An

1. DATA MANAGEMENT:
WHERE’D MY FILES GO?
Presented by Miles - January 2013

2. Agenda
 What do I mean Data Mgmt?
 4 Points
1. Develop consistent naming system
2. Use Logic Tests to decide location
3. Search tips + folder views
4. Synchronizing and archiving
 Discussion

3. What do I mean Data Management?

4. System+Apps vs Data
 Folders
 Files

5. Point 1: Develop a Consistent Naming System

6. Naming Strategy: Folders
 Create Consistent Buckets on all machines
 Windows Libraries are a great start

7. Naming Strategy: Folders
 Departments
 Date Related (eases archiving)
 Tags
 Unique
 Use hyphens, no spaces or underscores
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2385612,00.asp

8. Naming Strategy: Files
 Use YYYY-MM-DD for dates
 Include versions in file name
 keywords
 Unique
 Indicative of what the file contains
 Scannable (with the human eye)
 Naturally ordered alphabetically
 Consistent!
Finding files will often come down to search

9. Naming Strategy: conventions to avoid!
 File type in folder (“PDFs” “DOCs”)
 Generic Words (“data” “files” “follow up”)
 Misspellings (will hurt search results later)
 Referring to containing folder (“abstracting-
department-checklist-2013-02-03.xls”)

10. Miles’ example Naming System

11. My Example System: Top Level
Audio
Documents
Images
Installers
Video
Web

12. My Example System: Next Level
Documents
Realogic
Dept – Marketing
Dept – Sales
Dept – Abstract
Dept – Analysis
Dept – Human Resources (HR)
Personnel
Non-Work
Personal Finance
Wellness
Entertainment
Tutorials
Images
Photos
Graphics

13. My Example System: Next Next Level
Documents
Realogic
Dept – Marketing
Collateral
Reports
Receipts
Proposals
Presentations
Dept – Abstract
Dept – Analysis
Dept – Human Resources (HR)
Personnel

14. Point 2: Use Logic Tests to Determine Location

15. Where – Lots of options
 Local Drives (C:, partitions, Internal data drives)
 Removable Drives
 USB Sticks
 CD/DVD/Blu-ray
 External drives
 Network Shared (H:, J:, I:)
 Network (personal U: drive)
 Web Cloud Storage

16. Logic Tests
1. Is this a final version or a draft?
2. Will this file need to be shared?
3. Is this a template from which other data files
will be made?
4. Is this associated with a department?
5. Will you need to work on this from multiple
locations and computers?
6. Does this file need to remain confidential?

17. Logic Tests: Will this file need to be shared?
If Yes:
 consider a shared network drive or in cloud
storage
If No:
 Local drive or removable storage

18. Logic Tests: Is this a final version or draft?
If Final:
 consider converting to PDF and store on a
shared network drive or in cloud storage
If Draft:
 Local drive or removable storage

19. Logic Tests: Is this a template
If Template:
 Consider the Intranet, a shared network drive
or in cloud storage
If Draft:
 Local drive or removable storage

20. Point 3: Search Tips and Windows Views

21. Search Tips
 If you’ve stuck to your folder + file naming
conventions, you should only need to know the
general area
 Use the Window Explorer Search Box
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Advanced-tips-for-searching-in-Windows

22. Windows Views
 Details view vs. Thumbnails view
 Sortable columns
 To set current Windows View for all folders:
 InWindows Explorer (Alt +T for Tools) -> Folder
Options…
 View Tab ->”Apply to Folders”

23. Point 4: Synchronizing and Archiving

24. Pure Storage Cloud Apps
http://www.theverge.com/2012/4/24/2954960/google-drive-dropbox-skydrive-sugarsync-cloud-storage-competition

25. Local File Synchronization

26. Department-Specific Apps
Intranet with

27. Extra Point: Consider whether you need a doc or not?

28. Notes & Brainstorm Apps
http://www.theverge.com/2012/4/24/2954960/google-drive-dropbox-skydrive-sugarsync-cloud-storage-competition

29. Content Saving Apps
http://www.theverge.com/2012/4/24/2954960/google-drive-dropbox-skydrive-sugarsync-cloud-storage-competition

30. Project Management Applications

31. That’s it
 Discussion