File Naming Conventions That Save You Time

Good file names reduce searching and mistakes.

Principles

• Start with the date in year-month-day format so files sort correctly.
• Include the project or client name.
• Describe the content in a few words.
• Add a version number if needed.

Examples

2026-05-04_ClientName_Invoice_0012 is easy to sort and understand. Compare with "final final 2" which tells nobody anything.

Team agreement

Write the convention down and share it. Consistency matters more than the exact format chosen.