Tip of the Week: File Management Tips

Thanks to file management systems that can be digitized and stored online, filing cabinets can be considered a thing of the past. Of course, you still have to keep digital filing systems organized, but this is easier to do and more efficient than paper files. Today, we provide you with tips on how to ensure that you can keep your files in proper order.

The best way to keep your files organized is by adhering to a strict code of file management practices. Here are a few of them.

Keep All Documents Within a Root Folder

It doesn’t matter whether you’re simply trying to organize files on your desktop or implementing a file sharing system for your entire organization, storing documents in a single folder (often called the root folder) has its advantages. This includes the ability to further divide the content into sub-folders for further organization. This makes locating files much easier later on.

Implement Specific Naming Policies

You can take your sorting even further by implementing specific naming conventions designed to help you hunt down certain things. For example, naming a file “invoice” likely won’t be enough to ascertain which invoice it is. With Windows providing the tools to put together a string of up to 260 characters in a file’s name, it’s important to be both specific and brief at the same time. Ideally, you’ll put together a naming system that gives a clear sense of what the file is without the path hierarchy being in it. By adding a character to the beginning of the name, you can make it default to the top of the list in certain instances.

Create Files Where You Want Them

Creating files where they will be stored makes them easier to find, as you won’t have to worry about moving them to that location later.

Enable Collaboration

Cooperating in the business environment is more than just getting along with your coworkers--it’s enabling everyone who needs access to specific files to do so without a hitch. The cloud is ideal for this purpose. Just be sure to keep your files organized, as too many people moving things around can get confusing.

Do you need help implementing a file management system that works for your organization? Horne & Benik can help. To learn more, reach out to us at (603) 499-4400.