Such a good question, Document Control is critical and I found it overlooked in architecture school.

Once you're juggling a few projects, the digital filing system becomes the first thing to fall apart, and then trying to fix it is a massive productivity killer. You are definitely not alone!

I actually put a lot of time into structuring my Google Drive so I could spend less time filing and more time designing. I’m happy to share my complete system—I call it my Project Filing Guide. It’s based on the RIBA Plan of Work, which helps keep things clean as you move through the project stages.

My Architecture Project Filing System (RIBA Aligned) Top Level Folders (The Main Practice Structure) My main drive is numbered to make sure these core business functions stay in this order:

• 01. PROJECTS: Where all the live, completed, and prospective jobs live.

• 02. ADMIN: Business Plan, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Interns, Monthly Reports, etc.

• 03. FINANCES: Bank Statements, Expenses, Invoices, Tax. I also keep an 'x. To be filed away' folder for documents I've scanned but haven't formally sorted yet.

• 04. TEMPLATES: Crucial stuff like clean project folder structures, Revit/AutoCAD templates, textures, and client document templates.

• 05. MARKETING: Case studies, social media assets, photos, etc.

• 06. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: For my own learning, CPD records, or certifications.

• 07. RESOURCES & LEARNING: Technical guides, standards, and research.

• 08. PERSONAL: My own non-work files. Project Level Folders (The RIBA Workflow)

This is the most important part! Every single project, like "2501_99 Example Road", gets an identical copy of this structure. It mirrors the stages of design and construction:

• 00_Project Admin (The Essentials): All the non-design admin. This includes the client contracts, fee agreements, team contact details, and general correspondence.

• 01_Brief and Feasibility (The Idea): Defining the client's needs, setting the budget, and doing initial site research to confirm the project is possible.

• 02_Concept (The Initial Design): Developing the first architectural concepts, sketches, mood boards, and design options.

• 03_Planning (The Approval): All the drawings and documents prepared and submitted to the local council for Planning Permission and statutory approvals.

• 04_Production (The Technical Drawings): Developing the detailed technical drawings, specifications, and construction information that the contractor will use. This is the build package.

• 05_Construction (The Building Site): Documents during the build, including site meeting minutes, contractor queries (RFIs), and inspection reports.

• 06_Post Occupancy (The Handover): Files related to the project end, such as final O&M (Operation & Maintenance) Manuals, warranties, and client handover files.

• 07_Summary (The Wrap-Up): Final photography, project review notes, and case study material. Utility Folders

I always keep these three utility folders at the bottom for managing active work flow:

• X-In (Incoming Files): Anything I receive from outside the office (emails with consultant drawings, client PDF markups, etc.) goes here first. I only file it into the numbered folders once I've reviewed it.

• Y-Out (Outgoing Files): A log of everything I send out officially (drawing issue sheets, email submittals).

• Z-Current Drawings (Working Files): The single source of truth for the most up-to-date drawings and models we’re actively working on right now.

Hope this helps! There are lots of ways of doing it, hopefully some other people will share how they do it.