Mastering File Organization: The Date Name System

What is a File Naming Systems?

As a Digital Technician, the file naming system we rely on most often is what we call the “date name system.” It’s simple, clear, and highly efficient—especially when you’re working with countless files across multiple projects. Here’s why it works so well.

The beauty of this system is that it lets you view all files in date order. Each file is labeled by job name, making it super easy to track down what you need, when you need it. So, even if the date on the folder changes due to file modifications, the naming structure holds steady, keeping everything in line.

What is the format?

The format looks like this: YYYYMMDD_JobName. That’s year, month, day followed by the job name. It might seem straightforward, but it makes all the difference.

Here some examples:

• 20201015_Zara

• 20210402_H&M

• 20220627_Nike

• 20230210_Gap

• 20211119_Uniqlo

• 20210308_Topshop

• 20230824_Levis

• 20200911_NewLook

• 20230305_Adidas

• 20211228_Forever21

• 20221009_BananaRepublic

When you sort by name, your files automatically fall into date order. So, instead of scrolling through a mess of random files, you’ve got a chronological archive of your work at your fingertips. This, hands down, is the best way to name your files.