File and folder naming

When I go into a new clients systems I always find a weird file naming system.  Unfortunately, when they are named like a sentence, you can’t even recover them when you need to from a backup or using VSS.  The list below is what I like to send my clients.  I hope this is helpful

Tips for file/folder naming.  I hope this makes sense.  J

• A good format for date designations is YYYYMMDD or YYMMDD. This format makes sure all of your files stay in chronological order, even over the span of many years.
• Try not to make file names too long, since long file names do not work well with all types of software such as Microsoft OneDrive
• Special characters such as  ~ ! @ # $ % ^ & * ( ) ` ; < > ? , [ ] { } ‘ ” and | should be avoided.
• When using a sequential numbering system, using leading zeros for clarity and to make sure files sort in sequential order. For example, use “001, 002, …010, 011 … 100, 101, etc.” instead of “1, 2, …10, 11 … 100, 101, etc.”
• Do not use spaces. Some software will not recognize file names with spaces, and file names with spaces must be enclosed in quotes when using the command line. Other options include:
  • Underscores, e.g. file_name.xxx
  • Dashes, e.g. file-name.xxx
  • No separation, e.g. filename.xxx
  • Camel case, where the first letter of each section of text is capitalized, e.g. FileName.xxx