Set up a simple business records filing system

Design a simple folder structure and naming system for receipts, contracts, tax and HR records, with how long to keep each type to confirm with your accountant.

The prompt

Help me organize my business records. I run a [TYPE OF BUSINESS] in [COUNTRY/STATE] with [NUMBER] employees.

Where my documents are now: [e.g. email attachments, a shoebox, Google Drive, my desktop]
Storage I want to use: [e.g. Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive]
Types of documents I deal with: [receipts, invoices, bank statements, contracts, payroll, employee files, licenses, insurance, tax returns]

Please:
1. Design a folder structure (show it as a tree) organized by year and type.
2. A file naming convention with examples (for example 2026-03-14_VendorName_Invoice-1042.pdf).
3. A table of document types with typical retention periods to confirm with my accountant or attorney, marked as general guidance.
4. A weekly 15-minute routine to keep it tidy.
5. Which documents contain sensitive information and should have restricted access.

Replace every [BRACKETED] part with your own details before sending.

How to use it

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