Creative geniuses are sometimes scatterbrained, which is why your team needs to establish some sort of organization to be successful. Organize your files and choose the right platform to ensure you combat unsafe practices. Sharing files should be easy and convenient, but lacking an organization process can create a security risk. We'll help you in choosing a secure platform, how to develop an organization system, and bad sharing habits to break right now.

Make sure you choose the right file sharing platform

As far as file sharing goes, we have nearly endless options to choose from ranging from basic services to security-conscious and enterprise-level services. One key factor to pay attention to is whether or not the platform you go with is constantly evolving (in positive ways). You'll need one that updates not only your files after syncing, but stays up to date with the current trends to ensure the safety of your most precious files. For your company, we recommend choosing a platform that makes team work, sharing, and collaboration seamless.

Staying organized with the right creative technology platforms keeps your team's process running smoothly.

Keep your shared files organized by developing an organization system

In order to stay 100% organized, everyone on your team needs to adopt the same organizational system. It's critical that all members are active in setting up a process for new tasks and understanding what the hierarchy is. Here are some tips for starting the organization process:

1. Store documents in a shared location

This seems like a given but you'd be surprised by how many people save everything to "My Documents." This creates problems for everyone else in your company because they do not have access to those documents without the owner's permission. You need to make sure you're saving files on a shared location not only for this reason but in case something were to happen to your personal device as well.

2. Group by category

Think of your files as food at the grocery store. You know exactly where to locate produce, dairy, frozen foods, etc. Group your files into categories that make sense for your business. You may consider categories such as departments, clients, products, and users. The last category could get tricky especially if you want to keep some user information private, so you may want to create separate groups for each.

3. Group by date

Various reports or events are reoccurring so organizing by year or month helps you identify current or past files quickly. For example, you may already have a folder for "invoices" and several subfolders under it for "2015", "2016", and so on. Which leads me to my next point...

4. Befriend subfolders

Narrow down your files even more by creating subfolders. For instance, in a larger client folder, you may create a separate subfolder for each project. Take it one step further and create subfolders to organize correspondence and contracts within the project subfolder. Make sure you don't go overboard though! If you're dumping 50 or more files into a single folder, it's time to add a subfolder, but you probably don't need one for just a handful of files.

5. Folder templates

Keep your folder structure consistent by creating folder templates. Continue to organize your files based on client name if you've done so in the past. In order to keep up with this organization, communication with your team members is key. Sharing a template with others also allows them to organize their files without placing the responsibility elsewhere.

There's no magical formula for the perfect folder structure, as long as everyone's on the same page you really can't go wrong. Overall, keep your organization system easy to use so all members can intuitively find what they need.

New technologies are always evolving—make sure your team takes advantage of them and optimize your creative process today.

Avoid these common file sharing mistakes

Nobody's perfect. There are a number of common mistakes made when attempting to file share. Not implementing proper file sharing systems and policies often puts the privacy of businesses and clients in jeopardy. Understanding these mistakes upfront will save you some time and money in the long run.

1. Accidental sharing outsize of your organization

Accidentally sharing files with unauthorized individuals happens more than you realize. 62% of individuals have accidentally sent files outside of their organization and 60% have received files not intended for them. This can be a pretty big hiccup for your company depending on the information being shared. Secure your devices by creating a password to connect devices and use private folders to prevent unauthorized access to files.

2. Sharing unsecure files via email

Sending design files via emails happens regularly amongst employees. Email is not designed to be secure and anyone with access to an intermediate mail server can get their hands on all network activity if they want. Figure out an adoptable sharing and collaboration solution that meets security requirements to ensure the safety of your files.

3. Branching out on your own

Engaging in a file sharing service on your own brings about a number of potential dangers. Data may be at risk as control and auditability is taken away from those who need to monitor it. Employees that use a solution on their own places them at risk of mixing personal data with organizational data.

File sharing—when done properly—makes it easier to communicate ideas with your creative team than ever before.

Reduce the risk of unsafe file sharing by making sure you choose the right platform with the best security practices. Follow our organization tips and have clear policies around the office that ensures an efficient sharing process.

This is a sponsored post for Dropbox. All opinions are my own. Dropbox is not affiliated with nor endorses any other products or services mentioned.