Digital Recordkeeping Best Practices for Directory and File Naming
When setting up a digital file system it is important to consider establishing a scheme for directory and file name conventions. Having a scheme that is documented within an office or for person use facilitates the retrieval of documents because there is an established organization to the files and because the file names have descriptive elements that aid in their understandability. In addition to the benefits to current users of digital documents, a standard scheme is also important for the long-term usability of digital documents that are transferred to the archives.
Directory Naming
- Folders should be named for major functions/activities
- Structure subfolders by year
- Folder names should be self-explanatory
- Avoid personal names
- Avoid duplication
- Keep it simple and consistent
File Naming
- Use descriptive names to identify the content/purpose of files
- Avoid illegal characters: > < " / \ | ? * : ^ $ (These characters may have special meanings in operating systems.)
- Avoid spaces in files names (due to problems with browsers and some operating systems):
- Use underscores between words (i.e. faculty_meeting_minutes)
- Capitalize the first letter of each word (i.e. FacultyMeetingMinutes)
- Include date of creation or revision
- International Standard Organiztion (ISO)standard 8601 allows different formats: YYYY-MM-DD or YYYYMMDD
- Examples: 2012-01-26 or 20110602
- Employ consistent conventions for version control:
- FNL=final
- DFT=draft
- 1.0 or vers2=version of document
- Examples:
- FacultyMeetingMinutes20110323.docx
- 20110323facultymeetingminutes.docx
- Eng_316_Course_Proposal_2011-01-23_DFT.docx
Additional Filenaming Resources
The State Library of North Carolina has created a set of video tutorials that explain important considerations and strategies for effective filenaming.
Embedded videos are provided courtesy of the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources.
Part 1: Why is File Naming Important?
Part 2: How to Change a File Name
Part 3: What Not to Do When Naming Files