File management: setting up a folder structure in 5 steps

It's about time to start doing proper file management and folder structuring. Using an advanced file management system and a healthy, systematic folder structure gives you great peace of mind in an organization. Processes run more smooth, and the chance of errors is reduced.

Nothing but advantages, also from an economic point of view. But how do you do it? How do you best manage files in your organization? We'll set you on the right path, don't worry.y. With our 5 steps system, yiou'll be done in no time.

File management: what is it?

On average, you and your colleagues waste about 1.8 hours of your working days looking for files. That is more than 9 hours every week, which means that you spent more than 20 percent of your 40-hour work week on that specific task. If you multiply that by all the marketers, content creators, and designers out there, we're dealing with some serious asset chaos and lost productivity.

In today's digital world, keeping your electronic assets organized is like running a marathon. But fear not: file management is here to save the day.

File management is basically the process of organizing, storing, managing, and manipulating your files on your computer system. It is the process and act of creating an organized structure in which you store information, from creative assets to the most important financial files, for easy retrieval. This includes important tasks, like sorting files into folders, backing up files, compressing files to save precious storage space, and setting permissions for access and security. It's like being the CEO of your own digital universe.

Every single digital file that comes our way needs to be properly handled and saved in a folder that lives in your file management system of choice. You have to be on top of your game and make sure you identify and store all those data files inside a logical folder structure, made up of directories and subdirectories with names that actually make sense.

It's like creating a digital map to keep us from getting lost in the digital jungle.

What is a folder structure?

A folder structure is simply a way to logically organize the folders on your computer, or any other system you use. Which document or digital asset belongs where, and how do you name files? Which folders should be categorized under which main folder, and how do you deal with subfolders?

3 reasons why a folder structure is important:

1. It saves time – Working efficiently saves time and energy. Instead of searching in unnamed folders, files, or other assets with the same names but with (1) behind them and different dates, you can move on to the next thing more quickly. Whether that's a new task or a cup of coffee, is up to you. Let's just agree that any task is better than the neverending search.
2. More time to relax – There is nothing more annoying than losing your minutes or opening the wrong version of your presentation while the entire department is watching. Sure, it happens to everyone, but it's not Zen. Less frustration and fewer mistakes give you the confidence that you will find everything within a few clicks.
3. Sustainability – A clear and well-maintained structure is sustainable because it grows effortlessly alongside an organization. During a reorganization, rebranding, or impactful process change, it supports the often rapid changes for everyone, and it is nice for new employees to quickly find their way around the shared drives or systems.

Setting up a folder structure

OK, time to get to work. But where do we start? Easy, just follow the 5 steps below – you can thank us later. And so will your colleagues.

STEP 1: create order

Setting up a good folder structure starts with bringing order. Ask yourself the following questions: What types of content do we have, what content should we store, and what can we get rid of?

The best way to do this is as a team. That's quite a bit of work, because there is an almost certain chance that you will find files that you didn't know (still) existed. Compare this phase to cleaning out your attic at home: suddenly, you come across that very handy camping table – yes, that thing you used to love but that has been collecting dust for the past 20 years now. In the back corner, under that box of unread books.

STEP 2: set up that folder structure

Did you clean up everything? If so, there should now be more available space on the servers. And you have insight into which types of documents you have. The next question is: how do you set up your folder structure?

In the past, organizations opted for a structure based on departments. But it is better to set up the folder structure based on business processes, such as Sales, Purchasing, Production, Finance, and the like. This is useful because many processes run across multiple departments.

Subfolders? Not too many!

There is no limit to the amount of subfolders you can create. It is tempting to create a subfolder for every little thing, but we advise against this. As a matter of fact: choose each subfolder carefully. It is important that each subfolder really fits the process. That way, you can set up a logical and intuitive folder structure. Again, try to restrain yourself: there is a risk of creating too many subfolders when setting up a folder structure for your company.

Dare to make clear choices here. This prevents the information from being difficult to find. Set up your folders all the same way. This makes for easy navigation in case you're searching in a folder you're not familiar with.

STEP 3: choose specific names for your folder structure

Give each folder a specific and logical name. This helps tremendously in finding the right content, also when using the search function of your file management system. It also helps the creation of new content. Avoid two folders having the same name and avoid names like ‘Other’ and ‘General’.

Do all employees have their own folder? Make sure it is not possible to hide content that doesn't belong there. Agree on this together when setting up the folder structure for your organization.

STEP 4: fill your folders

Then what? Time to start filling your folders with your files and assets. That, too, is a task to handle with care. Deliberate on questions like: ‘Does the employee manual for production employees fall under "HR" or under "Production"?’

To avoid confusion, do not put content in two places. You risk keeping outdated files and multiple versions, in the long run.

STEP 5: keep order

Okay, now you have everything in order. That feels good, right? The challenge now, is to keep everything in order. A good, hands-on manual will help a lot. Or make someone responsible for periodically doing a sample inspection. For example, the QHSE manager or the content manager.

Ultimately, a good folder structure for your company is a shared responsibility. Having one, ensures everyone can quickly find what they need and processes run smoothly. This also reduces the chance of errors. If maintained properly, the advantages are countless. The bigger and more complex the organization, the more difficult this is to maintain.

Choose a file management system that suits your organization

If keeping files and folders in your computer drives is still manageable for you and your organization, go for it. But growing means evolving. Processes change and thousands of assets (files, images, documents) become harder to manage in a specific, structured way when hundreds of people work with them.

Digital Asset Management is a file management solution in which you can decide to only ever keep the newest version of a file. You are able to create several folders for archives without authority to modify, or easily deep-structure using accurate metadata and taxonomy. The internal search engine takes care of the rest.