The simplest way to organize your files is to give them unique, concise, and descriptive file names. Use whatever file-naming system works best for you, as long as you keep it consistent. Here are a few tips for naming files:
- Keep names short (under 25 characters). Long file names can cause problems for the computer. Abbreviate, truncate, and use acronyms.
- Avoid special characters, such as: ^ ~ \ / : * ? " < > | ! # % & $ , . These symbols can indicate specific commands and may cause problems when transferring your files.
- Don't put spaces in file names. Use underscores ("new_word") or camel-casing ("newWord").
- Start the file name with a date for chronological sorting. The recommended format is year-month-day, or "YYYY-MM-DD"
- For example, Nov. 7, 2019, is "2019-11-07"
For more information on file naming, this Stanford Libraries resource provides expert advice, including examples of best practices and links to tools for batch renaming files.