File naming is key to ensure that you find the exact document you are looking for. It’s important to use names that are clear, concise, and include information about the version of the document it is. It’s also important to make sure not to use certain symbols or syntax that may cause issues in the future.
A file name should be clear and concise, yet include sufficient description for the file to stand on its own, independent of where it is stored. (Ask yourself: If you removed the file from the file structure would you still know what it was?)
Below is a chart with recommended file naming conventions “dos” and “don’ts.”
| Rule | Examples: Dos | Examples: Don'ts |
| Start the file name with the type of record |
Minutes-Web-Governance-20150728.docx
Exception - Compound nouns: |
Web-Governance-Minutes-20150728.docx
If not using a compound noun, this appears to be a convention/conference about file naming: Convention-File-Naming.docx |
| Capitalize every word to make the name more readable | File-Name.docx FIleName.docx |
filename.docx |
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Use a dash between every word OR Use no spaces and capitalize the beginning of each word |
File-Naming-Convention-20150810.docx OR FileNamingConvention20150810.docx |
DON’T use spaces or underscores With spaces, Becomes: With underscores (when part of a link), Becomes: |
| Don’t use ~ " # % & * : < > ? / \ { | }. | Even if the current location you have files stored in may accept these symbols, other locations may not. | |
| Format dates as: YYYYMMDD | YYYYMMDD: 20201020 |
Other formats can be unclear what date is meant: 10-02-2020 (October 2, 2020 or February 10, 2020) 02-10-2020 (October 2, 2020 or February 10, 2020) Oct2020 (will also sort out of chronological order) |
| Place dates either at the beginning or end of the file name, depending on how you want to group/sort the documents |
Similar document types are sorted together alphabetically: Annual-Report-Exhibits- Committee-20150630.docx Annual-Report-Web-Governance- Committee-20141231.docx Minutes-Web-Governance- Committee-20150229.docx Minutes-Web-Governance- Committee-20150728.docx Date first will sort chronologically, lumping different document types together: 20141231-Annual-Report-Web-Governance- Committee.docx 20150229-Minutes-Web-Governance- Committee.docx 20150630-Annual-Report-Exhibits- Committee.docx 20150728-Minutes-Web-Governance- Committee.docx |
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Versioning: Use “zero-fill” for single digits OR Use status notations |
Zero-fill for sorting: v01, v01, v03 … v10, v11 Also acceptable: Status notation: |
Without zero fill, files will sort by all 1s, then all 2s, etc.: v1, v10, v11, v2, v20, v3, v4, |
| Be consistent with abbreviations and only use abbreviations if the full name is well known
|
Minutes-Web-Governance- Committee-20150113.docx Minutes-Web-Governance- Committee-20150217.docx Minutes-Web-Governance- Committee-20150317.docx |
Minutes-Web-Gov-Committee-20150113.docx Minutes-WebGovernance-20150217.docx Minutes-WG-Committee-20150317.docx |