File management best practices

Sync makes it easy to access your files from any computer or device. This guide walks you through simple folder structure and file naming best practices that help you stay organized and make sharing easier.

This article covers the following: 

1. Folder & file naming basics
2. Best practices (keep sharing & finding files easy)
3. Simple naming conventions

1. Folder & file naming basics

Start with top-level folders (your “big buckets”)

Sync uses a top-down security model: permissions set on a top-level folder automatically apply to everything inside it (subfolders + files).

Use top-level folders to group content by:

• Department (Finance, HR, Marketing)
• Project (Website Redesign, Q2 Campaign)
• Client / Account (Client_Acme, Client_Orion)
• Theme / Type (Policies, Templates, Brand Assets)

Use simple subfolders (your “sorting drawers”)

Inside each top-level folder, add subfolders that help locate files quickly:

Common subfolders:

• 01_Admin/ (contracts, notes, kickoff docs)
• 02_Working Files/ (drafts, in-progress)
• 03_Final/ (approved deliverables)
• 04_Archive/ (old versions you might need later)

Tip: Number folders if order matters (01, 02, 03…) so they stay in a consistent sequence.

2. Best practices (keep sharing & finding files easy)

Keep it shallow (avoid “folder mazes”)

Try to keep folders to 2–4 levels deep. Too many layers make files hard to find and harder to share/manage.

Better: Clients / Acme / 03_Final /
Harder: Clients / Acme / 2026 / Q1 / Campaigns / Creative / Final / Version 7 /

Note: To maintain compatibility between Windows and Mac, Sync has a maximum path length of 248 characters. 

Examples:

Typical folder tree Flat tree

Use a group-based folder structure to organize your files by projects, clients, data rooms, departments, teams, and other logical data sets.

Keeping your folder relatively tree flat makes navigation faster and sharing easier. In this example the maximum depth is 2-levels (e.g. Marketing Campaigns).

3. Simple naming conventions

 A clear folder hierarchy and a consistent naming convention make it much easier to navigate, search, and maintain your files over time, especially as your library grows and more people collaborate. 

Folder names (pick one pattern and stick to it)

Good patterns:

• Client_Project (e.g., Acme_WebsiteRefresh)
• YYYY-MM-DD for date-based folders (e.g., 2026-02-04_MeetingNotes)
• Department_Function (e.g., Finance_Billing)

Tip: Use a chronological naming convention, such as YYYY-MM-DD, for folders and files when dates matter. It keeps everything sorted in the right order and makes items easier to find later.

File names (the “find it fast” formula)

Use a consistent structure like:

Client_Project_DocumentType_YYYY-MM-DD_V##

Examples:

• Acme_WebsiteRefresh_Brief_2026-02-04_V01.docx
• Marketing_Q2Campaign_EmailCopy_2026-02-01_V03.docx
• HR_Policy_ParentalLeave_2026-01-15_FINAL.pdf

Quick rules:

• Use dates for time-based clarity (YYYY-MM-DD sorts correctly).
• Use V01, V02, V03 for drafts; use FINAL only when truly approved.
• Keep names short but descriptive (avoid “final_final_REALfinal”).