An effectively named file/folder is easy to spot without needing to open it.

We’ve all been there – lost on a shared drive in a sea of file types trying to locate the one we need. An introductory understanding of Records Management (RM) principles can help to get your information under control. While we won’t all be experts in RM overnight, we can adopt everyday practices that facilitate our workflow and aid in collaboration.

Establish File/Folder Naming Conventions

When you name a file/folder, ask yourself “Will others need to open the file/folder to know what is in it?” If the answer is “yes”, you need to rethink your naming practices. An effectively named file/folder is easy to spot without needing to open it.

A great way to start getting control of your files and folders is to adopt a naming convention. You may find this useful for your own work, but it is especially useful when collaborating. Work with your department or team to reach agreed upon practices. You can find many tips about naming conventions online from trusted groups like ARMA International. Here are some helpful principles to get the conversation started:

  • Short and Meaningful Names – Keep to the specifics of the purpose and subject. Use acronyms and/or abbreviations only when they are commonplace within your team. For example, using CLSI (Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute) in a file name may work if you are a laboratory professional but would be unfamiliar to a collaborator that may be outside of your profession.
  • Avoid Symbols and Spaces – Use underscores or capital letters to break up concepts instead of characters like \/?;*”<>|[]&$. When you need to share a file, these characters may 'break' the file pathway or URL and prevent people from accessing the file.
  • Dates – If the date is important to the nature of the file, establish common usage (YYYY-MM-DD). “Date Modified” in My Computer can be misleading; this date may be modified when someone updates or copies the file, or when back up processes have occurred (Tuemmler, 2012). Starting a file name with the date is helpful when files must be kept in chronological order.
  • Personal Names – If needed, last name followed by first initial (e.g. DoeJ) is best. First and last name initials can also be used, as long as they are unique to the group accessing the file(s).
  • Version – Use the letter “v” to indicate a document in progress. Use two-digit numbers (e.g. v01) to keep track of current version. Use FINAL for a final version (not “final draft”). Use FR (French) or EN (English) for translations. Information about the version should be placed at the end of the name (Toronto Metropolitan University, 2017). 

While many of the above principles can be translated to naming folders, it is also important to be mindful of:

  • Function – Focus on activity or purpose rather than using personal or team names
  • Structure – Use subfolders only as needed. If the main folder is named well, fewer subfolders will be needed. When naming a subfolder, avoid repeating elements used in naming upper folders.

Use our tip sheet as a starting point. Remember to consult your most current departmental records retention schedule when making any decisions about documents at work. You can find current retention schedules at the OP3 site.

 

Amanda Andrews

Health Sciences Librarian
Cape Breton Regional Hospital, Eastern Zone