Create a document naming convention system

A document naming convention is a small decision with a long payoff, because it makes files sort themselves. The core insight is that filenames are read by an alphabetical sorter before they are read by you, so putting the date first in a fixed format means chronological order comes free forever.

Why create a document naming convention system is worth an hour

Writing dates as year, then month, then day means alphabetical sorting and chronological sorting are the same operation. That one choice eliminates the endless problem of files ordered by whenever they were last touched. Consistency in the remaining fields then makes search predictable, because you know what words to type before you type them.

How to create a document naming convention system step by step

1. 1

   Put the date first, year first

   Format as year-month-day with leading zeros. Alphabetical sorting then equals date order, permanently and without effort.

2. 2

   Add a project or category code

   A short consistent token. This is what makes searching predictable, because you know the exact word to type.

3. 3

   Finish with a readable description

   Two or three words in plain language. Future you needs to recognize it without opening the file.

4. 4

   Use hyphens, never spaces

   Spaces cause problems in links, scripts and some systems. Hyphens are safe everywhere and remain readable.

5. 5

   Add a version field if you need one

   A numbered version with leading zeros beats final, final2 and finalREAL, which is the pattern this replaces.

Tips to get more out of it

• Keep it short. A convention with six mandatory fields will be abandoned within a week.
• Write the rule down where you will see it, or you will drift within a month.
• Do not rename old files. Apply it going forward; retroactive renaming is a task that never finishes.

Ways to mix it up

If you share files with a team, agree the convention together and document it, since a personal convention nobody else follows creates more confusion than it removes. If you handle scanned documents, add the source or sender as a field, which is what you search for later.

Create a document naming convention system: frequently asked questions