Naming conventions & appropriate file structure
08.06.2021
Naming your files correctly and in an appropriate file structure is crucial for preventing accidental loss of work during your time at TWC. It is also an excellent skill to develop and will set you up for success, especially in the future online world.
Exhibit A: This is an example of a BAD file structure:
Notice how finding files is difficult? It is also extremely easy to lose data when it is set up like this.
Exhibit B: This is a generic example of a File-Tree (GOOD file structure):
Looks complicated at first, doesn’t it? It is actually really simple.
Exhibit C: Here is an example of how your school work folder should look like:
Note: The files and folders are backed up and synchronized onto OneDrive, so when a file is updated/modified, the changes are made on the device and online.
This only takes a few minutes to do. When you get some free time, have a look at your current file structure and think about how you can improve it.
Things to avoid:
1. Multiple versions of files
Naming files ‘Final’ or ‘1, 2, 3, etc’ is a bad habit, as it is extremely easy to lose track of versions. With OneDrive, creating duplicates is also unnecessary, as it already does this for you with previous file versions.
2. Storing work in multiple locations
Going between locations is not recommended as it is easy to lose track of work and creates more work than it reduces.
3. Storing data on USB’s.
USB’s are small and can easily get lost or broken. USB’s are not recommended as a sole measure of storing schoolwork, documents and data.
Note: having extra backups on an external HDD/SSD/USB on top of your BYOD computer and OneDrive is recommended by the TWC ICT Department. While having OneDrive setup is generally foolproof, sometimes freak-accidents do happen, and it never hurts to have too many backups.
For more information about OneDrive and Foldr, see our other articles on the TWC Portal Page: