Naming and saving files on a shared drive

Have you ever spent way too long searching for the right file? A clear system for naming and organizing electronic records saves time and reduces frustration. When everyone uses the same approach, files are easier to find, even if you didn’t create them, and you don’t have to open multiple documents to figure out what they are.

Good naming conventions include key details, such as subject, date (in a consistent format, e.g. YYYYMMDD) and version number. Organizing files into logical folders by subject or function keeps things neat and searchable.

Version control is also important. Using clear numbering for drafts and final versions prevents confusion when multiple people are editing. Regular clean-ups based on retention schedules help keep storage manageable, and security measures, like restricted access and password protection, protect sensitive information.

For questions regarding the maintenance, destruction or preservation of university records, please contact the university records manager, Danielle Hall, at dnhall@k-state.edu.

Benefits of an agreed approach

  • Create understandable, consistent and predictable names for documents.
  • Improve ease of location for information, even you did not create it.
  • Enhance confidence that your information search has produced everything you need.
  • Distinguish documents from one another more easily. You shouldn’t have to open every single document to get an idea of what it’s about.
  • Enable the sorting of documents in a predetermined logical sequence.
  • Ensure the appropriate deletion of documents when no longer required for use or when the agreed retention period has ended.

Use logical file names and structures

  • Be concise, but include relevant details such as subject, date and version, if needed.
  • Use a consistent date format:
    • Specify the arrangement of the date format (e.g. YYYYDDMM or DDMMYYYY). We recommend using YYYYMMDD (e.g., 20260114) for clarity and chronological sorting.
  • Place the date at the start of the file name for easy sorting.
  • Specify whether spaces, underscores or capital letters will indicate new words. For example:
    • 20140911_records_management_guidance
    • 11092014RecManGuidance
    • 20140909 Email from GT to SH re DP training session

Use of folders and subfolders

  • Store all documents in a designated folder or subfolder and avoid loose files.
  • Top-level folders should be arranged by subject or function.
  • Subfolders should be arranged by the type of record that comprises the higher-level subject/function, and then categorize within that record type. For example:
    • Finance > Invoices > 2023-24
    • Legislative records > Asbestos > Clearance reports > 2025
  • There should be a limit in place for the number of subfolders within subfolders. This limit should be determined based on business need, but clearly communicated to all staff.
  • To keep the file structure clear and manageable, permissions to create folders in the top levels should be limited to specific staff members with administrative authority. The exact number of restricted levels should be determined based on business need.

Below is an example of a clear, structured filing system on a shared drive. The folder names are clear, and they are relevant to a team and not to a particular individual. Subfolders are arranged alphabetically for ease of reference.

Version control

  • Version numbers should be included in the name of a document if various members of staff are working on it at the same time.
  • Ensure all staff working on a file are using the same method of version control.
  • Drafts may be circulated while they are in progress. The draft will start off as version 0.1. Following any changes, it should be renames 0.2, 0.3 and so on. Anything with a 0. is in draft format.
  • Once you have made all necessary changes to the draft, the agreed and issued document is version 1.0.
  • Any minor changes you make to the issued document should be reflected in the numbers that appear after the version 1.0. For example, subsequent minor changes to version 1.0 become version 1.1, version 1.2, etc.
  • Any major change to a document after version 1.0 is complete would then become version 2.0. You would increase the document version number with each new version. The version number should be at the end of a document name. For example:
    • 20260114_RecordsManagement_v0.3 (draft)
    • 20260114_RecordsManagement_v1.0 (final)
    • 20260114_RecordsManagement_v1.2 (minor update)