Files and folder structure

If an intermediate step branches out into several possible processing methods, you may want to use a sub-structure to distinguish how and what data is moving through each branch of the process. Finalized data The final data is what will be called by the main analysis program , and used to derive the conclusions you wish to learn about. Separating this data prevents accidental misuse of intermediate or bad data that could potentially corrupt your results.

Best practices for experimental and scratch work To help keep track of this process, every scientist should have a lab notebook. Definitely include Maybe include A date Comments on how the experiment was performed Observations about the output Where did the data come from? Who did the experiment?

Is this a repeat experiment, re-done with different parameters, modified datasets, or a new method? Source code: Put it somewhere logical. Results: Keep them separate. Consider using Makefiles. Choose a file structure that matches the scale and aims of your project. All good structures contain at least the following elements: A unique main folder for the project Some form of code Some form of data A readme document with any important information about the project for yourself or collaborators Start by sketching out a base structure.

Ground zero: make a unique folder for the project. Determine the scale of the project. Somewhere between quick visualization and long-term collaborative project?

This will give a hint at how complex the file structure should be. Identify the parameters distinguishing data. Someone looking at your files should be able to recognize those parameters when looking at both your file structure and filenames. Assess the easiest way to access the data. Often, this will be set by the most important distinguishing variable between data sets e.

Worry about cleverness and optimizing once you verify things are working. Case studies: Different file structures are suited to different needs.

Is this a small assignment that requires a quick output? See Case Study 1: almost flat. Is this an exploratory project , where there may not even be results given the uncertainty of the data and results? See Case Study 2: a simple hierarchy. See Case Study 3: a complex hierarchy. Be descriptive and avoid ambiguity, particularly with versioning e.

Abreviations are helpful, but make sure you define them in a readme. Use context e. Your operating system will automatically sort this style chronologically. Similarly, always pre-pad smaller numbers with zeros in a sequence e.

As always, be consistent within your project. If your group already has an established style, start there, and tailor it to your needs. Construct a file path sentence that helps users identify the file. Ordering the ideas: Choosing descriptive vs. Separating the ideas: Underscores, camelCase, periods or hyphens each have advantages. They are robust and unlikely to give you trouble when sharing your project. However, modern operating systems ignore all but the last period for this purpose, so they are safe to use.

When you double click on a segment of a name to highlight, periods separate highlight regions, as opposed to being overrun see below. Hyphens - are also quite common, visually similar to an underscore, and are easily handled by most operating systems.

Depending on your operating system, hyphens may behave like a period when double-clicking to highlight e. Hyphen - Mixing delimiters can be a great strategy for improving readability. Consider these two filenames: Appendix: Useful references Here we share other viewpoints that have inspired this guide. Why file organization matters Getting started: Be strategic, be flexible Best practices for file structures Case studies: Choosing a file structure that matches the scale and aims of your project Best practices for naming conventions Appendix: Useful references.

What your sensor, machine, experimental apparatus, etc. Let's suppose that during the month of June you went to Cancun. You may want to create a Cancun folder inside of June's folder and put the Cancun pictures there.

You're probably already seeing how easy it is to get lost in a folder tree. That's because, to Windows, everything is a folder. And folders within folders within folders make you lose your bearings very quickly.

FileCenter fixes that. Without taking anything out of Windows, it puts a better face on your folders. It shows them as filing cabinets — cabinets with drawers, folders, and files. With more points of reference, it's much, much easier to keep your bearings. Let's repeat the Pictures example in FileCenter: In FileCenter, you'll create a filing cabinet just for your pictures. In that cabinet, you'll have a drawer for each year.

And within each drawer, a list of folders for each month. To see cabinets in action, take a look at this video. FileCenter gives your Windows folders a clean, intuitive layout. In no time at all, you will come up with your own folder structures that not only give your files excellent organization, they'll also keep your Windows files within easy reach. Download a free trial today! Download your free trial and get on the path to better file organization in 2 minutes.

Folder Structure Summary Directory structure definition Is there a difference between a directory and a folder? Then, set up the folder structure you need for your month's work. Here are some other Zaps to help you get started. Then you can add extra steps to the Zap for each additional folder your structure needs. Looking for more inspiration? See our article that features some of the best ways to add automation to your organizational workflows.

Organizing your folder structure is only half the battle. Keeping your computer organized will also require tidying up your file names. Files are made up of two components: the name whatever you decide to call it and the file extension the type of file, like.

You typically don't need to worry about file extensions; they're set by the programs you use, and typically hidden by default on most computers. But you should take control of the file name. For that reason, writer and editor Jill Duffy recommends making sure each file name is:. Indicative of what the file contains: Is your file an annual report? A to-do list? Put that information in the file name.

In line with your business structure: This goes right along with your folder structure. Scannable: Make sure anyone who quickly glances at the file will understand its name. Here's an example:. Beyond making your file names unique, scannable, and easily understood, the Stanford University Libraries recommends these tips for good file names:. Dates: Always write dates in yyyymmdd or yymmdd format, so your files will naturally fall in chronological order.

In my examples above, I used mmyy because the folders were already organized by year making month the most important descriptor. Length: Be aware that some software programs have character limits on file names. Include only necessary information in your names, and cut anything superfluous e.

This ensures your files or folders will stay lined up how you want them too. Start general then get specific: Since your filenames will naturally be sorted from whatever you type first, start with the most general components year, department, client, etc.

A general rule of thumb is whatever you want to see first, write first. Finding files is much easier with a folder structure. Plus, with well-named files and folders, your computer's search will be an even better tool for finding files. Your new names and folders should be easy to find in seconds. On a Mac, Spotlight lets you search through your files and emails and preview them to make sure you found what you are looking for.

On an iPad or iPhone, just pull down on your homescreen for a simplified Spotlight search to look through emails, notes, and apps on the go—or use the search tool inside the Dropbox or Google Drive app on any phone to find synced files.

On a PC running Windows Vista, 7, or 8. In Windows 10, there's a Cortana search button next to the Start button, which can search for files and folders—and can also look up the weather or search the web. If you want more tools to dig deeper in your folders or launch specific programs automatically, there's also third-party search apps. Alfred is a popular and powerful search tool for Mac, while Launchy is a common pick for Windows searching.

You can also search for files inside apps themselves. Dropbox, Google Drive, and Box let you search through synced files and folders, while Zapier can search inside many of your productivity apps. Zaps can search for specific files and folders in Box—perhaps to find a client's folder—and then save files from other apps into that folder to help keep everything organized automatically. If your files and folders are already disorganized—it will take forever to clean up. So start out with this month's files, for example.

Then save every new file according to that folder structure. Consider archiving all old files by moving them into an "Old Files" or "Archive" folder. When you have time, you can go through this "Archive" folder and store files using the same folder structure you've already started using for new files. What folder structure do you use to keep your files organized? We'd love to hear about it in the comments below! Using Dropbox to organize your files? Check out these 12 Hidden Dropbox Features for more ways to organize and quickly find files whenever you need them.

Chelsea Beck contributed this article as a freelancer for Zapier. Why Zapier? How Zapier works. Product tour. Customer stories. Popular ways to use Zapier. Apps that work with Zapier. Explore Zapier by job role. Blog Read the Zapier blog for tips on productivity, automation, and growing your business.

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