How do you assign your Art File Numbers, Customer Numbers etc?

[Itsa Little CrOoked]

We're in a state of flux (my normal condition, I reckon) as to how to locate art files easily.

We don't use unique file numbers, but I want to start.

How do you guys generate file numbers?

[Screen Dan]

Sequentially?

Seriously though, we do only in house printing for wholesale and retail so all of the jobs already come with a SKU, so I throw the SKU of the specific garment at the beginning of the file name.  Sometimes some pieces of art go on more than one garment so I just copy the file again and put the other SKU at the beginning.  This way once it is ripped onto the file server we just type in xMS4391 or whatever and the folder comes right up without having to scroll or remember design names, etc.  The SKU is just a small description of the product with a sequentially generated number at the end. Mens tee, ladies tank, youth tee, hoodie, whatever.  I think it's important that we put that SKU on every piece of paper and every proof of the art and file names, etc...that way the design name is essentially irrelevant and the SKU gives you hints on the type of garment, design, etc.

There is a good chance I completely misunderstood the question.  I live in a fairy tale dream land where we haven't had to catalog real films in a very long time.

[mooseman]

Years ago as a draftsman all drawings had a number assigned by the drawing vault. But on the drawing there was a revision box and when a drawing was changed / revised/ fixed or further screwed up we had to update & sign the revision record on that drawing.

We used the current year-month- date- (draftsnan's name) - revision # example 2015 - 8 - 11- mooseman - revision 38

A suggested re-application of that system.......A file created today for you as my customer would be 2015-8-11 CROOKED -1 REV 0

I would file it in year 2015 in file I-2015 sub file your name ITS A LITTLE CROOKED
I would know on that date I made one film for you and the current version is rev 0
If it gets updated or changed in way it becomes 2015-8-11 CROOKED -1 REV 1
whenever I pulled you file for a re-order I would always use the latest revision while still maintaining rev 0 in file as history / reference

mooseman

[jvanick]

we only use numbers in the customer job name here...
designs are typically done by name, unless it's a yearly type event, and then it's done by the year then the design.

Fileserver layout

client name ->
       jobname  ->
             'final' art files live in the jobname directory, (.ai, notes.txt and proof files)
             archive ->  (archive directory with any art pieces we didn't use, unapproved art/proofs,etc)
             screens ->  (directory with the .ps files and other data that the i-image creates for the screens)
                           (screen files are named by location as well, job-crest, job-sleeve, job-front, etc.)


so for example:

Turning Point ->
       2015 Radio-a-thon ->
             2015 Radio-a-thon front.ai
             2015 Radio-a-thon proof.ai
             2015 Radio-a-thon proof.jpg
             2015 Radio-a-thon back.ai
             archive ->
                     logo1.jpg
                     logo2.jpg
             screens ->
                     2015 radio-a-thon front-full.ps
                     2015 radio-a-thon back-full.ps

[Itsa Little CrOoked]

There is a good chance I completely misunderstood the question. 

Nope. I don't think you misunderstood at all. I like it!

And thanks to Jason and Mike!

I do wish there were a sequential numbering app that would automatically add the stuff I want (to all art files during the naming process) that get saved on the network shared folder. That sounds like a job for a bonafide geek, not me.

Alan posted this pic early in 2012. I like the sequential system that is evident in the films. Whether or not films are filed, this type of thing is what I'm exploring. I'm keeping fewer films than I used to, but a faithful numbering system is missing in my shop.

[alan802]

You could do something like manufacturers do with their equipment and incorporate the year, month, or something else into the D#.  So with your designs starting today, maybe you could make it 1501, or 15-01, or 815-01...something like that?  I wish we would have done that so we could tell how many designs we did in a specific year without an exhaustive search but we just started with 1 and I think we're at 32291.

[JasonMoore]

Very Very simple.

We have an order number for every job.

When we create our artwork, we simply name it the order number on our network drive so it's accessible from all computers.

Example:

Beecher High School -  Order Number 58543
Artwork saved as 58543.cdr, 58543.ai, 58543.eps, 58543.psd or whatever file format the artwork needs to be saved in.

When we need to find artwork, we simply look up the customer name, find the correct order, see the order number for it and then open that file in the art program.

Extremely fast and efficient.

[Ryan]

we do sequentially, but for the very few contract customers we have, we assign them with a 3 digit letter and 3 digit number, thus going by your user name we would have your files listed as ILC001 and go up from there. obviously if you do more you could adjust the numbers to say 4 digits or something and then we file art envelopes away by customer/number. In house we just use numbers.

[ZooCity]

For art files, we just reset this earlier in the year.

Let's say we printed a job for the Shirt Board.  We have a mockup file, a final output file and a press sheet.  They are all named like this:

A01385 SHIRT BOARD FORUM T FINAL.ai
A01385 SHIRT BOARD FORUM T FRONT SOLID MOCK.psd
A01385 SHIRT BOARD FORUM T PRESS SHEET.gsheet

We have not client/customer numbers currently, just the name. 

All art files have the A prefix.   Each unique imprint has a unique art #.  Gang output files list both.   Films that we store on carrier sheets (just like in the pic of Al's setup) are organized accordingly. 

So far it's worked out great for us.

[mimosatexas]

When I started I used numbers because that's what had been done in previous graphic design and print shop settings I had worked in or around.  I moved away from that last year because I got sick of trying to find stuff when the only descriptor was a "random" number (mine was date at the front and client number at the end, which meant nothing if you couldnt remember a clients number or when they last printed something...aka all the time) and to figure out the number I would have to reference emails or quickbooks etc everytime, which is fine sometimes, but a pain when someone just wants a quick emailed answer or you are just trying to grab an art element to use in a different job.

