File names convention

Scope

The following presents a standardised way for naming files within project folders, as well as collaborative files meant to be shared within lab members. 

Principles

As a rule of thumb, file names must be machine readable, human readable, consistent, and convenient for ordering within a folder. 

Following these principles, filenames should: 

• Start with a timestamp (refer to Timestamp convention), 

• Contain key words explaining the content of the document, using lowercase 

• Have underscore separators between key words  

Definitions 

This generates the following naming scheme:  YYYYMMDD_nameof_document.<FileExtension>

Example:  20241006_abstract_sla.docx 

For collaborative files, such as documents which need to be reviewed by another person, a version and initials (capital letters) of the person who last edited the document must be added.  

Example: 20241006_abstract_sla_v1_SP.docx 

Version numbers should be increased every time a document is modified, and initials have to be added at the end of the file name after another person has reviewed the document. For example, the following would be the same document as above after DR has edited it: 

20241006_abstract_sla_v2_SP_DR.docx