Organising files?

Just curious how you all organise client files, fonts, projects, archives etc... I'm just looking at all the files spread over my computer, laptop and hard drives and thinking I need to sort all this out-any approaches you can recommend?
 
I have a Dropbox folder (since I have two machines) with a "Design" folder inside.

In there I have my client folders simple named after the clients (a friend of mine uses job numbers, though I've never seen the need). In each of those I will have project folder, and in there I start with 'Design' and 'Supplied' folders. Design obviously is where I will keep working files, Supplied is where I keep documents, files, etc that the client has sent me. You could go one step further and keep emails in here so you have a record of what's been said, though I tend to keep my emails on my email server and simply delete them when a job is complete and paid for.

My blank structure looks like this;

Screen Shot 2016-01-30 at 13.02.40.png

When I export files for clients I will either keep them in the 'Design' folder, or if it's a job with a lot of revisions I'll create a JPG, or PDF folder, or even an 'Outputs' folder and put those previous folder in there.

A lot of the time I just create new folders as and when I need to to keep everything organised, for example adding a 'Fonts' folder inside the 'Project > Design' one. After a month or two, I will archive the project, moving it to an external hard drive to save space in my Dropbox. The structure for this is essentially just a list of client folders, with the relevant projects inside each.

I can't tell you how I organise fonts as I don't. I use Suitcase Fusion to manage them, but have yet to find the time/willpower to go through and remove
unnecessary/hideous fonts.
 
I can't tell you how I organise fonts as I don't. I use Suitcase Fusion to manage them, but have yet to find the time/willpower to go through and remove unnecessary/hideous fonts.
Yes, fonts are a nightmare, overtime I upgrade computer I decide to sort fonts out-it never happens. Thanks for the informations, do you use any kind of spreadsheet to keep track or just search through the folders when you need to find previous work?
 
I use the same structure as Paul, with the addition of an 'Artwork' folder. I use this to keep final versions separate from the 'design/construction' folder as sometimes this folder can become a mess, especially if you have lots of amendments and changes. Keeping your finals separate eliminates confusion and in 4-5 years time when the job has been long forgotten about, I can still easily find the correct piece of artwork.

Hope that helps.
 
Client/Business Name > Reference Code (also used on invoices etc) > Project Folders

Project Folder =
Client Supplied (I often get cad files sent over)
PDF Documents (Quotes etc for easy reference)
Research (think of mood boards etc)
Assets (purchased images/cad models that type of thing) - this folder is also centralised on server too
Initial Development (sketches etc digitised via scanner if necessary)
Final Development
Final Supplied Files

There may be duplicate files in these folders as to put it simply storage space is cheap these days.

Files are archived on server and on blu ray or dvd once projects finished.

Fonts all just get slung in a big folder called fonts lol
 
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