for each meeting date
  • Presentations: Subfolders for each version (e.g., Drafts, Final)

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