Good vs. Bad: File Naming, Folder Structure and Versioning

Most file problems aren't hard to fix. They're just easy to miss until a deadline.

Most file problems aren't hard to fix. They're just easy to miss until a deadline. This guide puts common bad habits next to better ones, with one line on why each matters. The examples use a fictional client, ACM. Your own rules can look different. What matters is that your team picks a pattern and sticks to it.

File naming

Bad	Good	Why
`final_FINAL_v2.mp4`	`ACM_HERO01_launch-teaser_v03.mp4`	"Final" stops being true the moment someone makes another version.
`untitled-3.psd`	`ACM_KV01_poster-a3_v01.psd`	Anyone on the team can tell what it is without opening it.
`ACM Launch Teaser.mov`	`ACM_HERO01_launch-teaser_v03.mov`	Spaces can break web links, scripts and the command line.
`acm_Hero01_LAUNCH.aep`	`ACM_HERO01_launch_v01.aep`	Mixed case makes names harder to scan, and some systems treat case differently.
`10-19-26_ACM_edit.mov`	`ACM_20261019_edit_v01.mov`	Year-month-day sorts in date order and avoids day/month mix-ups between countries.
`ACM_logo#2 (copy).png`	`ACM_logo-primary_v02.png`	Symbols like `#` and brackets can break links and file transfers.
`ACM_HERO01_launch.mp4.mp4`	`ACM_HERO01_launch_v03.mp4`	One honest extension tells people and tools what kind of file it is.

For the full detail on separators, case and dates, see File Naming Best Practices.

Folder structure

Bad	Good	Why
`Desktop/ACM stuff/`	`ACM_Launch/` in one shared studio folder	Projects in one known place are easy to find and back up.
`Renders/`, `Assets/`, `Project/`	`01_Project/`, `02_Assets/`, `03_Renders/`	Number prefixes keep folders in the order you work.
`ACM_Launch/new/new folder/old/`	`ACM_Launch/02_Assets/Images/`	Fewer levels with clear names beat deep folders nobody can navigate.
Client files mixed in with your renders	`00_In/` for what arrives, `04_Out/` for what you send	Separating incoming and outgoing files shows what came from the client and what was delivered.
A different layout on each project	The same template folder copied for each new ACM job	A familiar layout means less searching when you switch projects.
`ACM_Launch/03_Renders/ACM_KV01_poster_v01.psd`	`ACM_Launch/01_Project/ACM_KV01_poster_v01.psd`	When the folder and the file agree, you can trust where things are.

Versioning

Bad	Good	Why
`v1`, `v2` … `v10`	`v01`, `v02` … `v10`	Zero-padding keeps versions sorting in the right order.
`ACM_HERO01_launch_new.mp4`	`ACM_HERO01_launch_v04.mp4`	A number shows the order of versions. A word like "new" doesn't.
Saving over `ACM_HERO01_launch.aep`	Saving `ACM_HERO01_launch_v05.aep` as a new file	Keeping earlier versions lets you go back when feedback changes.
`ACM_HERO01_launch_v03_jo-edit_v2_fix.mp4`	`ACM_HERO01_launch_v04.mp4`	One version number per file. Put notes in a log, not the name.
Project at `v07`, export named `v03`	Export from project `v07` named `v07`	Matching numbers let you trace a delivery back to its source.
Every version left in the working folder	Older versions moved to an `_old/` folder inside the project	The latest file stays easy to spot, and history is still nearby.

Check your names

Pick the rules that fit your studio, write them down in one short place, and make the right name the easy one. Prisma: file-naming and folder-structure tools for creative studios. Paste a few of your current names or folder paths into Prisma Scanner. It's free, needs no signup, and gives a score plus recommendations on where names break good practice. When you're ready to fix them, Prisma Hub, our Mac app, suggests names based on your own rules.

Open Prisma Scanner

Check your file names free with Prisma Scanner

Open Prisma Scanner