THE VALUE OF FILE NAMING AND STRUCTURED FILING SYSTEMS

THE VALUE OF FILE NAMING AND STRUCTURED FILING SYSTEMS

To illustrate the value of proper naming conventions, consider both their role in helping us remember file names and their role in locating them. Compare List 1 and List 2. Both lists are organized alphabetically and contain the same information, but the way the data is presented differs. List 1 is structured and predictable, while List 2 is unstructured and seemingly random. This difference becomes apparent in various contexts. If I asked you to find a specific file, you’d likely be able to locate it much faster using List 1 because it is organized logically, making it easier to remember both the file name and its location, compared to the more chaotic List 2.

LIST 1

1. HP_Project Apollo_Comms Plan_250303_
2. HP_Project Apollo_Meeting Panel_250303_
3. HP_Project Apollo_Meeting SteerCo_250303_
4. HP_Project Apollo_Meeting Weekly_250303_
5. HP_Project Apollo_Meeting Weekly_250310_
6. HP_Project Apollo_PID_250303_
7. HP_Project Apollo_Plan_250303_
8. HP_Project Apollo_RAID_250303_
9. HP_Project Apollo_Stakeholders_250303_
10. HP_Project Cosmas_Budget_250404_
11. HP_Project Cosmas_Buiness Case_250304_
12. HP_Project Cosmas_Comms Log_250604_
13. HP_Project Cosmas_Comms Plan_250303_
14. HP_Project Cosmas_Mandate_250504_
15. HP_Project Cosmas_Meeting Panel_250303_
16. HP_Project Cosmas_Meeting SteerCo_250303_
17. HP_Project Cosmas_Meeting SteerCo_250304_
18. HP_Project Cosmas_Meeting SteerCo_250404_
19. HP_Project Cosmas_Meeting SteerCo_250504_
20. HP_Project Cosmas_Meeting SteerCo_250604_
21. HP_Project Cosmas_Meeting SteerCo_250704_
22. HP_Project Cosmas_Meeting Weekly_250303_
23. HP_Project Cosmas_Meeting Weekly_250303_
24. HP_Project Cosmas_Meeting Weekly_250310_
25. HP_Project Cosmas_Meeting Weekly_250317_
26. HP_Project Cosmas_Meeting Weekly_250324_
27. HP_Project Cosmas_Meeting Weekly_250331_
28. HP_Project Cosmas_PID_250303_
29. HP_Project Cosmas_Plan_250303_
30. HP_Project Cosmas_RAID_250303_
31. HP_Project Cosmas_Stakeholders_250303_
32. HP_Project Cosmas_Stakeholders_250304_
33. HP_Project Cosmas_Stakeholders_250404_
34. HP_Project Cosmas_Stakeholders_250504_
35. HP_Project Cosmas_Stakeholders_250604_
36. HP_Project Zeus_Comms Plan_250303_
37. HP_Project Zeus_Meeting Panel_250303_
38. HP_Project Zeus_Meeting SteerCo_250303_
39. HP_Project Zeus_Meeting Weekly_250303_
40. HP_Project Zeus_Meeting Weekly_250310_
41. HP_Project Zeus_PID_250303_
42. HP_Project Zeus_Plan_250303_
43. HP_Project Zeus_RAID_250303_
44. HP_Project Zeus_Stakeholders_250303_

LIST 2

1. _250303_PID_Project Apollo_HP
2. _Comms Plan_HP_250303_Project Cosmas
3. _HP_250303_Meeting Weekly_Project Cosmas
4. _HP_Project Apollo_250303_Comms Plan
5. _HP_Project Cosmas_250317_Meeting Weekly
6. _Meeting SteerCo_HP_250504_Project Cosmas
7. _Meeting Weekly_250310_Project Cosmas_HP
8. 250303__Project Cosmas_RAID_HP
9. 250303_HP__Plan_Project Apollo
10. 250303_Project Apollo_HP__Meeting Panel
11. 250304__Project Cosmas_Stakeholders_HP
12. 250324__Project Cosmas_Meeting Weekly_HP
13. 250504_Mandate__HP_Project Cosmas
14. 250704_Project Cosmas__HP_Meeting SteerCo
15. Comms Log_250604_HP_Project Cosmas_
16. Comms Plan_HP__Project Zeus_250303
17. HP__Meeting Weekly_Project Zeus_250303
18. HP__Project Zeus_Stakeholders_250303
19. HP_250303__Meeting Panel_Project Zeus
20. HP_250303__Meeting Weekly_Project Cosmas
21. HP_250504__Project Cosmas_Stakeholders
22. HP_Meeting Panel__Project Cosmas_250303
23. HP_Meeting SteerCo_250303__Project Apollo
24. HP_Meeting SteerCo_Project Cosmas_250604_
25. HP_PID_250303_Project Zeus_
26. HP_Project Cosmas_250303__PID
27. HP_Project Cosmas_250331_Meeting Weekly_
28. HP_Stakeholders_250604_Project Cosmas_
29. HP_Stakeholders_Project Apollo__250303
30. Meeting SteerCo_HP_250303__Project Zeus
31. Meeting SteerCo_HP_Project Cosmas__250303
32. Plan_250303_Project Cosmas_HP_
33. Project Apollo_250303__HP_Meeting Weekly
34. Project Apollo_250310__Meeting Weekly_HP
35. Project Apollo_HP__250303_RAID
36. Project Cosmas__HP_Stakeholders_250404
37. Project Cosmas_250404_Budget__HP
38. Project Cosmas_Buiness Case_250304__HP
39. Project Cosmas_HP_250304_Meeting SteerCo_
40. Project Cosmas_Meeting SteerCo_HP_250404_
41. Project Zeus__HP_RAID_250303
42. Project Zeus_HP_Meeting Weekly__250310
43. Project Zeus_Plan_250303_HP_
44. Stakeholders_HP_250303__Project Cosmas