When you’re doing a job that has several stages sometimes keeping files organised can be difficult. I initially start with main folder, with a job number and description for easy backing up and retrieval. My main Quark files are saved straight within the main design folder and then I have a set of folders to house my illustrator files, high resolution images, supplied files etc. What I find useful is whenever major changes are made to a Quark file I save them as version 1 (name v1.qxd), version 2 (name v2.qxd) etc and then file them in an old folder (which I keep).
This is useful for several reasons:
- As well as the auto quark back ups you have an additional quark file to fall back on should a file become corrupt.
- You will occasionally (I know I have) be asked to amend part of a document back to that of a previous version.
- You make a mistake on the latest file, you can go back and cut and paste bits from the previous one.
Another thing I always do is to save all my original design concepts. I have on occasion been asked to revisit a previous concept (one not previously chosen) several years after a job has been done. Keeping your old concepts is also useful for your own reference for style and of course when you want to show your design concept skills within your portfolio. I know I sometimes prefer the concept work to the final design.
On illustrator files which include text I will try to remember to keep a version where the text is not split into paths which is always useful if a document is updated and text needs changing in the future (and you can’t remember the font etc).
I am sure there are lots of different ways of organising your graphic design files, do you have any tips? How do you organise your computer files?
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My methods are pretty similar – I suppose it’s just logical really. My main folder is divided into months, which are then divided by project. I always name those projects as ‘JOB / CLIENT / PROJECT / TYPE’ – which will be ’100526 CARLING NUFC video board’ for example, so if I ever search by job number, client name, or for ‘email’ or ‘website’, I can find everything.
In the project folder, I have RESOURCES which are initial briefs, pics, useful things I’ve found for reference etc, IDEAS which are initial sketches, working ideas, and then anything else is broken down in terms of the project. For example, a large branding project will be split down into LOGOS, STATIONERY, COLLATERAL, perhaps FINISHED FILES and ARTWORK too. Different versions are saved as v2, v3a, and so on. (I also save a PDF of all final items too, for quick print and distribution to other people.)
I have the same ‘system’ when I’m working at home too, so I’m mentally familiar with where everything should be, and it saves time.
I have found that a couple of my counterparts at work tend not to using a logical system when naming or saving files, and it is unbelievably frustrating! They are slowly coming around to my way of thinking – after we narrowly averted a mini disaster due to someone not being able to find a file on their computer when they were off ill!
Mine is:
Project Folder
> communications (emails and other docs related to the project; at end of project, archived emails go here.)
> imagesFinal (files to place within my layout apps)
> imagesOriginal (images/art purchased or downloaded from various sources)
> proofs (incoming and outgoing proofs)
> client (proofs sent to client)
> vendor (proofs received from vendors)
> offsetPrinting (I do a lot of print work. This folder contains files send to printing companies, etc.)
> research (low rez pics, URLs, or docs used in researching a project)
> unused (various files and pieces of art that become unused because of finessing designs)
Mine is:
Project Folder
> communications (emails and other docs related to the project; at end of project, archived emails go here.)
> imagesFinal (files to place within my layout apps)
> imagesOriginal (images/art purchased or downloaded from various sources)
> proofs (incoming and outgoing proofs)
> offsetPrinting (I do a lot of print work. This folder contains files send to printing companies, etc.)
> research (low rez pics, URLs, or docs used in researching a project)
> unused (various files and pieces of art that become unused because of finessing designs)
I wish I was as organised as you lot.
I keep all my images in a master image library. I did find that keeping images within project folders, caused too much duplication on my system. Otherwise I keep projects in Client folders organised by date. I do keep separate versions of projects as they change with client amends, redrafts etc, and I do keep several versions of illustrator files – EPS with text converted to curves, the master AI file and various versions in between.
The ‘packaging’ facility that InDesign offers is great for archiving files onto CD or DVD, I much prefer it to Quark which I abandoned after version 4.
Don’t forget to backup your files as well – I use a portable hard disk for this.
Have you heard of Extensis portfolio? It is a great tool for digital asset management that I have used for many clients. It’s good to start using it early before you have decades of files in your archive. It would take paragraphs to explain all of the features, so look it up and i think there is a free thirty day trial.
I begin all my files with the date, in the format yy.mm.dd. So my files might be “07.10.18 Project.indd” and “07.09.12 Project.indd” and they sort properly and I’ll know which is the most current.
Hi Everyone thanks for all your comments. Justin I have heard of Extensis Portfolio and tried it years ago but haven’t really used it since I will take a look – thanks.
