Guideline: Document Naming Guideline

It's easy for a large organization to lose track of documents over time if effective guidelines are not available. Over a short period of time, one can quickly see the erosion of document tracking and team members quickly become frustrated locating information. The team and organization should name its documents - which are considered assets of the organization - in a way that is consistent across programs, consistent across projects, and so that team members crossing projects can quickly identify contents of a particular document.

Document Naming Guidelines provides a structured mechanism to name documents. The following figure shows the logical breakdown of each component of the document name:

Application Code

(upper case, 5 chars) - A code that is unique to the application. Use “QAINT” for QA Internal documents and templates that are not associated with an application

Prefix: - Document type

(upper case, 3 chars) – The first three letters of the file name give an indication of the type of document. (see full list next page)

Document Number

(3 numeric) – gives the unique number of the document. Documents of the same prefix are sequentially numbered to keep them unique

Sequence

(3 numeric) – gives a sequencing number to a series of documents which contain minor variations of essentially the same information (example – a presentation of information that may be slightly modified for each audience it is presented to)

Document Title

(mixed case, max 30 chars, no spaces)
Describes the purpose or business of the document. Acronyms, capitalizations, abbreviations can be used, keep in mind that descriptions should be meaningful to anyone reading the file name
Use only alpha-numeric characters, plus the hyphen and underscore
Do not use spaces

Document Status

(upper case, max 4 chars, optional)
Start with DR1 (Draft 1) when the document is first created and end with FIN (FINal) to allow version control and tracking.
Documents that have version number included within the document need not indicate Draft or FINal status

Document Examples

SVCNW-BRD-001-000-BusReqsFunctional.docx	Functional business requirements for the Service Now project. Version and date control are managed within the document
SVCNW-BRD-002-000-BusReqsDetail.docx	Detailed business requirements for the Service Now project. Version and date control are managed within the document
SVCNW-PRE-001-001-ITSecurityUserPresentation.ppt	Presentation to the IT Security users on how the project will impact them.
SVCNW-PRE-001-002-EntRiskUserPresentation.ppt	Presentation to the Enterprise Risk users on how the project will impact them. Note because this is basically the same presentation as used for the IT Security team, we increment the “FLOW” sequence by one
SVCNW-PRE-002-000-ProjectTeamTestingPresentation.ppt	Presentation to the Service Now project team on how they will need to integrate testing into the project. Note this is a different presentation than the prior presentations, so we increment the DOCUMENT NUMBER counter by one

Prefix Codes

Requirements Management Documents

CODE	NAME
BRD	Business Requirement Document
BZR	Business Rules
CTQ	CTQ Tree
INV	Inventory Report / List
MET	Metrics
PRC	Process Map
RAC	RACI Chart / Roles & Responsibilities
RTR	Requirements Traceability Matrix
SHP	Stakeholder Presentation
SIP	SIPOC
UCS	Use Case
VSN	Vision Document

Technology Management Documents

CODE	Name
APD	Architecture Profile Document

SAD	Software Architecture Document

Quality Management Documents

CODE	Name
DFT	Defect Tracking Log
DMR	Defect Metrics Reporting
QAP	Quality Approach Document
QMP	Quality Management Plan
TPL	Test Plan
QTR	Quality Testing Requirements
TSC	Test Scripts
TSD	Test Data Sheet

Codes for Projects and Events

CODE

Name

ACP

Activity Completion Form

ACT

Action List

Action items drawn from minutes or a meeting

AGD

Agenda

Meeting agendas

AGR

Agreement

CAL

Calendar

CHK

Checklist Document

CPL

Communication Plan

GDL

Guideline / Training Document

GLO

Glossary

JDS

Job Description

MAN

Manual

Collection of information about a service or system

MAP	Map	Maps including floor plans
MEM	Memorandum
MEM	Memorandum	Internal Communication
MIN	Minutes and Notes	Records of meetings, formal and informal
OLA	Operating Level Agreement	Defines the interdependent relationships between internal support areas working together to support an SLA
ORD	Order	An order placed with an external supplier
ORG	Organisational Chart	A chart indicating the relationships between different departments or organisational areas.
PCR	Project Change Request Form
PIR	Post Implementation Review
PLN	Plan	Planning documentation. Includes Strategic Plans, Action Plans, (Use LTP for LESSON teaching plans and IRP for School Information Resource Plans).
PNF	Project Notification Forem
POL	Policy	Official departmental or divisional Policy
POS	Position Description	Documentation describing the roles and responsibilities of a particular role.
PPL	Project Plan
PRE	Presentation	Slides and/or notes for a presentation
PRO	Procedure	Procedures and work instructions
PRP	Proposal
PRQ	Purchase Requisition	Documentation relating to requests for the purchase of goods and services
PSC	Scholarly publication	Including conference papers
PUB	Publication	Publications for informational and promotional purposes, including social newsletters
PUR	Purchase Order	Documentation indicating types, quantities, and agreed prices for products or services the seller will provide to the buyer
RAW	Raw Data	Any type of file containing Raw Data collected by any means. This file stores the original data before it is modified into any type of report, graph, correspondence etc.
REP	Report	Including Monthly, Quarterly, Yearly Reports.
RMP	Risk Management Plan
ROS	Roster	Documentation about staff working arrangements
RPK	Release Package
SBG	Subject Example Document
SLA	Service Level Agreement	Defines the agreed upon support relationship between a service provider and its clients
SLO	Service Level Objective	Defines the anticipated support relationship between a service provider and its clients
SPC	Specification	A detailed description or assessment of requirements, dimensions, materials, etc.,
STA	Statistical tracking	Data (numerical) evaluating or tracking services or performance. Statistical spreadsheets and other evaluation data
STD	Standard	Documents describing standards or conventions. Use GDL for actual guidelines, and other applied use of standards
STR	Status Reports
SUB	Submission	Formal submission to a review
SVY	Survey	Questionnaires for distribution, for survey templates use TEM
TEM	Template	An electronic file with a predesigned, customized format and structure, as for a fax, letter, or expense report, ready to be filled in.
TIM	Timeline	Document describing timing.
TSH	Timesheet	Documentation relating to staff members working hours
WPT	Web page test	Web pages planned or done first in a text based editor before loaded as HTML

Teaching / Training Documents

CODE	Name	Description
ASS	Assessment	Learning-related assessment
LTE	Learning Teaching Evaluation	Learning / Teaching – to evaluate our teaching / resources, etc. Forms, activities, tools, evaluation summaries.
LTP	Lesson Teaching Plan	Learning / Teaching. Note: strategic learning and teaching plans should use PLN.
LTR	Learning/ Teaching Resources	Learning / Teaching. Activity sheets, quizzes, handouts.
SBG	Subject Guide	Documentation describing useful subject resources
WSH	Workshop	Documentation prepared for workshops

General and Operational Documents

CODE	Name	Description
AGR	Agreement	Agreement between two or more parties e.g. Annual Maintenance Agreement
BGT	Budget	Documentation relating to budgets, including budget forecasts, budget tracking sheets etc
COR	Correspondence	All correspondence to and from external parties; Emails, letters, faxes etc
EOI	Expression of Interest	EOI’s for job opportunities, grant applications, fellowships, call for project tenders
EVL	Evaluation	Evaluation and Feedback documentation, eg for workshops, conferences, seminars, etc ( Form Templates use TEM)
FRM	Form	Completed forms only, form templates use TEM. E.g. Copies of requests to attend staff Training (the green form)
GDL	Guidelines	Documents produced for staff outlining guidelines for processes or activities

EXM Example Example provides practical application of a concept, methodology, or process.