So, you’re starting a new project. Chances are, with engineering projects, you’re going to create a lot of new data. If you’re going to treat the file structure of the project like you do with your personal computer, you’ll probably end up with a music folder, a document folder, pictures from the lake, and maybe a software folder (back-up of purchased versions, of course). So where should all your engineering files go and how should you divvy them up?

When it comes to the two extremes of engineering file hierarchy, there are two options: 1)By Department - Where each department gets a whack at creating their own content in their own folders, or 2)By Program - Where the program folder contains all departmental data pertaining to your project. Let’s break this down a bit and decide where to go.

If you decide to organize the folders by department, each department is going to have complete ownership of their own folder. The data in there can be organized how the department manager, or anyone who has folder permissions, decides to arrange it. Depending on some departments, this might increase productivity. The manager quickly knows where all the files are. Well, when the manager gets a new program, he’s/she’s probably going to make a new folder for the new program. This is where is gets whacky. The folders start to look…well, like your own personal computer again. And you’re probably sure that you never really thought out your folder structure. The department manager is probably not going to think it out either.

The other option is to segment the data by project. The customer owns their data and it’s easy to give them a status update, but how difficult are the folder permissions now? The IT administrator has to setup the permissions in each new program. Do you want your Manufacturing Technician getting a hold of financial data? This could be tedious.

Move over Windows, PDM makes it easier. If your PDM system allows permissions by folder name, a clever way to make permissions easy is to setup a standard folder hierarchy template. “Jeez, that could take eons to get it right” you’re thinking. But it really helps. Spending a few weeks planning and devising iterations of a folder template (at least the sub folders of the root project) make both data management, customers, and technicians happy.