Electronic File Organization
During my career I have designed and implemented corporate file structures. I'm not talking about the file structure for hard copy files but about electronic files. Have you ever had trouble finding a certain file? You know the file exists but you can't find it. That is when I use file search to search the entire hard drive and hope I find the file I'm looking for.
Today most everything is electronic and having a logical file structure is very important to being able to quickly locate files when needed. (A file structure is also called a "file taxonomy".) A small business owner does not always need to recreate the wheel. There are many resources available today on the internet speeding up the process.
I came across a company called Software Advice that helps people find the right software for their organization. Don Fornes, CEO of Software Advice, wrote an article on June 19, 2013 titled "Do You Know Where Your Articles of Incorporation Are?" The author discusses the taxonomy that he created for his company and made it available as a free download.
No standard template will meet all needs. However it is a good starting point as files and sub-files can be added or deleted as needed. Utilizing a template as a starting point usually reduces the time to get the job done and with better results. You can choose to start with a downloaded template or you can always create it manually. It's your choice.
The benefits of having a logical file taxonomy is the ability to quickly find files when needed. No matter how you structure your file organization, it is important that you can locate your files quickly.
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