File/ Folder Naming Conventions

In addition to using a strong folder structure, appropriately naming your files and folders is a boon to managing your records properly. However, it requires a establishing a system that’s robust enough to help you organize and find your information while being straightforward enough that it can be understood and implemented without significant effort. This resource is designed to help you strike that appropriate balance.

Folder naming tips:

• Be consistent: Use the same naming convention across a project.
• Be descriptive: Use names that accurately describe the folder’s purpose or functionality.
• Keep it short: Try to keep file names under 50 characters.
• Avoid special characters: Don’t use spaces, periods, slashes, or other special characters.
• Use hyphens, underscores, or camel case: Use these to separate words instead of spaces.
• Use leading zeros: If using numbers, include leading zeros so files sort properly.
• Use reverse dates: Use the format YYYY-MM-DD to maintain chronological order.
• Order elements appropriately: Organize the elements in a file name based on how you’ll retrieve the record.
• Streamline the folder structure: Avoid complex hierarchical structures that can make it harder to find files.