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Organize Client Projects

A set of three prompts designed for freelancers, agencies, and consultants who manage multiple client projects simultaneously. These prompts help you group loose project files by client, separate deliverables into phase-based folders (briefing, design, review, final), and move completed projects into a structured archive so your working directory stays clean.

Last updated: 3/22/2026
3 prompts included

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Prompts

Sort by Client Name

Sort these files into folders named after each client. Use the client name or company name that appears in the filename. If a file references multiple clients, place it under the primary client. Put any files with no identifiable client into an _Unsorted folder.
Expected result: Each client gets a dedicated top-level folder. All files belonging to that client are moved inside. Ambiguous files land in _Unsorted for manual review.
Folder structure after:
Projects/
  Acme Corp/
    acme-corp_brand-guidelines_v02.pdf
    acme-corp_website-wireframes.fig
    acme-corp_q1-invoice.pdf
  Greenleaf Studio/
    greenleaf_logo-concepts_v03.ai
    greenleaf_social-media-assets.zip
    greenleaf_contract-2026.pdf
  Northwell Partners/
    northwell_annual-report-draft.docx
    northwell_data-visualization.xlsx
    northwell_meeting-notes-mar.md
  _Unsorted/
    misc-stock-photos.zip
    template-nda-blank.docx

Sort by Project Phase

Organize these project files into phase-based folders: 01_Briefing, 02_Design, 03_Review, and 04_Final. Place briefs, scope documents, contracts, and reference materials in Briefing. Put drafts, working files, and design source files in Design. Move feedback documents, revision notes, and marked-up proofs in Review. Place approved deliverables and final exports in Final.
Expected result: Files are separated into four sequential phase folders reflecting a typical project lifecycle. Each folder contains only the files relevant to that stage, making it easy to see project progress at a glance.
Folder structure after:
Acme Corp - Website Redesign/
  01_Briefing/
    project-brief.pdf
    scope-of-work.docx
    competitor-screenshots/
      competitor-a-homepage.png
      competitor-b-pricing.png
    brand-guidelines-reference.pdf
  02_Design/
    homepage-wireframe_v01.fig
    homepage-wireframe_v02.fig
    style-tile-exploration.psd
    icon-set-draft.ai
    color-palette.ase
  03_Review/
    client-feedback-round1.pdf
    homepage-wireframe_v02-annotated.pdf
    revision-checklist.md
    stakeholder-comments-mar12.docx
  04_Final/
    homepage-design-approved.fig
    homepage-export-2x.png
    asset-kit-final.zip
    final-style-guide.pdf

Archive Completed Projects

Move all completed projects into an Archive folder organized by year. A project is completed if it contains a folder named Final or Delivered, or if its most recent file is older than 90 days. Keep projects that are still active in a Current folder at the top level.
Expected result: Active projects remain easily accessible in the Current folder. Completed projects are relocated into Archive under their completion year, reducing visual clutter while preserving full project history.
Folder structure after:
Projects/
  Current/
    Greenleaf Studio - App Redesign/
      01_Briefing/
      02_Design/
    Northwell Partners - Q2 Campaign/
      01_Briefing/
      02_Design/
      03_Review/
  Archive/
    2025/
      Acme Corp - Brand Refresh/
        01_Briefing/
        02_Design/
        03_Review/
        04_Final/
      Rivera Legal - Document Templates/
        01_Briefing/
        02_Design/
        04_Final/
    2026/
      Acme Corp - Website Redesign/
        01_Briefing/
        02_Design/
        03_Review/
        04_Final/
      Brightside Media - Podcast Artwork/
        01_Briefing/
        02_Design/
        04_Final/

Customization Tips

  • Replace the four default phases with your own workflow stages. An agency might use Discovery, Strategy, Production, and QA instead.
  • Add a client code prefix (e.g., ACM for Acme Corp) to folder names if you track projects by code in your invoicing system.
  • Adjust the 90-day archive threshold to match your typical project duration. Short-turnaround work might use 30 days.
  • If you work across multiple disciplines, add a project-type tag to folder names (e.g., Acme Corp - Brand Refresh [Design]) so you can filter by discipline later.

Troubleshooting

Problem:

Files land in _Unsorted because the filename does not contain a recognizable client name.

Solution:

Rename the files to include the client identifier and re-run the sort.

Steps:

  1. 1Review the _Unsorted folder to identify which files were not matched.
  2. 2Add client name prefixes to those filenames.
  3. 3Re-run the sort with the same prompt.

Problem:

A completed project stays in Current instead of being archived.

Solution:

Check that the final deliverables folder is named exactly "Final" or "Delivered" (case-insensitive).

Steps:

  1. 1Verify the folder naming matches the archive trigger words.
  2. 2Alternative names like "Approved" or "Done" will not trigger the archive rule unless you update the prompt.
  3. 3Add additional trigger folder names to the prompt if needed.

Problem:

Files end up in the wrong phase folder.

Solution:

Add more specific keywords to the prompt.

Steps:

  1. 1Specify that ".fig" and ".psd" files always belong in Design unless the filename contains "approved" or "final".
  2. 2Review misplaced files to identify missing keyword rules.
  3. 3Re-run the sort with the updated prompt.

Problem:

Large projects with hundreds of files take too long to sort.

Solution:

Break them into sub-batches by file type or date range if you hit performance limits.

Steps:

  1. 1Select a subset of files by type or date.
  2. 2Run the sort on each batch separately.
  3. 3Repeat until all files are processed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I combine these prompts into a single sorting pass?

Yes. Run the client-name sort first to group files by client, then run the phase sort inside each client folder. Finally, use the archive prompt to move completed client folders into the Archive. This three-step sequence gives you a fully organized project directory.

What happens to shared files used across multiple projects?

Create a Shared Resources folder at the top level for templates, brand assets, and fonts that span multiple clients. Reference them from individual projects using aliases or shortcuts rather than duplicating files.

How should I handle projects that reopen after being archived?

Move the project folder back from Archive into Current. Sortio does not delete or modify archived files, so everything will be exactly as you left it. Add a note or changelog file to document when and why the project was reopened.

Related Glossary Terms

client file managementproject phase organizationfreelance folder structureproject archivingdeliverable trackingcreative project workflow

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