Workflow - Create a Naming Convention – Ntiva's Help Center

Workflow - Create a Naming Convention

Create a Naming Convention to improve your workflow!

There are many ways to name files and folders. It's best to create a naming convention for your office so everyone can store, retrieve and share files most efficiently. To achieve the best, forward-thinking compatibility use file names that are compatible with all platforms, applications and the Internet.

Limit file name length to 32 characters.
Use dashes instead of spaces (underscores get lost in web-links so avoid those too).
Avoid using symbols: < > : " / \ | ? * [ ] $ ~
Format dates in a simple manner. For example, the date May 15, 2010, can be represented as 2010-05-15. This helps keep files sorted in the proper order in the Macintosh Finder, Windows Explorer as well as within digital asset management applications like Extensis Portfolio or Webdam.

Example Naming Conventions

Filename	Naming includes
ClientA-bannerad04-v01.jpg	Company name, project name, version number
Faucet-65168h-v02.jpg	Part name, part number, version number
ClientB-2010-05-15-v18.pdf	Company name, date (YYYY-MM-DD), version number

Additional information we've found helpful: Unsupported Characters and File Types.

If you have a great naming convention please share it with us! Contact us or comment below.

Related articles