I have the famous projectname.ai, projectname2.ai, projectname25wytsef.ai, projectnamecrap.ai, projectnameddfsxcgsdfg.ai and so on on my desktop, and after a while everything gets thrown into one of the numerous temp-folders. Needless to say, I search a lot. ^^
I usually have 3 folders: document, images and text. I name files with “filename_date_version#”.
Mine is:
Jobs > Year > Jobs in progress > client > project
and than I use project-name/version/revision. for example: “eurep 1.0″
I organize everything by client. Then within each folder I have a RESOURCES folder which includes (usually in seperate folders as well) logos, images, correspondance, text documents, etc.
Then each project receives a separate folder under the main client folder. If it’s a project that requires multiple parts (say a trade show) I usually try to keep these in their own folders too (banner, brochure, handout, etc.).
I find it too difficult to do the date thing…I can never remember when I worked on certain projects, but I almost always remember WHY I created something.
The initial file structure really helps alleviate the duplicate files scenario Graham was referring to.
I need to start saving multiple versions of my main design file tho’…I can definitely see where that could come in handy.
After years of struggling with a classic file naming ‘system’ of:
cd_artwork.pdf (helpful!)
made up client cd cover FINAL 17 feb 01.pdf
made up client cd cover FINAL version CORRECTED 7 feb 01.pdf
MAde Up client CD cver BOB’s VERSION (TO SORT OUT?) FINAL.ai
Made Up Client CD March_OLD.ai
I sat myself down and thought about how I work, and how and when I needed to find things …
I now have a folder called ‘Projects’ in my Documents folder. Inside that folder are individual client folders:
>ABC Client Name (ABC is three-letter client code, Client Name is the full name)
>DEF Client Name
>GHI Client Name
Then in each client folder, I have project folders named sequentially rather than by date because some projects span multiple years. Also, in each client folder, I have a ‘catch all’ OS X Smart Folder to pull in all invoices, receipts, letters etc. related to that client (these items are actually stored in a separate ‘Business’ folder)
>>ABC etc. (Smart Folder giving access to all ABC invoices, letters etc.)
>>ABC001 Project Name
>>ABC002 Project Name
In each project folder I have three folders:
>>>ABC001 Output (final proofs, PDFS … er, output, basically)
>>>ABC001 Research (web pages, images from client, low res images, relevant bumph)
>>>ABC001 Work (main work files – AI, InDesign etc.)
>>>>ABC001 Source (inside work folder, contains source files: full-res images etc.)
The work files themselves are named like this:
for a brochure (single item in project):
>>>>>ABC001 v01 2007-09-24.ai
>>>>>ABC001 v02 2007-10-24.ai
>>>>>ABC001 v01 2007-09-24.indd
>>>>>ABC001 v02 2007-10-24.indd
or for a CD (multiple items in project):
>>>>>DEF003 Cover v01 2006-09-17
>>>>>DEF003 Cover v02 2006-10-07
>>>>>DEF003 Disc v01 2006-10-08
>>>>>DEF003 Tray Card v01 2006-09-26
>>>>>DEF003 Tray Card v01 2006-10-07
this way they automatically group themselves by item, then version, then date, then file type (I understand that for many people, date would take priority over version but for me, version takes precedence).
I can see file type in an instant because of the icon colour (illustrator CS3 is orange, InDesign is purple).
These end file names may seem minimal but the ABC001 parent folder contains the project name and the ABC grandparent folder contains the client name so all the information is there for me.
This system allows me to use very focussed searches with OS X Spotlight or Smart Folders and ultimately, it would allow me to group all files in one big folder and STILL be able to find stuff by client>project>file.
In short, I use a strict hierarchical folder structure but the naming convention allows me to switch to a pure single folder, metadata and search system if I want to.
Sorry to hijack the comments with this long post. I’m always keen to hear how people organise themselves and I hope I can learn a few tricks from these comments.
I give each client it’s own folder, and each project gets it’s own folder. I give all my clients a 2 or 3 letter code, and each project gets a sequential number added to that. Example UBA-23 is the 23rd project for that client.
Every file uses that project code as a prefix, then a description (UBA-23 Brochure.indd, UBA-23 Cover Image.psd).
My project folders have a _ASSETS folder that contains word docs, misc client stuff and general whatever. _IMAGES has all the images for the project.
