A pattern that works for most files
Date · What it is · Who · Version, with only the parts that help:
2026-10 Amex statement.pdf2026-10-21 Lease agreement signed.pdfBrightwave invoice 0447 September 2026.pdfLogo concepts v3.fig
The rules behind it
- Dates as year-month-day. 2026-10-21, or just 2026-10 for monthly statements. It sorts in time order everywhere.
- Say what it is. “Statement”, “Invoice”, “Contract”, “Ticket”: the word you’d search for later.
- Say who. The company, client, or person, so two invoices from one month stay apart.
- One version number, not “final”. Old versions go to an Archive folder.
- No slashes or colons. Keep names short enough to read in a Finder column.
Renaming files you already have
In Finder, select the files, Control-click, and choose Rename: replace text (such as IMG_ with “Lisbon ”), add text before or after, or format them as a name with a number. For dates, numbering, and case at once, use our free bulk rename tool.
Where Lisorto fits
Naming by hand works until a scanner hands you scan0001.pdf. Lisorto for Mac reads each scan, screenshot, and photo on your Mac and proposes a clear name from what it shows, like “Vodafone invoice September 2026.pdf”, then files it in the right Space. You approve every name, and Undo brings the old one back.