1. FILE MANAGEMENT FOR THE GENEALOGISTS Creating/organizing files and folders.

2. Fifteen File Tips For Creating/organizing files and folders.

3. #1 – One Place For All

4. Place all documents in the My Documents Folder

5. #1 – One Place For All Place all documents in the My Documents Folder or on your hard drive

6. #2. – Create Folders

7. Set up broad-category of folders

8. #2. – Create Folders Set up broad-category folders Use plain language rather than abbreviations

9. #3 – Put files in folders rather than have a bunch of orphan files listed.

10. Set up broad-category of sub folders within folders

11. #3 – Put files in folders rather than have a bunch of orphan files listed. Set up broad-category of sub folders within folders Example, family - related documents by person

12. #4 – Be specific when naming files

13. Give files logical, specific names, use dates if possible.

14. #4 – Be specific when naming files Give files logical, specific names, use dates if possible. Goal is to be able to tell what the file is about without having to open it.

15. #5 – Follow file naming conventions.

16. Do not use spaces, keep file names under 27 characters, use all lower case letters.

17. #5 – Follow file naming conventions. Do not use spaces, keep file names under 27 characters, use all lower case letters. File names may use any of the letters from A to Z and numbers from 0 to 9

18. #5 – Follow file naming conventions. Do not use spaces, keep file names under 27 characters, use all lower case letters. File names may use any of the letters from A to Z and numbers from 0 to 9 Special Characters Allowed: $, %, ‘, -, _, @, !, (), #, $, +, ;, =, {}, [], commas.

19. #5 – Follow file naming conventions. Do not use spaces, keep file names under 27 characters, use all lower case letters. File names may use any of the letters from A to Z and numbers from 0 to 9 Special Characters Allowed: $, %, ‘, -, _, @, !, (), #, $, +, ;, =, {}, [], commas. NOT Allowed: slash (/), backslash (\), colon :, Question mark (?), or angle brackets (<>) as part of a file name.

20. #6 – File as you go.

21. File a document when you first create it using “Save As” option, putting it in the right place the first time.

22. #7 – Order files for your convenience

23. Use the computer's sorting function.

24. #7 – Order files for your convenience Use the computer's sorting function. o Put "!", "AAA", or a space in front of the names of the most-used folders

25. #7 – Order files for your convenience Use the computer's sorting function. o Put "!", "AAA", or a space in front of the names of the most-used folders  floats to the top of an alphabetical list

26. #7 – Order files for your convenience Use the computer's sorting function. o Put "!", "AAA", or a space in front of the names of the most-used folders  floats to the top of an alphabetical list o Put "ZZZ", or a bullet in front of the least-used ones,

27. #7 – Order files for your convenience Use the computer's sorting function. o Put "!", "AAA", or a space in front of the names of the most-used folders  floats to the top of an alphabetical list o Put "ZZZ", or a bullet in front of the least-used ones,  goes to the bottom.

28. #7 – Order files for your convenience Use the computer's sorting function. o Put "!", "AAA", or a space in front of the names of the most-used folders  floats to the top of an alphabetical list o Put "ZZZ", or a bullet in front of the least-used ones,  goes to the bottom. Or use 01, 02, 03 and so on.

29. #8. – Sort files to suit your needs.

30. By name

31. #8. – Sort files to suit your needs. By name By size

32. #8. – Sort files to suit your needs. By name By size By type

33. #8. – Sort files to suit your needs. By name By size By type By date modified

34. #8. – Sort files to suit your needs. By name By size By type By date modified o For example, to find the file you worked on most recently.

35. #9. – Use meaningful file names for your documents.

36. A file name like Sales 10 is less useful than Sales_2012_10.

37. #9. – Use meaningful file names for your documents. A file name like Sales 10 is less useful than Sales_2012_10. Remember not to use slashes, colons, asterisks or any punctuation other than a single period preceding the suffix. (See #5 – Follow file naming conventions)

38. #10. – Keep refining your filing system so that it works better and better.

39. #10. – Keep refining your filing system so that it works better and better. Rename or rearrange folders,

40. #10. – Keep refining your filing system so that it works better and better. Rename or rearrange folders, Archive or trash inactive ones.

41. #10. – Keep refining your filing system so that it works better and better. Rename or rearrange folders, Archive or trash inactive ones. Avoid duplicating folders

42. #10. – Keep refining your filing system so that it works better and better. Rename or rearrange folders, Archive or trash inactive ones. Avoid duplicating folders o Particularly those containing photos or other large files;

43. #10. – Keep refining your filing system so that it works better and better. Rename or rearrange folders, Archive or trash inactive ones. Avoid duplicating folders o Particularly those containing photos or other large files; o You'll fill up your drive and create confusion.

44. #11. – Use the Save As feature when you want to keep an unchanged version of a document.

45. #11. – Use the Save As feature when you want to keep an unchanged version of a document. You'll need to specify a new file name,

46. #11. – Use the Save As feature when you want to keep an unchanged version of a document. You'll need to specify a new file name, o Can base on the old one or change altogether.

47. #11. – Use the Save As feature when you want to keep an unchanged version of a document. You'll need to specify a new file name, o Can base on the old one or change altogether.  This trick from old-school computer geeks is still a good one:

48. #11. – Use the Save As feature when you want to keep an unchanged version of a document. You'll need to specify a new file name, o Can base on the old one or change altogether.  This trick from old-school computer geeks is still a good one:  Add V1, V2, V3 and so on at the end of a file name to track versions of a document you're modifying over time.

49. #12. – Reserve your desktop for items that need immediate attention.

50. #12. – Reserve your desktop for items that need immediate attention. When you're done working with them, file them in the proper folder.

51. #12. – Reserve your desktop for items that need immediate attention. When you're done working with them, file them in the proper folder. Try not to store documents long-term on your desktop.

52. #13. – Create Shortcuts for files you access frequently

53. #14. – Cull files regularly

54. #15. – Back up your files often

55. Flash drives

56. #15. – Back up your files often Flash drives External hard drives

57. #15. – Back up your files often Flash drives External hard drives Free and paid websites

58. #15. – Back up your files often Flash drives External hard drives Free and paid websites Email Gedcom files to yourself periodically.

59. B oise Family History Conference Spring 2011 handout: File Management for the Genealogist: by Sandy Stewart How to Organize Computer Files By an eHow Contributor www.ehow.com/how_138482_organize-computer-files.html#ixzz1wCG5umQi Source