As a freelancer, you may manage a large number of image, text, or multimedia files daily. Between client-provided resources and your own draft and final files, large projects may involve hundreds of files by the time they’re finished.
Managing a large number of files can be overwhelming, even if you have a fantastic client communications and file management system like Indy. Here’s how to manage files with confidence and always remember what you’ve stored in each place.
Use Client Names
Using the client name in file and folder names seems basic, but if you’re only working with a few clients per month, it’s easy to overlook this step. The client name should be in the file name for every project file you create. Not only does this make it harder to lose files in the future, but it makes it a lot more difficult to send files to the wrong client.
In some cases, the client may insist that you use a code name to help maintain the secrecy of the project. Make sure the code name is intuitive enough that you’ll remember it long in the future in case you ever need to find files again.
If a client or company name changes, try to use both names in your files or folders until you’re fully used to the change. This may help you find old project files in the future, even when you can’t remember exactly when the company name change occurred.
Consistent Folder Structure
It’s essential to use a similar folder structure for every client and project. Although you can use some variations for very large or very small projects, you need to find files quickly without scrolling through row after row of folders.
Many freelancers prefer to organize by client, then by year, but some who have a huge number of one-time clients prefer to organize by year first. From there, you may choose to organize by month or by project. Organizing by project may be more intuitive if you frequently take on projects that take more than a month or bridge two calendar months.
Clear File Names
When trying to find the final version of a file, you can’t just rely on the modified or opened date. You need a clear labeling system that marks different steps in the drafting process so you can go back and easily identify the final version.
It’s easy to assume you will never need the draft versions of something, but if your online file storage system is large enough, you can keep them for future reference. A client may eventually request something more similar to an old version of a previous project than any final projects you’ve delivered. Having the draft on hand will make it easier to confirm exactly what they want.
This doesn’t mean you should keep 10 or more different versions of a project. For long-term storage, only keep the drafts with significant changes to layout or content, not the ones where clients requested minor font or phrasing changes. If you need to transfer big files, it might be a good idea not to rely on email attachments but to use a dedicated file transfer service. Otherwise, you’ll start to run out of room in your storage system or computer hard drive.
Separate Folders for Raw Materials
Any provided transcripts, image files, internal documents, and client directions need to be clearly labeled as being separate from the final projects themselves. The most efficient way to keep things from getting cluttered is to use a separate folder for these materials. Using Indy file management makes it easier to let the client add files directly to the designated folder to streamline collaborations.
The client-provided file names might not be intuitive for you, but the client may refer to them with those file names when giving directions. Instead of changing the file names, use folder names to help you remember what’s what.
If you end up using the same source materials over and over for multiple months, consider making a subfolder higher up in your folder hierarchy. For example, instead of keeping them in your April 2021 folder for a specific client and always going back to them, keep them in a “Materials” folder within the main client folder.
Remember that you may want to keep your raw materials and resources separate from other project files. Storing them in an online file storage system or an offline hard drive is still wise for backup purposes, but having them mixed in with client files makes them much harder to find and reuse in the future. Graphic designers and multimedia artists should consider having a separate set of folders labeled by asset type.
Staying Disciplined
It takes time to develop and get used to a new file system, but you should be able to adjust within a few weeks. Once your folders are laid out, it’s okay to make minor improvements and additions as needed, but try to avoid major changes. You’ll make the most of your system and be able to find files quickly if you work on consistency.