I started over with a system similar to jvanick.  Every client gets a folder with their name or the name of their business/organization which corresponds with how they are listed in quickbooks.  In that folder every jobs gets a forder with a descriptive name as well (something like "2014 fall festival shirts re-order").  I create a new folder for EVERY job, so even if the art is a full on reprint I duplicate the files.  It seems like most "reprints" for me have some small tweak or change anyway so I just got in the habit of duplicating just in case.

Within each job I usually have folders for:
ASSETS_DRAFTS: can be anything before the final art including font files images from google or sent by the client, and any draft copies of art that aren't the final print art.
FINALS: the actual psd/ai art (unseparated) that will be printed.  If adjustments are made before print, the unadjusted final gets duplicated then moved to the draft folder and adjustments are made on the new final.
SEPS: these are the psd files I actually print on film.
MOCKUPS_WEB: these are mockups used to show the client the final (digitally) and any photos of the finished shirts, either taken by me or sent by the client.  I use this stuff for marketing and to reference for reprints or to show clients ideas of what I can do etc.

Finding a file is as simple as finding the clients folder (alphabetical), the project, and the file.  It takes no time and I dont have to reference anything random.

I can see how this really wouldnt work for some shops, but it works so much better than order numbers in mine.

[Screened Gear]

My files system is very easy. I worked in a few Design firms and had a few of my own file systems at other companies that I worked at. Nothing works perfect and there will always be hard to find files, customers, proofs...

I don't mark anything final
I never delete any files
I never put jobs in one folder for a client.

I have one folder that is clients
Each job gets a new folder
Each folder is the customer name (shortened) and then shirt design name
Neve use customer numbers because then you have to look up the number...
The name is short So if its The construction boys inc... Folder is Construction Boys
The name of the design is ether the words on the shirt or just logo shirts for uniform type shirts.

Proofs are in the customer folder and the name of the files is 2 letters for the name and then proof. So CB CB Proof 1.pdf Each edit to the design gets a new file. So the second round of changes the files is CB Proof 2.pdf This is all in the customer job folder Construction Boys- logo shirts. I never delete any rounds of changes. They just stay in the folder. Then when its time to go to print That design goes on my template file and the template file is saved into that same folder. By not deleting any file I have a record of the changed and since everything is dated, the date the changes where made. Comes in handy when they want to revert back or use a old design.

I have been doing this for almost 7 years and have never lost a file. The client folder has Many folders in it but easy to find everything. You could make one master folder per client but I haven't needed to yet.

The hardest part about file systems is figuring out the name are how things are named. After that is just being consistent.

[mimosatexas]

I'm a fan of longer form names vs any kind of abbreviation.  Unless you are going crazy with the length you can name it however long you want and be able to run a search for any keyword you might need to find it down the road if it accidentally gets moved or saved in the wrong spot for whatever reason.

I second never deleting ANYTHING.  You never know when that will end up saving your ass down the road.

[Inkworks]

I used to have this argument with a fellow printer all the time, he was a big fan of job/client numbers, whereas I just have a file for each customer and unique dockets for each specific job, all named as to what they were, print or product specific, all filed alphabetically. Ditto with a computer file system, names matched dockets, everything alphabetically of course.

He insisted job numbers would be better,

I asked him how he would look up a job when he needed it,

he said there would be a list of all the customers and their jobs and the corresponding numbers,

I asked how that list would be arranged,

he said alphabetically..........

I still don't see the point of naming jobs some otherwise unintelligible number when you need a reference to know wtf that number means.

[Racer Tees]

My files system is very easy. I worked in a few Design firms and had a few of my own file systems at other companies that I worked at. Nothing works perfect and there will always be hard to find files, customers, proofs...

I don't mark anything final
I never delete any files
I never put jobs in one folder for a client.

I have one folder that is clients
Each job gets a new folder
Each folder is the customer name (shortened) and then shirt design name
Neve use customer numbers because then you have to look up the number...
The name is short So if its The construction boys inc... Folder is Construction Boys
The name of the design is ether the words on the shirt or just logo shirts for uniform type shirts.

Proofs are in the customer folder and the name of the files is 2 letters for the name and then proof. So CB CB Proof 1.pdf Each edit to the design gets a new file. So the second round of changes the files is CB Proof 2.pdf This is all in the customer job folder Construction Boys- logo shirts. I never delete any rounds of changes. They just stay in the folder. Then when its time to go to print That design goes on my template file and the template file is saved into that same folder. By not deleting any file I have a record of the changed and since everything is dated, the date the changes where made. Comes in handy when they want to revert back or use a old design.

I have been doing this for almost 7 years and have never lost a file. The client folder has Many folders in it but easy to find everything. You could make one master folder per client but I haven't needed to yet.

The hardest part about file systems is figuring out the name are how things are named. After that is just being consistent.

I do about the same thing in my customer art folder.  I structure these folders like so:

Customer Name
--Job Name
----Assets
----Final
----Proofs
----Working

Have a separate folder for jobs/separations.  The folder for each has the job number as the first part.  (Ex. "1088_Customer Job Name")

This works well as I keep my job schedule on a google spreadsheet, but never delete completed jobs.  They get copy/pasted to a sheet named "Completed" so that I can sort by customer, date, job name, job no, etc.  Makes it much easier for storing film like Alan does.  New job just goes to the front.

[Rockers]

We`ve made our own Filemaker database for our shop. Once customer details and job are entered it creates a job sheet, a sheet for the artwork file
with a number at the left hand top corner job name in the center and artwork image below all that.That sheet is being glued to the file. All numbering  is done automatically and in numerical order by the database of course.
If the client wants to reorder we can look up the file name either by artwork name or customer name or even by P.O #.
Pretty simple and has never let us down.