Organizing cloud files can reduce the many digital files accumulating on our computers, whether work-related or personal. However, it can be overwhelming to look at all the photos, documents, and data that have accumulated over the years.
And you’re not alone. When it comes to files in the workplace, 57% of office workers in the United States say that quickly finding documents and files is among their top three issues.
However, you can always organize this data by moving it to cloud storage – and it pays off. At work, you’ll find files quickly and efficiently, making time for other important tasks while making your job easier.
The best part is organizing files on a cloud storage system is easy. Below, we’ll take a look at an easy-to-follow guide to organizing your files, plus a recent blog post on organizing your files in 4 steps can be read at this link.
Set Your Goals to organize your cloud files
Most importantly, you will need to determine your goals for your organizational project. To do this, you’ll need to ask yourself three questions:
Who: Who needs to understand your new file system? Is there anyone on your team who is not very tech-savvy and will need something easy to follow, or is it only for you?
What: Determine specific needs for your project. Are there certain issues that are more important than others when it comes to organizing? What should your naming convention be?
When: When will you begin this project, and how much time can you spend on it?
Do Your Research to organize your cloud files
Next, research what online file-sharing software is best for you and your Cloud files. Get some suggestions from your team and compare the benefits. Some common options are:
Google Workspace. Google Workspace is a great option for businesses, offering a custom email along with tools like Meet, Gmail, Drive, Calendar, Sheets, and Docs.
Gmail. Personal Gmail includes Google Drive which is similar to Google Drive on Workspace but generally has smaller storage capacity and fewer business-centric features.
OneDrive. This service is run by Microsoft and allows sharing and synchronizing of files.
Dropbox. With Dropbox, you can sync, store, and access documents and more from any device.
Archive and Delete
Before you get into the nitty-gritty of organization, you’ll need to go through an archive and deleting process. Duplicate files, documents that are outdated, or irrelevant documents can all be deleted. If you want to keep something just in case, you can move it to a folder titled “Archive“.
Organize
Now that you’ve deleted unnecessary documents and archived others, the actual organizing begins. Decide if organizing files by date, project, department, or name will work best. Determine your broadest categories and create folders. Then, move your files into these folders.
If you have data, also known as objects, you will need to create buckets to store your information in Cloud Storage. By having several folders and buckets for all your information, you will minimize the time it takes to scroll through all of your information to find files or data.
You may need to create subfolders when this first step is done. Keep in mind that subfolders can be useful, but avoid creating them just for the sake of having more folders. Make sure to do so only to minimize scrolling, not “just in case“ you may need it in the future.
Another great tip is to create a temporary folder. You can store your files that are in progress there. Once they are no longer in use, you can decide to delete, archive, or move them to the right folder.
Conclusion
There you have it: everything you need to get started on your 2022 digital organization project. It may seem daunting, but all you need to do is stick to the main steps: setting goals, doing your research, archiving and deleting, and
organization. And remember to only create folders that have a current purpose.