Archon & PartnersStarter folder list
When: As the template for every new project
[Project number] [Short name] 01 Admin 02 Drawings 03 Correspondence 04 Photos 05 Invoices 06 Consultants 07 Site 08 Archive
Guide · Running projects
Project file structure: the same folders on every project
The short answer
Name every project folder with its number and a short name, such as P-2026-014 Smith House, and give it the same numbered subfolders: 01 Admin, 02 Drawings, 03 Correspondence, 04 Photos, 05 Invoices and so on.
Name files date first (YYYY-MM-DD). Keep all projects in one parent folder owned by the firm, not by one person. The generator below writes the tree and the commands to create it.
Step by step
Choose one parent folder
One shared Drive folder or SharePoint library for all projects, owned by a firm account, so nothing is lost when someone leaves.
Name project folders by number
Project number, then a short name: P-2026-014 Smith House. The number comes from intake.
Fix the top-level subfolders
Five to eight numbered folders. Keep it shallow: one level is enough to start. Add a second level only where people ask for it.
Set a file naming rule
Date first, then project number, then what it is: 2026-11-05 P-2026-014 Client brief.pdf. Date-first names sort in order.
Create it the same way every time
Copy a template folder, run the commands from the generator, or let the intake automation create it.
Write down who may change it
One person owns the folder list. Changes apply to new projects, not to old ones.
Free tool
Folder structure generator
Enter the project number and name, and edit the subfolder list. It writes the tree and a command for Mac Terminal or Windows PowerShell that creates the folders.
Runs in your browser. Nothing is sent, saved or uploaded. Replace the values with yours.
Why the same structure on every project matters
When every project uses the same folders in the same order, anyone in the firm can find the latest invoice, the signed agreement or the contractor's last submittal without asking. New staff learn one layout, not one per project lead. Automations also depend on it: an intake script can only create the right folders if the list is fixed, and the RFI log can only link to a predictable place.
Numbers in front of folder names
Most file browsers sort folders alphabetically. Two-digit numbers in front (01, 02, up to 08) keep the order you choose, with Admin at the top and Archive at the bottom, whatever the names. Two digits also leave room to add folders later without renaming the rest.
File names that sort themselves
| Instead of | Use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Proposal FINAL final.pdf | 2026-11-12 P-2026-014 Fee proposal v2.pdf | Date and version say which is latest |
| photo1.jpg | 2026-11-03 P-2026-014 Site visit 01.jpg | Sorts by date; still makes sense out of the folder |
| 11-06-26 letter.docx | 2026-11-06 P-2026-014 Letter to client.docx | YYYY-MM-DD reads the same in the US and Latin America |
Google Drive or SharePoint
- Google Drive: put the parent folder in a shared drive, so the firm owns the files rather than one person's account.
- SharePoint or Teams: use one document library for projects. Sync it to your computer if you want to run the generated commands on it.
- Local or server drive: the same structure works; run the commands inside the projects folder.
Creating it automatically
The commands from the generator create empty folders where you run them and skip any that already exist. For new projects, the client intake automation can create the same tree from a form submission, in Drive through Apps Script or in SharePoint through Power Automate. Copying a template tree with files already inside is a bigger build; start with empty folders.
Changing the structure later
Changes apply to new projects. Reorganising finished projects costs time and breaks links in old emails. If a folder name changes, note the date in the folder list, so people know why older projects look different.
Common mistakes
- Personal folders. Files saved in one person's My Drive or desktop leave with them. Everything goes in the shared parent folder.
- A new layout per project lead. One list for the firm, owned by one person, is the whole point.
- Folders that are too deep. Five clicks to reach an invoice means people save it somewhere easier.
- "Final" in file names. Use version numbers and dates; there is always another final.
- Sharing the whole project folder. Share the subfolder a client or consultant needs, not the admin folder with fee letters and logs.
An example
A new project, P-2026-014 Smith House, comes in through the intake form. Its folder appears in the shared projects folder with the eight numbered subfolders. The fee proposal goes in 01 Admin as 2026-11-12 P-2026-014 Fee proposal v2.pdf. Site photos go in 04 Photos with the visit date first. When the contractor sends a submittal, it is saved in 07 Site and its link goes in the RFI log. Anyone opening the folder a year later finds the same layout as on every other project.
Folder list, naming rule and what goes where
Start from this list and change the names to how your firm works. The rule that matters is using the same list on every project.
Download the templates as a plain text file, no signup needed.
File naming rule (share with the team)
When: Pin this in the parent folder
YYYY-MM-DD [Project number] [What it is] [vN].ext Examples: 2026-11-05 P-2026-014 Client brief.pdf 2026-11-12 P-2026-014 Fee proposal v2.pdf Dates first. No "final"; use v1, v2.
What goes where (admin files)
When: Pin next to the folder list
01 Admin: agreement, fee letters, decision log, RFI log 02 Drawings: issued sets and exports (live model files follow your design software's own rules) 03 Correspondence: saved emails and letters 04 Photos: site and survey photos, date first 05 Invoices: invoices issued and supplier invoices 06 Consultants: consultant agreements and reports 07 Site: site visit notes, contractor submittals 08 Archive: superseded files
Frequently asked questions
What is a good folder structure for architecture projects?
Numbered top-level folders that match how the firm works: admin, drawings, correspondence, photos, invoices, consultants, site and archive. The exact names matter less than using the same ones on every project.
Should model and CAD files live in this structure?
Exported and issued sets can. Live model and CAD files often follow rules set by your design software and collaboration setup. This guide covers the admin files around a project, not design work.
How deep should project folders go?
Start with one level. Deep trees make people guess where things are. Add a second level only where a folder gets crowded.
Is it safe to run the generated commands?
The commands only create empty folders inside the folder you are in when you run them, and they skip folders that already exist. Read them before you paste, and run them inside your projects folder, or a synced Drive or SharePoint folder on your computer.