Order is half the battle. But keeping this order is not so easy. For documents, whether analogue or digital, folders are a popular tool in such cases.
However, we explain in this article why you should rely on keywords, in the following called "tags", for an efficient document management and how tags even make a (digital) folder structure superfluous.
Get started to digitize your documents
Download Docutain for free on Android or iOS and create your own personal filing system with tags.
Organization concept with folders
Whether in the directory, the heading, or in the text itself, there is usually a specific word that gives the decisive clue as to whether this is really the document you have been searching for.
Both analog and digital files are regularly searched through various folders, registers, and pages. A well-thought-out folder structure is a decisive advantage, but — as you will quickly realize — it has its limits, especially as the volume increases.
What are tags?
Keywords or tags reduce the content of information to a few or even just one characteristic word. The purpose of this simplification is to facilitate access to content topics.
A well-known political example of this is the slogan combination from the French Revolution: “Liberty, equality, fraternity.”
In digital document management, keywords are used as search terms for documents and can be defined individually by the user. They are usually specified during indexing — the process of adding information while saving the document. Another term for this process is "tagging". The selection and combination of tags are not bound to any hierarchical structures.
Why tags are better than folders
The decisive advantage of tags lies in their variability. In contrast, folders only allow for a rigid structure. For documents that cannot be clearly sorted, this leads to compromises or the document being filed multiple times, which inevitably leads to chaos.
In Docutain, you can create as many tags as you like and assign them when indexing a document. When searching for one or more documents, you can combine these tags as search or selection criteria for your selection.
💡 Conclusion
The search results for a keyword are like documents that have been sorted into a folder, i.e., the keyword is the folder. At the same time, tags in Docutain can be combined, which makes keyword searches more flexible and targeted and is superior to a rigid folder structure.
The flexible filing system
In addition to tagging documents, document types form a supplementary organizational unit in Docutain. They are used to categorize documents according to their type, for example as invoices, contracts, or correspondence.
Together with other criteria such as date, address, or tax relevance, they form the basis for flexible organizational concepts and search queries. This makes it clear that, outside of a rigid folder structure, digital storage can be structured and searched much more flexibly and individually.
However, it is tags that create crucial links between individual categories and documents. The following examples illustrate exactly what this means.
Examples of classification systems
The following cases illustrate the limitations of a folder structure and show how tags can not only be used to avoid chaos caused by duplication, but also to save (storage) space.
Retirement planning
Securing your retirement can take many different forms. It is not uncommon for this to involve a variety of documents that need to be organized sensibly. Compromises are often necessary when it comes to filing systems, which makes it difficult to keep track of everything.
If important documents relating to retirement planning are stored in Docutain, you can tag the files. In addition to the document type, e.g., contract or certification, you can also assign the keyword “retirement planning” and thus access all relevant documents in a matter of seconds.
![Overview on all pension provision relevant documents by tag]()
Recipe collection
In the classic folder structure, the waffle recipe was stored in three different folders.
In Docutain, the recipe was saved only once and assigned to the tags "sweet main course", "dessert", and "baking".
![Structured recipe overview with tags]()
7 tips for meaningful tag assignment
When creating your personal filing system using tags, it is advisable to consider the following points when compiling your list of tags:
- Use nouns primarily, not verbs.
- Use singular or plural. E.g. recipe or recipes
- Avoid synonyms (e.g. car, vehicle)
- Use relevant terms and avoid abbreviations that you won't be able to understand later on.
- Consider what terms you would use in a search.
- Try to estimate in advance how extensive a topic area might become and whether you can use the keywords you have chosen for it several times.
- Check and maintain your digital filing system regularly.
Managing files with tags – tags in everyday life
Everyone understands the perfect keyword differently. In the context of document management, for us this means finding the right document at the right time with Docutain.
To conclude, we would like to illustrate exactly what this might look like by examining two possible everyday problems:
Recipe for Christmas roast
And once again we're back to the topic of food. That's what Tina thought, too, until her mother announced on Christmas morning that the family recipe for the Christmas roast was nowhere to be found.
But before general disappointment can spread, Tina's boyfriend remembers that he scanned the recipe with Docutain to send it to his mother.
Using the tags (recipe, meat dish, legendary), the recipe is found in no time. This not only saves Christmas dinner, but also makes Tina's boyfriend very popular with his future in-laws.
Standing orders when changing bank accounts
Thomas has decided to open a new account at another bank because he was fed up with his old financial institution. Using the Docutain Scanner app, he searches for the documents relating to his closed bank account using the keyword Account No. 123.
In the search results, he also finds documents relating to his international health insurance. This reminds him that the annual premium was debited from his old account and will soon be due again. This way, he can report his new account details to his insurance company in good time and fly off on vacation with his wife next week, relaxed and stress-free.
Now it's up to you!
Download Docutain for free for Android or iOS and create your own personal filing system with tags.