A clean and clear workspace leads to fewer distractions and time savings when searching for documents and files. Clutter can also affect our general mental health, making us feel stressed, anxious, or depressed. Research has shown, the levels of the stress hormone cortisol were higher in those whose home environments were cluttered; elevated cortisol levels sustained over time can lead to anxiety and depression.
Let me show you how we can tidy up in Prophix!
Document Explorer Recap
Document Explorer is where you would manage your Prophix documents. For most users, it is split into four main sections:
- Recent Files – the latest documents that you have worked on
- My Documents – your private file space
- Public – a shared file space, where you can access files and folders by other users in the organization
- Process Files – external files for importing or exporting data into Prophix
Note: applies to Admin or Advanced users - My Favorites – quick access to files that are marked as your favorites
Step 1: Create a temporary space
Create a temporary folder that will hold your current folder structure. This will enable you to start with a clean canvas.
- Created a folder called “zArchive”. Why the “z” in front? When we start organizing, we want the folder to be out of the way and remain at the bottom of the tree.
- Move all files and folders into “zArchive”
Step 2: Folder Structures
Applying a consistent folder logic structure will enable you and your colleagues to easily find files within Prophix.
Option 1 – by file type
Organize folders by file types within Prophix (i.e. Processes, Reports, Templates, Workflow, etc.)
Note: Data Views could be saved within each Parent folder or stored through a central folder. For either method, I recommend that you save your files with unique names for searchability (see Step 3).
Option 2 – by use cases
Through working with countless customers, a common approach to organizing reports and processes is also by use case. For instance, an organization will separate their budget templates from their forecasting templates. This enables administrative users to easily manage, and maintain their Prophix instance while giving them peace of mind!
My Documents
Process Files
Step 3: Folder & File Nomenclature
Applying a consistent naming convention is key to maintaining a well-organized electronic directory and structures. Also, a clear and concise description (i.e. filename) will minimize any guesswork for other users. Other benefits include:
- Easily distinguish different file types
- File names are easier to browse
- Retrieval is facilitated for all users (ie. sorting)
Examples
Use case-based by version and date stamped.
Example with file type at end of the file name.
Step 4: Delete User Folders from the System
As of the Winter 2021 release, Global Admins can now delete the “My Documents” folder belonging to a deleted user account.
Step 5: Have a little fun!
Another study has shown that messy desks can make us more creative. The findings suggest that neat, ordered environments make us more likely to conform to expectations and play it safe, while messy ones move us to break with the norm and look at things in a new way.
One way to keep your creative juices flowing is to store your works in progress in a single folder. Once complete, you can move those design files to a public folder for the rest of the organization to consume.
