Google Drive Organization
Google Drive Organization
Folders. Subfolders. Color coding and more.
Just like the old file drawers, easy retrieval is the ultimate goal of organizing files.
UPDATE from Oleg Moskalensky
Update: Now that I"ve looked beyond the topic points - this article can stand some improvement.
No question that getting the proper infrastructure set up is very important. Also, the use of color can be helpful as well, but only if you use few colors. A lot of colors will give you eye candy and won't do much in terms of organizing things.
Naming conventions are extremely important, but I do NOT agree with the recommended approach. Mostly due to the fact that most people organize things based on personal preferences. In some cases it makes sense to organize based on topics, others prefer organizing based on people and yes, some even like organizing based on dates. However, I do NOT recommend you adhere to the recommendations in this article regarding dates being part of filenames.
Stick to the approach you prefer of how you typically organize things - that would make your ability to find things far better than someone else approach/preferences. Keep in mind that you can have a single file associated with multiple folders. Thus, it's pretty easy to have a folder called 'Oleg' and another called "Jan 2015" and have the same file be in both at the same time (not 2 copies, just file associated with 2 folders, similar to how Gmail labels are used).
Name files appropriately, something that makes sense, so when you or (even more importantly) someone else looks at the names - they'll have some meaning to them as to what they are. Of course folder names should be carefully chosen as well. And last but not least - put the files into appropriate for them folders, so you don't wind up with NDA agreement file being located in "Pet Food" folder.
Finally, I also disagree with "Shared With Me" suggestion. You do NOT want to automatically grab any file shared with you, rename it and stick it somewhere under My Drive or in a folder within. Definitely do NOT do this automatically! One of the major reasons for sharing is collaboration, not just dissemination of content. And if you edit the document shared with you - the changes will be reflected in the original document. If you make the changes to a copy (which is the only way to have it as a newly named file in My Drive) - the original doc will NOT have those changes. Sometimes that's desirable, but most of the time - it is NOT. Not when collaboration takes place, with multiple people working on the same document.
In fact one of the things you should try to avoid is having multiple copies of the same document, if you want to avoid confusion. Google Drive let's you not only make as many copies of the same doc as you wish, but keep the names identical and store various copies in various folders or have a single copy in multiple folders. It's very open and flexible, but can easily create a major amount of confusion and chaos if not handled right. Power has its consequences and it's very easy to abuse it here. So, be mindful.
Great tips from The Gooru
H/T Oleg Moskalensky
#Googledrive
Originally shared by The Gooru
Proper folder structure, naming conventions, color coding, and keeping track of what is shared with you can go a long way when used properly. These 4 tips show the best way to organize your Google Drive for faster navigation so you never lose track of a document again.
http://www.thegooru.com/4-things-you-can-do-right-now-to-create-a-perfectly-organized-google-drive/
Folders. Subfolders. Color coding and more.
Just like the old file drawers, easy retrieval is the ultimate goal of organizing files.
UPDATE from Oleg Moskalensky
Update: Now that I"ve looked beyond the topic points - this article can stand some improvement.
No question that getting the proper infrastructure set up is very important. Also, the use of color can be helpful as well, but only if you use few colors. A lot of colors will give you eye candy and won't do much in terms of organizing things.
Naming conventions are extremely important, but I do NOT agree with the recommended approach. Mostly due to the fact that most people organize things based on personal preferences. In some cases it makes sense to organize based on topics, others prefer organizing based on people and yes, some even like organizing based on dates. However, I do NOT recommend you adhere to the recommendations in this article regarding dates being part of filenames.
Stick to the approach you prefer of how you typically organize things - that would make your ability to find things far better than someone else approach/preferences. Keep in mind that you can have a single file associated with multiple folders. Thus, it's pretty easy to have a folder called 'Oleg' and another called "Jan 2015" and have the same file be in both at the same time (not 2 copies, just file associated with 2 folders, similar to how Gmail labels are used).
Name files appropriately, something that makes sense, so when you or (even more importantly) someone else looks at the names - they'll have some meaning to them as to what they are. Of course folder names should be carefully chosen as well. And last but not least - put the files into appropriate for them folders, so you don't wind up with NDA agreement file being located in "Pet Food" folder.
Finally, I also disagree with "Shared With Me" suggestion. You do NOT want to automatically grab any file shared with you, rename it and stick it somewhere under My Drive or in a folder within. Definitely do NOT do this automatically! One of the major reasons for sharing is collaboration, not just dissemination of content. And if you edit the document shared with you - the changes will be reflected in the original document. If you make the changes to a copy (which is the only way to have it as a newly named file in My Drive) - the original doc will NOT have those changes. Sometimes that's desirable, but most of the time - it is NOT. Not when collaboration takes place, with multiple people working on the same document.
In fact one of the things you should try to avoid is having multiple copies of the same document, if you want to avoid confusion. Google Drive let's you not only make as many copies of the same doc as you wish, but keep the names identical and store various copies in various folders or have a single copy in multiple folders. It's very open and flexible, but can easily create a major amount of confusion and chaos if not handled right. Power has its consequences and it's very easy to abuse it here. So, be mindful.
Great tips from The Gooru
H/T Oleg Moskalensky
#Googledrive
Originally shared by The Gooru
Proper folder structure, naming conventions, color coding, and keeping track of what is shared with you can go a long way when used properly. These 4 tips show the best way to organize your Google Drive for faster navigation so you never lose track of a document again.
http://www.thegooru.com/4-things-you-can-do-right-now-to-create-a-perfectly-organized-google-drive/
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