Rule 8
Order the elements in a file name in the most appropriate way to retrieve the
record
The elements to be included in a file name should be ordered according to
the way in which the record will be retrieved during the course of every day
business. This will depend on the
way you work. For example, if the
records are retrieved according to their date, the date element should appear
first. If the records are retrieved
according to their description, the description element should appear first.
Rule 8 Example
|
Correct |
Incorrect |
| File name |
/…/SausageCttee/
20040630Agenda.rtf
20040630Minutes.rtf
20050120Agenda.rtf
20050120Minutes.rtf
20050201Agenda.rtf
20050201Minutes.rtf
/…/Events/
GardenParty20040630.rtf
ProcurementAward20040905.rtf
WeddingDinner20030304.rtf
(Ordered alphabetically as the files would be in the directory list) |
/…/SausageCttee/
Agenda1Feb2005.rtf
Agenda20Jan2005.rtf
Agenda30June2004.rtf
Minutes1Feb2005.rtf
Minutes20Jan2005.rtf
Minutes30June2004.rtf
/…/Events/
20030304WeddingDinner.rtf
20040630GardenParty.rtf
20040905ProcurementAward.rtf
(Ordered alphabetically as the files would be in the directory list) |
| Explanation |
The first example shows minutes and agenda of the Sausage
Committee. Minutes and papers of a meeting are likely to be retrieved on the basis of the date of
the meeting, it is therefore best to have the date at the start of the file name, otherwise all the
Agendas will come at the top of the directory list, followed by all of the minutes, and then by the
papers.
The second example shows the file names of the files in the Events folder. Because events are
likely to be retrieved by the name of the event rather than the date of the event, it is most useful
to have that element first. |
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