My Documents

Most of the files you create are usually saved in the default folder called My Documents. Hopefully, you have created some folders within this folder and organized your files. If you organize them by project, they will be that much easier to locate later.

When should you clean out old files?

  • Check the date it was last modified. Look at the retention schedule on the Records Retention site for more information
  • It is a draft copy. Delete all drafts if a final copy has been made
  • There are other copies saved elsewhere or you have the master copy
  • When it is determined there is no value to keeping the file (administrative or academic). Examples: email, memos, council minutes

Note: Most files can be safely deleted after three years and other copies exist. Save the file if you own the master copy.

 

Naming Documents

Names should represent the content of the document, and should indicate the date, if applicable. For example, minutes of a departmental staff meeting held on February 25, 2005 might be named StaffMeeting_2005Feb25.doc.

Naming files without spaces (using underscores or uppercase letters to separate), keeps filenames compatible with other systems.

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Organizing Documents

Folders and sub folders named and grouped logically will provide the most assistance when organizing files. Following are some tips to make the location of your files easier to remember and identify:

Save your documents in a known place, such as “My Documents” folder, to make files much easier to find.

Under My Documents, the first level of your departmental directory on the network drive (S:/deptname), or the first level of your home directory on the network drive (S:/home), identify the major content of your documents. Document categories may include:

  • Committees
  • Special Projects
  • Department Correspondence
  • Personal Documents

Using a separate folder to store your personal documents will facilitate the review and deletion of these documents. Remember that when you store a personal document on the NEOUCOM network, it essentially becomes a “public record”, and is subject to review of state equipment.

Under each major content category, identify the subfolders using a descriptive name, such as:

  • Minutes
  • Memos
  • Plans
  • Analysis
  • Research
  • Lecture Material

Further breakdown the subfolders if there are a significant number of documents or if the documents are covered under records retention. For example,

  • Year (2005, 2006, etc.)
  • Course (Anatomy, Microscopes, etc.)

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Re-Organizing Documents

Files can be moved from folder to folder by:

  1. Create the new folders to be used for documents.
  2. Locate the documents to be organized using Windows Explorer (Click on the ‘+’ in front of folders to see subfolders, click on the folder name to see files).
  3. Click on the folder name to copy the entire folder or on the filename to copy only this file (use control-click to identify additional files. Folders or files selected will be active (blue).
  4. On the Windows Explorer menu, select Edit – Copy, or press control-C to copy the selected folder or files to the clipboard.
  5. Locate the new folder where the documents will be placed using Windows Explorer (same process to click to the original file location).
  6. Click the appropriate folder or subfolder to select it (blue).
  7. On the Windows Explorer menu, select Edit – Paste, or press control-V to paste the copied files into the selected folder.
  8. Verify that all files have been successfully placed in the new folder.
  9. Go back to the original folder and delete the files.

Saving Documents

All documents that contain material corresponding to the records retention schedule should be saved in the department directory on the network drive (S:/deptname). Storing files in the departmental directory ensures that:

  • Documents are backed up according to the data backup schedule
  • Documents are accessible by authorized members of the department

Occasionally, projects or committee work will cross multiple departments. In this case, a shared directory can be established to accomplish the same storage objectives listed above.

Please note: Documents stored on your local PC are not backed up by the central IT backup process. In the unlikely event of a hard drive failure, the chances of recovery are very, very low. Important documents should be saved to the users S:/home directory on the network to insure recovery capabilities.

 

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