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Filing System Guideline

Date: 01.01.2026 | Revision: 2026.01.a

1. Introduction​

This guideline defines a retrievability filing and email management system designed for a delivering projects end-to-end (design, approvals, procurement, construction, handover), with an emphasis on:

  • Compliance-first evidence trails (traceable decisions, approvals, certifications, variations)
  • Fast retrieval under pressure (RFI calls, PCA inspections, payment claims, disputes)
  • Minimal manual effort (search + labels > deep folders)
  • Consistency across teams and time (future you should not hate past you)

Primary tools: Google Workspace (Gmail, Drive, Shared Drives, Cloud Search) with controlled mirroring to Office Server/NAS for continuity and resilience.

Working principle: If you can’t find it in 30 seconds, you don’t “have” it.

2. Theoretical Foundation​

2.1 Why labels + search beat folder labyrinths​

Traditional folders force a file into one place, while construction reality is many-to-many:

  • One email can relate to DA conditions + supplier lead times + variation pricing.
  • One document can belong to design + compliance + procurement + site QA.

Instead of arguing where it “should” live, we make it searchable by context using:

  • Consistent naming
  • Shared labels / metadata
  • Stable identifiers (Project code, package, discipline, status, revision)

2.2 Operational philosophy​

This system is aligned with your working pattern:

  • Compliance as the spine: Everything should be evidentiary, timestamped, attributable.
  • Data-driven: Structure supports reporting, audits, and automation.
  • Automation-first: Prefer rules, templates, and predictable patterns over manual sorting.

3. Relation Map​

Note:

  • r/w = Read & Write
  • SYNC = Synchronize (controlled, not chaotic)
  • Cloud Search is your “global index.” Treat folders as storage, not navigation.

4. Scope and Outcomes​

4.1 What this covers​

  • Emails (Gmail)
  • Files (Drive + Shared Drives)
  • Project records (RFIs, SI/ASI, NCRs, ITPs, shop drawings, certifications, variations, meeting minutes)
  • Commercial records (quotes, POs, invoices, progress claims, EOTs)
  • Compliance & approvals (DA/CDC, PCA, inspections, certificates, test reports)

4.2 What “good” looks like​

  • Any team member can locate the latest Issued drawing/spec in < 30 seconds.
  • Any contract/compliance dispute has a clean chain:
    • Instruction → evidence → approval → cost/time impact → close-out
  • Handover is assembly, not archaeology.

5. Core Rules (Non-Negotiables)​

Rule A — Name things like you expect to be cross-examined​

If it matters, it must have:

  • Project code
  • Doc type
  • Subject
  • Date
  • Revision / status
  • (Optional) Discipline / package / area

Rule B — Separate “Working” vs “Issued”​

  • Working drafts can be messy.
  • Issued outputs must be clean, consistent, and immutable (PDF where appropriate).

Rule C — Minimum friction​

If a process is too heavy, people won’t do it.

  • Target: 10–30 seconds to file an email or document correctly.

Use short, stable project identifiers consistently across:

  • Email subjects
  • Labels
  • Drive structure
  • Document names

Reference: Project Code Reference

Golden rule: The code must appear early in the subject/name so search hits immediately.

7. More Information​

Refer to PSEC Filing Management

Refer to SAIYU Filing Management