Ah, the New Year—a time for fresh starts, big goals, and... organizing your documentation?
😉 Hear me out. There’s no better time than now to finally tackle that digital jungle of files, folders, and forgotten drafts. You know the ones—you've got a folder named "Important" that’s not actually that important and a doc titled "Final_v3_FINALfinal" - or - you have a file you need, but can not remember the file name or location...Sound familiar?
Let’s make 2025 the year your documentation game levels up. With the right plan, a little digital tidying, and some great tools (hello, SharePoint!), you can enter the new year organized and stress-free.
Ready to dive in?
1. Start with a Fresh Plan (Like a New Year’s Resolution for Your Docs)
Just like you wouldn’t run a marathon without a training plan (well, you shouldn’t), don’t dive into organizing without a clear strategy. Take a step back and think about your needs.
Ask yourself:
What types of documents are you dealing with? (Training guides? Sales docs? Compliance records?)
Who needs access? (The whole team? Certain departments?)
How often will they need updates? (If your team’s growing, this one is key.)
Now, create a roadmap. Set some goals, like, "I will declutter XXX documents by the end of Q1," and make sure everyone on your team knows the new game plan. Just like hitting the gym, consistency is everything.
2. Get Organized with Software Built for Success
Remember when "out of sight, out of mind" felt like a good idea for files? Well, it’s time to bring those forgotten docs back into the light, and the right tools can help.
Software to the Rescue (a few examples below):
SharePoint: Microsoft’s SharePoint is a powerhouse for document management. It lets you store, organize, and access documents easily, all while keeping track of versions. Plus, it integrates with Microsoft Teams and Office 365.
Google Drive: For the Google fans, Drive is a reliable option for file storage and sharing. With easy tagging and collaboration features, it’s perfect for smaller teams.
Software Documentation Systems: For teams dealing with technical documentation, systems like Confluence or Document360 keep everything centralized. These platforms allow you to easily organize, search, and update your documents, all while linking relevant files and versions together for seamless collaboration. Talk about efficiency!
Make 2025 the year you ditch the email chains and random file dumps. With tools like SharePoint or a Software Documentation System, you'll never have to wonder, "Where did I save that?" again.
3. Create a Folder Structure that Actually Works
The foundation of a great organization system? Folders that make sense. The trick is to strike a balance between too few categories and too many. Here’s your 2025 mantra: Simplify, but don’t oversimplify.
Ideas on Where to Start:
Top-Level Folders - These should be broad categories that encompass the types of documents your team regularly handles. Examples include: "Training Docs, User Guides, Proposals, Technical Specs, Regulatory Documents"
Subfolders - Under each top-level folder above, break down your documents into subcategories to make them easy to locate. But be mindful—not everything needs its own subfolder. Here’s an idea of how you might break things down:
Training Docs
New Employee Training
Advanced Training
Compliance Training
2025 Training Updates
User Guides
Mobile App User Guide
Software Release v2.0 User Guide
Troubleshooting Guide
Archived User Guides (for old versions)
Proposals
Sales Proposals
Government RFPs
2025 Client Proposals
Drafts and Revisions
Tips for Structuring Subfolders:
Use Yearly Divisions: For documents that require regular updates, like training or project files, it’s helpful to create yearly subfolders (e.g., "2025 Updates").
Audience-Specific Subfolders: If your docs are used by different departments or teams, try organizing by audience, like "Managers," "Developers," or "Sales."
Project-Specific Subfolders: For projects or large deliverables, break down the subfolders into phases or deliverables like "Design Docs," "Implementation," or "Final Reports."
4. Name Your Files Like a Grown-Up
2025 is the year we say goodbye to confusing file names.
RIP "Project_Final_VERSION_4_LASTFINAL_FINALV5."
Let’s adopt a clear, standard naming convention. For example:
"2025-Training-Module1-v1.docx"
"UserGuide-ProductX-v2.pdf"
And for the love of all things digital, use version control. If you’re using SharePoint or a CRM, they often have automatic versioning built in. No more guessing which file is the latest or accidentally using an outdated version.
I promise (taking this from my past mistakes) that you’ll thank yourself later.
5. Let Tags and Metadata Do the Heavy Lifting
One word for you: tags. They are the STARS of file organization, especially in platforms like SharePoint or Google Drive. You can add tags to documents, making it easy to find what you need without clicking through endless folders.
Consider tagging your docs by:
Category (e.g., “Training,” “Sales,” “Product Development”)
Audience (e.g., “Managers,” “New Hires,” “Clients”)
Status (e.g., “Draft,” “Final,” “Under Review”)
6. Templates Save Time and Sanity
Templates are the cheat codes for your documentation. They not only speed up the process but also ensure consistency across teams. If you’re frequently creating the same types of documents (say, client proposals or training guides), invest the time now to build out templates. You’ll breeze through projects the rest of the year.
Bonus tip: SharePoint and Google Drive both allow for custom templates to be created and shared across teams.
7. Keep It All in One Place
You wouldn’t store your winter boots in five different closets, so why scatter your documents across various platforms? Choose one central hub for your documentation—whether it’s SharePoint, Google Drive, or a Software system. And make sure everyone knows where to access it!
Remember, 2025 is the year of centralization. If it’s not in the system, it doesn’t exist. (And please, stop emailing Word docs with “Track Changes” enabled—we’ve got better tools for that!)
8. Stay on Top of Updates: New Year, New Content
Here’s a little-known secret: Documentation isn’t meant to be written once and then forgotten. Schedule review cycles—whether that’s quarterly, semi-annually, or whenever the content gods whisper to you that something’s outdated. If you’re using SharePoint, it’s easy to automate reminders for document reviews and updates.
Make 2025 the Year You Master Documentation (Or Call in the Experts)
Organizing your documentation might not be the most glamorous New Year’s resolution, but it’s one of the most rewarding. Whether you’re using SharePoint, or just creating better folder structures, it’ll pay off with better efficiency, fewer headaches, and a whole lot less “Where did I save that?”
And if the whole process feels like too much to handle? We’re here to help. At Writer Resource, we’ve got the skills (and the humor) to help you get your documentation in shape. Whether you need technical writing, training development, or medical writing, we’ve got your back.
Happy organizing—and happy New Year!
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