It’s fascinating how we all do something very similar, yet slightly different.
@creativeboost that’s a really clever idea to sort projects by their status, btw just watched your video about Canva and thought it was great 
!
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@creativeboost Curiosity and cats. I just went to watch it too. It’s an interesting stance to think about to trying and embrace it. I agree with you when looking at it from the client perspective. Those of us who’ve been doing this for some time come to understand that good design needs good clients and you really don’t want to be scratching around for clients who think they can do better themselves with second-rate software anyway.
However, my issue with it (and publisher, et al) is that it makes people think they are designers and go out there hawking their wares as professional designers without a clue what they are doing.
They offer unwittingly poor knowledge and quality to unsuspecting clients, thus dragging the whole industry with them. It is akin to unqualified, unregulated cowboy builders destroying the building repairs market 20 years ago (over here in the UK). Now trades are more regulated, of course the cost has gone up, but you can be more sure that the new electrics you just had done are not going to burn your house down.
Naturally, the consequences are less heinous in our case, but a world full of uneducated ‘designers’ with a YouTube ‘how-to’ video under their belt, selling design services is not good for any parties involved. Although software like Canva is, in part, responsible – though, of course, you can’t blame the hammer for the idiot behind it – the industry, as a whole needs some sort of regulation.
Cheap clients out there doing what they want with their own business on free software is their call. They pay the consequence. People out there claiming to be professionals and charging money to unsuspecting clients for professional services, using this kind of software, is a whole different ball game.
So although, in part, I agree with your stance that you were never going to get work from the budget-conscious clients, the impact of the kid with Canva is far greater. I don’t think we have yet seen the beginning of the effects on the health of the industry. Despite that, I am remain a little optimistic, in that, these things often come full circle, in the end.
Still, thanks for the video. It is always worth cross-checking our own thoughts and opinions every now and then, lest we become cantankerous and end up ranting on forums … Ah! … Oops. Too late!
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Canva - same category as crowdsourcing sites.
Might as well use powerpoint/word/publisher to create content for print.
As useful as an ashtray on a motorbike.
As a content creator for people who need need content created and don’t need it printed - it might ok. It might not.
I don’t touch it - and any PDF sent to us with a ‘Canva’ related in the PDF properties are instantly charged a markup.
If they want it that bad they can pay extra for it. Which they usually do. The extra markup is my time to fix up the bad PDF that Canva produces.
I do print globally, not just inhouse, or with 1 printer, but with a network of printers around the world, and there’s no way I’d send a Canva PDF to anyone.
Filenaming projects:
I’ve had my ways over the years.
Per job system output progressive numbering algorithm
Each job was stored in month folder
3 months on desktop - e.g., Jan Feb Mar
Jan jobs go in Jan - then start on Feb then Mar
Eventually just backup Jan - and then work Feb Mar Apr
and so on
Per structure of company
Education
Events
Publications etc
Each with their own unique ID
Unique generated identifier based on customer name
Like - GraphicDesignForum.Com - would be GDFC1000001
Next job would be GDFC1000002
Each component has a unique code assigned to it anyway.
Each file is named as per the component code.
When a new component is required the system spits out the next digit
For instance - L123024a
next one is - L123024b
There really is no right or wrong way - just whatever makes sense for you and your team.
Agree on a structure:
Origination
Links
Proofs
Supplied
Technical
Native
Comments
And so on
I’ve split the Canva portion of the original topic into its own thread since it has little to do with the original topic of how to name project files.
@Smurf2, if you could copy the part in your post about file structure naming back to that original topic, I’d appreciate it. Thanks.
These topics get messy sometimes, and I think the Canva discussion deserves its own spot.
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Oh, thanks so much! I appreciate that.
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You video about canva was just mind blowing.
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Why? Cuz it made your head explode?
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I hired a designer for dogs blogs images what he actually do, Just send images without any sort of modification just download from canva for copyright free images from some where else and send it over to me.
I’m a designer with over 20 years of experience, and I sometimes hire freelancers when I’m too busy. And the first thing I check for is similar work online, there are various tools you can use. And more times than I have fingers and toes I find the images on stock sites or as free downloads… with copyright issues.
So now I have a zero-tolerance policy, if I find the same design/logo/template/or anything resembling it then the contract is null and void - obviously it’s a bit wordier than that, but it’s covered.
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And if you are like me, you report them to the appropriate entities where applicable. 
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This post has become very hot with first time posters who never come back
cough ** spam ** cough
Soooo …
