Cloud file storage revolutionised the way we handle documents. No more having to email files back and forth. No more wondering which person in the office has the most recent copy of a document.
But just like the storage on your computer’s hard drive, cloud storage can also get messy. Files get saved in the wrong place and duplicate folders get created.
When employees are sharing the same cloud space it’s hard to keep things organised. Storage can be difficult to keep efficient.
Disorganised cloud storage systems lead to problems. This includes having a hard time finding files. As well as spending a lot of extra time finding needed documents.
Has your office been suffering from messy cloud storage? Does it seem to get harder and harder to find what you need? Here are several ways to tidy up cloud storage spaces and save time:
When people use different naming structures for folders, it’s harder for everyone. They often can’t find what they need. It also leads to the creation of duplicate folders for the same thing.
Map out the hierarchy of folders and how to name each thing. For example, you might have “departments” as an outer folder and nest “projects” inside.
With everyone using the same naming system, it will be easier for everyone to find things. You also reduce the risk of having duplicate folders.
When you have too many folders nested, it can take forever to find a file. You feel like you must click down one rabbit hole after another. When people need to click into several folders, it discourages them from saving a file in the right place.
To avoid this issue, keep your file structure only two to three folders deep. This makes files easier to find and keeps your cloud storage more usable.
The more folders’ people have to click into to find a document, the more time it takes. Folders can quickly add up as employees create them, not knowing where a file should go.
Use a rule for your cloud storage that restricts folder creation to 10 files or more.
This avoids having tons of folders with less than a handful of files in them. Have someone that can act as a storage administrator as well. This can then be the person someone asks if they’re not sure where to store a file.
We’re all guilty from time to time of saving to something general, like the desktop on a PC. We tell ourselves that we’ll go back at some point and move the file where it should be.
This issue multiplies when you have many people sharing the same cloud storage space. Files that aren’t where they belong add up fast. This makes it harder for everyone to find things.
Promote the slogan “take time to save it right” among the staff. This means that they should take the extra few seconds to navigate where the file should be to save it. This keeps things from getting unmanageable. If you use a file structure that’s only 2-3 folders deep, then this should be easier for everyone to abide by.
Many cloud file systems allow you to use colour tagging on folders. Using this can make a folder or group of folders instantly recognisable. This reduces the time it takes to find and store files.
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