How do I keep project drafts organized so I can tell which version is current?
Quick answer
Separate files by status, use one filename pattern, and increase the version number when you make a meaningful revision. For example, keep working drafts, review copies, approved outputs, and archived files in clearly named folders. Include the project, document, status, version, and date in each filename. Treat approved files as fixed records: if an approved output needs a change, create a new working version and send it through review again.
The question, the details, the next step.
I have drafts, review copies, and final files scattered across folders. What’s a simple structure that works without relying on a particular app?
Start with one main folder for the project, then separate files by what should happen next:
01_Working— drafts being edited.02_Review— copies shared for comments or approval.03_Approved— outputs explicitly approved for use.99_Archive— obsolete drafts and superseded approved outputs you want to retain.
The folder shows the file’s broad status; the filename supplies the detail. If you work alone, the same layout can help you distinguish your current draft from an older copy. Avoid folders called “final,” “final-new,” and “really-final”: those names don’t make clear which file is authoritative.
What should I put in each filename so two similar drafts don’t get mixed up?
Use one pattern and keep its parts in the same order:
Project_Document_Status_vNN_YYYY-MM-DD
For example, for an assumed project called Northstar and a document called LaunchPlan, a working draft might be:
Northstar_LaunchPlan_WORKING_v03_2026-04-18
A review copy could be Northstar_LaunchPlan_REVIEW_v03_2026-04-18; an approved copy could be Northstar_LaunchPlan_APPROVED_v04_2026-04-22. These names are illustrative. Use a short, recognizable project name, a document name, a plain status word, a version number, and the date. Choose one date format and stick with it. If your team has naming limits, shorten the project or document label rather than dropping the status or version.
When someone sends comments, or a file gets approved, how do I move it forward without losing track of what changed?
Treat each meaningful revision as a new version. When a working draft is ready for comments, make a review copy, label it REVIEW, and place it in 02_Review. If comments lead to edits, save the edited file as the next version in 01_Working. Keep the earlier review copy if you need to know what reviewers saw.
When approval is explicit, put that version in 03_Approved and label it APPROVED. Keep the approved file unchanged. If it needs another edit, make a new working version; it is not approved just because an earlier version was. Move superseded files to 99_Archive when they clutter active folders. If you may need a record of who approved something or what changed, keep a short note alongside the file: a status label alone doesn’t capture that history.
How do I make sure I and anyone else can quickly tell which file to use?
Agree on a few rules and apply them consistently: only files in 03_Approved with APPROVED in the name count as approved outputs; the highest version number in 01_Working is the current working draft; and review files are copies, not the place to continue editing. When sharing a file, state its exact filename and status instead of saying “use the latest one.”
For example: “Please review Northstar_LaunchPlan_REVIEW_v03_2026-04-18.” After revisions, identify the new working version by name. If several people edit independently, assign one person to consolidate edits and advance the version number; otherwise, competing files may both appear current. This method makes status visible, but it cannot decide whether feedback is complete or an approval is valid—record those decisions clearly.
A practical checklist
Create
01_Working,02_Review,03_Approved, and99_Archiveinside the project folder.Choose one filename pattern and date format; include project, document, status, version, and date.
Increase the version number when you make a meaningful revision; don’t silently overwrite a file being reviewed.
Move only explicitly approved outputs into
03_Approvedand keep them unchanged.When sharing or handing off work, name the exact file and state what action is needed.
A few more useful answers
Should I use the date or the version number to identify the newest draft?
Use the version number to show sequence and the date to show when the file was saved or issued. Keep both consistent, and don’t treat a later date alone as proof that a file is approved.
What if I need to change an approved file?
Leave the approved file intact, create the next version in 01_Working, and label it WORKING or REVIEW until it is approved again. Move the older approved output to the archive if it is no longer the current approved one.
Do I need to keep every old draft?
Keep older files that matter for review, decisions, or handoffs; archive them so they don’t compete with active work. For routine drafts with no continuing value, follow your team’s retention preferences.