Organizing files

Topic overview

The topic of organizing files suggests methods in which the yearbook team can organize files

External storage

First of all, it's a good idea to put your work on one working external harddrive. You should back up this harddrive daily, or even hourly if you can. The advantage of having an external harddrive is that it is not dependent on a single working computer. If a computer fails, you can easily move the harddrive to another working computer. You can share the external harddrive on your local network so that every computer can access it.

Folders

The way your pages are submitted is completely dependent on what your yearbook publisher asks for. Some publishers ask that everything is contained in one signature file, while others work in pairs of pages.

However, when actually putting pages together, it's a good idea to keep things in folders. Here's a suggestion on how to organize files:

  • Photo Archive
    • Sports
    • Events
    • Mugshots
      • Grade 8
      • Grade 9
      • Grade 10
      • Grade 11
      • Grade 12
  • Submission 1
    • Page 36_37 - Halloween dance
      • Photos
        • Photos here
      • Writeup
        • Writeup documents here
      • 36_37
        • Page layout files here
    • Page 38_39 - Winter dance
      • Photos
        • Photos here
      • Writeup
        • Writeup documents here
      • 38_39
        • Page layout files here

In this example, photos are stored in an archive so that it's easy to sort through certain ones. There should be some labelling or separate folder once a photo is used to prevent repeat uses of the same photo.

What you've learned from this topic:

  • The advantages of storing your yearbook files in an external harddrive
  • Knowledge of using folders to sort your files

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