Best Practices for Organizing Departmental Content

Step-by-Step Guide for Organizing Departmental Content

Contents

1. Establish a Clear Folder Structure
2. Determine Where to Store Content
3. Organizing Files Effectively
4. Best Practices for Collaboration and Maintenance
5. Visual Representation of a Sample File Structure

Establish a Clear Folder Structure

Define a Consistent Folder Hierarchy

• Identify key content categories relevant to your department, such as:
  • Administrative Documents
  • Project Files
  • Policies & Procedures
  • Archived Records
• Create top-level folders based on major functions or responsibilities.
• Maintain a uniform folder structure across all departmental storage locations.

Use Standardized Naming Conventions

• Use clear, consistent folder and file names that reflect content purpose.
• Avoid special characters and overly long file names.
• Include relevant metadata in file names, such as:
  • Document type (e.g., MeetingMinutes, BudgetReport)
  • Date format (YYYY-MM-DD) for easy sorting
  • Version number (_v1, _v2, _final)

Determine Where to Store Content

Use the Right Storage Solution

• OneDrive - Personal work files, drafts, and temporary documents.
• Teams - Collaboration files for ongoing projects or team efforts.
• SharePoint - Department-wide resources, policies, archives, and official records.

Set Up Permissions and Access Control

• Ensure sensitive or restricted files have appropriate access settings.
• Use SharePoint permissions to control who can view or edit department-wide files.
• For Teams, create private channels for confidential projects and discussions.
• Regularly audit file access to ensure compliance and security.

Organizing Files Effectively

Reduce Clutter and Eliminate Duplicates

• Remove outdated or redundant files.
• Archive old but necessary documents in a designated storage location.
• Avoid creating multiple copies of the same document. Use links or shared storage instead.

Implement Version Control

• Always use the built-in versioning features in OneDrive, Teams, and SharePoint (examples: automatic saving, track changes, version history)
• Label documents properly when making edits (examples: Draft, Final, Approved).

Tag and Categorize Files for Easy Searchability

• Use metadata and tags in SharePoint to classify documents.
• Implement a clear file-naming standard that aids in quick searches.
• Encourage users to add meaningful descriptions when saving files.

Best Practices for Collaboration and Maintenance

Establish Clear Ownership and Responsibilities

• Assign document owners who are responsible for keeping files up to date.
• Define roles for who can edit, approve, or archive documents.

Encourage Collaborative Workflows

• Utilize Teams for real-time collaboration on departmental projects.
• Use SharePoint’s co-authoring feature for simultaneous editing of files.

Schedule Regular Content Audits

• Conduct semesterly or annual reviews to declutter and archive files.
• Ensure compliance with Mines' data retention policies.
• Reorganize files as needed to keep content structured and accessible.

Visual Representation of a Sample File Structure:

Additional Resources

• Why Are We Moving to the Cloud? Transitioning to Cloud Storage at Mines
• How to Review & Organize Your Files Before Migration
• Best Practices for Organizing Departmental Content
• How to Archive Old Data Effectively
• Understanding File Permissions and Sharing in OneDrive and Teams