Project file naming, and folder structure

[Mike_Sanderson]

What is best practice for project file naming?

Currently our project file names include JobNumber_JobName_JobPhase_Date.

For example: 3333_Project1_DD_230303

Now we are collaborating with larger consultants they want a project file name that remains unchanged.

What do you use for a project name and how do you keep track superseded files or milestones in you folder structure?

I like to have the date to track when the project was last detached and Save As to a new name in order to reduce file size.

Also what is the best way to set up job folders?

We have a very old folder structure where we move the Revit Project through job folder as we progress through the design phases. Which means we end up multiple copies of the project in various stages across many folders, using up a lot of storage space and a risk of someone working on an out of date Project File.

[ToanDN · Accepted solution]

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@Mike_Sanderson wrote:

What is best practice for project file naming?

Currently our project file names include JobNumber_JobName_JobPhase_Date.

For example: 3333_Project1_DD_230303

Now we are collaborating with larger consultants they want a project file name that remains unchanged.

What do you use for a project name and how do you keep track superseded files or milestones in you folder structure?

I like to have the date to track when the project was last detached and Save As to a new name in order to reduce file size.

Also what is the best way to set up job folders?

We have a very old folder structure where we move the Revit Project through job folder as we progress through the design phases. Which means we end up multiple copies of the project in various stages across many folders, using up a lot of storage space and a risk of someone working on an out of date Project File.

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My project file name is Project Number_Project Name.rvt and it stays that way through the life of the project.

I archive the files at each milestone and append the date and the milestone ID to the file name.

[Mike_Sanderson]

How do you deal with Saving out a central model to reduce file size? I can get a 30% file size saving by doing this, however it requires the file name to be changed.

I guess I could detach it, save it as a Milestone / Backup, Delete the original, then reverse the process to recreate the orginal as a freshly saved file.

[ToanDN]

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@Mike_Sanderson wrote:

How do you deal with Saving out a central model to reduce file size? I can get a 30% file size saving by doing this, however it requires the file name to be changed.

I guess I could detach it, save it as a Milestone / Backup, Delete the original, then reverse the process to recreate the orginal as a freshly saved file.

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No it doesn't require the file name to be changed.  Open the central model to create a new local, then save as a new central overwrite the old central file.

It doesn't make any sense to create a new file name every time you save over to reduce file size.

[Mike_Sanderson]

I sure does reduce file size. I have just done it on an old job. it went from 684mb to 516mb just by detaching and doing a save as and renaming.

[ToanDN]

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@Mike_Sanderson wrote:

I sure does reduce file size. I have just done it on an old job. it went from 684mb to 516mb just by detaching and doing a save as and renaming.

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I wasn't talking about the file size.

Furthermore, the file size reduction doesn't stay that way for long.  Your team work on the file and sync it a few times and it goes right back to the larger size.  I personally wouldn't create a new central file too often just to see a smaller file size, one per week is more than enough.