Last Updated on April 13, 2023
The fundamental techniques for naming, storing, and handling files are referred to as file management. You may get the most out of your image collection by employing some file management system benefits like sensible file and folder naming conventions, excellent metadata usage, and file managers and catalog software.
What exactly is file management?
Computer data is stored in a hierarchical file system, where directories are followed by electronic files and subdirectories. The critical components of file management include how we name files and folders, how we structure these nested folders, how to control access, and how we handle the files in these folders—even if we need the computer operating system to keep our image data organized. The usage of cataloging apps can improve how the operating system organizes our data, making it simpler to identify and organize image files than just using the computer’s directory structure. Catalog software also can automate backup processes for enhanced file security.
Organization versus storage
Approaching file management problems by separating the concepts of storage and organization is beneficial. What’s in a folder? Storage describes how you store files manage the files. What kind of names do you give your folders? How is a folder hierarchy created?
Organizing photos according to content, usage, or value is referred to as an organization. Finding all of Josie’s photos, photos taken for the Acme Corporation, or photos used in my portfolio is made possible by the organization. We advise using metadata as your organization’s primary building block rather than folders storing files.
The use of folders for organizations suffers from two basic issues. The first is that there are very few things you can do to organize using folders. One top-level organizational approach is required, and it can only be subdivided so much before the system gets unwieldy and fails.
A Software Catalog of File management systems
What are the primary means of digital file organization if not folders? To efficiently organize, manage, protect, and maximize the value of your photographs, we advise using metadata and catalog software. All photographs are kept in a database by catalog software, which also allows you to categorize them in a variety of ways using metadata. Images that share a subject, were taken for the same client, were distributed for related uses, or have any other similarity that can be combined.
Both original and derived works of file management software
The handling of camera original files and the creation of derivative files created from them is something you’ll want to think about while developing a file management system. Although it may seem logical to keep things together in a single folder structure, splitting them into two distinct directory structures has a number of benefits.
Your camera originals differ from derivatives in a variety of ways.
-A main copy of an original image should only exist once. In the case of derivatives, this is not true.
-Using PIEware like Lightroom, an original image that has been archived can be modified again without users having to re-archive the file. That isn’t generally the case with derivatives.
-When the camera originals have been stored, derivative files are frequently created or modified. When fresh work is not combined with existing work that has been stored files a 3-2-1 backup, the backup procedure can be made simpler.
-Even if derivatives and originals are spread out throughout a large portion of the directory structure, catalog software, and operating systems, a sensible naming scheme can make it simple to link them together.
Folder strategies
Folder for active files
We recommend that each computer have a location to keep unfinished projects. You can create a single backup process to safeguard the entire group if all of important files in your “works in progress” are contained under a parent folder called “Working.” You can maintain track of your work in progress by using a single working folder, which is especially useful for folks who use different computers. On every computer, configure the working folder to access files in the same way.
Structures for archive folders
While your photographs temporarily reside in the Working folder as they go from the card to the computer system the archive, the image archive should have a more long-term organizational structure. This needs to have a scalable structure that can expand with the collection and make safe and simple backups possible. Let’s examine some possibilities.
Folders based on dates
Creating a folder hierarchy based on date is one well-liked method of producing a structured image storage directory. It has a simple, understandable and logical structure that scales as time passes by just by adding dates.
Client-based directories
You can organize digital files in your archive directory according to the names of your clients or projects. This resembles the file method many photographers used to keep their films the closest in many aspects.
Limited-size folders
Creating folders that are the same size as your optical media backups is another approach to further organizing files in your archive. For single-layer DVD discs, these would be about 4.7GB, and for single-layer Blu-ray discs, about 25GB. This method is also frequently referred to as a “bucket” method. The main benefit of this method is that, compared to alternative folder structures, it makes it considerably simpler to restore your data from an optical media backup.
Conclusion
Surprisingly, the field of document management is still unaffected by technology at a time when companies are utilizing cutting-edge tools like big data, AI, and even blockchain to improve various business tasks like marketing, product design, and customer care.
Companies that spend thousands, if not millions, on technology to make their operations more efficient have somehow missed the influence that a decent file management system has on productivity within their company and are losing out on significant time and resource savings.
FAQ
Which file kinds can be stored?
A file management system can handle any type of document you can think of, such as scanned images of paper, contracts, word-processing files, graphics files, marketing files, spreadsheets, PDF files, text files, photographs, records of customer service, maintenance, product development, patents, patient records, engineering drawings, legal documents, student transcripts, accounting records, and material safety data sheets, to name a few.
What does optimization mean?
Media files must be optimized in order to perform and be as effective as possible. An image that has been optimized for web viewing differs from one that has been optimized for high-resolution color printing, for instance.
Which files and how should I optimize them?
Image (photo, animation, and video) and sound file optimization should be taken into consideration. Consider optimizing it if you notice that files perform worse as their size grows. Depending on the media platform you are preparing for, the optimization procedure differs. The file type, file size, compression, resolution, and color mode are factors that can influence how optimized a file is.fi