Every client folder has a _GLOBAL folder that has stuff I reuse all the time (logos, color swatches, branding stuff). I also build a master INDD file that has basic style sheets and swatches loaded, so when I start a new file, I’ve got everything basically set up and just need to change the dimensions.
I use a cvs called FileHamester, it’s free and it’s great for psd files and etc.
It keep versions of your file, so you can have the file with only one name file.psd, and everytime you save you have a new version that you can keep or not and even add comments to a version if you need
http://www.mogware.com/FileHamster/
HTH
My system has changed over the years, and as the Mac is my primary system, the requirements have changed a bit. In the past, I have had to coordinate between Unix, Windows, and Mac naming conventions for both my office, as well as client and vendor needs. But, the current folder structure is as follows:
Client Project Year (main folder)
Art
010107 (art files from client, dated)
Initial
Stock Image Company Name (folder)
Client Project Name.psd (file)
Second
Final (I wish it were three stages!)
Design
010107 (design files from client, dated)
Initial
Client Project Name.ai (file)
Second
Final
Fonts
Manuscript
010107 (text files from client or writer)
Production
Initial
Second
Final
Transmittals (I don’t do this too much anymore)
010107 (dated correspondence folders)
Web
010107 Initial (dated archive of folder structure)
images
pages/directory name
images
page.html
index.html
screen.css
print.css
Management (folder on my personal machine)
Bids
Invoices
2007
Client Project 010107.xls
Correspondence
2007
This structure groups projects by client, which I like better now. Storage is cheap so I keep absolutely everything and have found that content management systems are overkill except for image/art archives, which I don’t really have anymore. I had a dozen people, and this system worked well, but at the time I ordered projects by date and internal folders with numbers (01, 02, 03…), which some advertising agency clients do as well. I also used to have design stages, and extended production stages for really large projects. Some clients would require folder structures to match their internal naming conventions.
Anything can be found incredibly rapidly, and the structure is used consistently. That is the most important thing! Thanks.
Nicholas
It should have indented!
Client Project Year (main folder)
___Art
______010107 (art files from client, dated)
______Initial
______Stock Image Company Name (folder)
______Client Project Name.psd (file)
______Second
______Final (I wish it were three stages!)
Well I have this one, that seems to work, I have an empty folder with the following folders/directories in it, each time I start a new client, copy and paste it, rename and off we go.
I find the #s help to organise the structure of the folders, then for any files that go in each use the same naming protocol for all clients. For example any files going into 0.Pres are named – Pres01_clientinitials_projecttype.doctype
Pres02_clientinitials_projecttype.doctype and so on
same rules apply to the other numbered folders.
I tend to do primarily print work, but if there is web design it gets broken down in a similar fashion.
Ω NEW JOB FOLDER
0. Pres – this can also have multiple folders once I move onto the next stage ie. brochure, stationary, reports, archive.
1. Prelims
2. Galleys
3. To Print
images/logos/fonts – used to have these separated out but find it gets too confusing
reference – client communications
text – word docs for import, editted client docs that are used in design.
web – catch all for possible web dev.
- and of course colour coded.
@ Kristian
Our folder set-up is very similar (mine is the comment above you).
I will definitley be borrowing the ‘Global’ folder for each client, it makes much more sense than my ‘etc.’ folder that was serving a similar purpose.
Thank you.
I have the regular setup of folders, but one extra that I think is especially useful:
a ‘sent’ folder, with everything that has been sent as a scetch to the client, and final artwork that has been sent to printers etc.
This way, you know what they are talking about when they speak to you abour some piece of work, which most of the time is either out of your head already or you’re already some steos further in the design when the reaction comes in.
I organise my design work in this folder structure:
Year > Alphabet (of client’s name) > Client name > Project (only if more than one project for same client).
Inside each project folder, I have folders for materials that the client gave me, a pictures folder for any graphics, and an “old” folder for any unused concepts. I will also have a folder for the current iteration of the design file.
Where possible, I try to give filenames with the date format YYYYMMDD format in the filename so that I can see at a glance which is the latest file and not get mixed up.
Mine goes like:
Folder and subfolders are:
Client Name – Job Type (site, logo, flyer, etc…) – Assets (images, fonts, anything unique to the client) – Global Assets (any assets that i may have used such as generic images etc…instead of duplicating the file i simply put a shortcut of the file (the actual file is in my main photo folders)
Within each job jacket (job type) I have different versions of the site, if it’s the same site but major changes I add a version number but, if it is something that went completely different I add the main difference such as: main_v1, main_v2, or, Main_as3 (action script3 ver)
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