I’d like to start this post off with a bit of an apology. The reason is that I’m going to complain a bit, and I am genuinely sorry if I offend you on this one. My issue is that there are certain terms that are used interchangeably when they shouldn’t be when we’re talking about filing systems. The two terms that I’m thinking about specifically are “Files” and “Folders.” The phrase “Just load these documents into a file” is one that gives me an eye twitch, partially because (as you’ll see after reading this post) it makes no sense whatsoever, but also because it demonstrates a lack of knowledge about such things. Now, I hate bringing up a problem without providing a solution, so I would be happy to go through some terminology and functionality for each of the terms that will undoubtedly help you out in your day-to-day life.
1) Files – You have to start where every filing system should start, which is at the base. The files in your filing system are the absolute bedrock of every system. To be clear, when I use the term “files,” I’m referring to the Word docs, PDf’s, excel workbooks and any other individual document that you can store in your digital system. We can also talk about individual pictures, songs and videos as files. The reason that files are so important is that they determine what your filing system will be, what it looks like and how it’s going to be organized (as you will see in the next point). Knowing what your files are and what they are for will also determine where else they go into your filing system. In order to organize them, you need the ability to separate them, which brings me to…
2) Folders – The next level up for your filing system is able to group together files of either a similar format (pdfs, pictures, word docs, etc.) or a similar subject matter (all of your bills in one folder). Folders are the quickest and easiest way to divide up your file in your system. If you are using a system like OneDrive or iCloud, using folders is really the only way to separate our different files. If you are using a group filing system like SharePoint, there are other tools available like metadata to help you divide up your documents, but let’s not worry about that at the moment. We’re talking about personal filing systems and not organizational libraries. For your filing systems, folders are where it’s at. However, there are times where even having one level of files doesn’t entirely separate your documents enough.
3) Sub-folders – Now, knowing what folders are and what they can do for you, you can probably make a decent guess at what I am referring to here. Sub-Folders are folders within folders. Let’s say, as an example; you have all your bills sorted into one folder. Let’s say further that you want to separate those files within that bills folder. This is where sub-folders come in. I will warn you that the temptation will be to overcomplicate your foldering system, creating too many sub-folders under sub-folders under sub-folders until the whole thing becomes so complex that even you won’t know where anything is. It’s crucial that you keep your folder structure as simple as possible and only what you need so that you know where your documents will be.
4) File shares – This is where the terminology can get a little tricky, but I will do my best to navigate you through. Most cloud accounts can share files from one user to another. It’s a relatively simple process to do between users of the same account types (OneDrive to OneDrive as an example), but it is still possible to do between others. Here’s where the tricky part is. When you share a file, the best way to do it is to share the file’s folder. That way, the person receiving access to the folder has access to all the files within that folder. A small piece of technical advice for those windows users out there, if you share a file only and not the folder that houses it, you won’t be able to see the file in your file explorer, only on mobile and on the web versions of your Cloud account. I’ll be honest, I haven’t tested this on Mac to see if it would show up in Finder, but for the moment, let’s assume it would be roughly the same and move on. The other bit of advice that I will give you about file sharing is that if you’re planning on sharing files, please make sure you know what you’re sharing. The trick about file sharing is that if you share a folder with someone, you will be not only sharing all the files in that folder but all the files in any sub-folder underneath it as well. If you are looking to share some of your files but not all, you may want to consider putting them in a separate, sharable folder. This will allow you to share the files you want and not the files you don’t.
The terminology that we use for things is important. The only thing more important than knowing the correct terminology for things is knowing how to use things properly. Of course, the first step in using technology is knowing what the things you are using are called. Once you know what things are called, you can start using them correctly and use them more efficiently.
What do you use in your filing system?
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