Organize Your Computer Files

I can tell you from personal experience that I spend entirely too much time searching for computer files and deleting files that are no longer useful.  When you have a number of computers and web sites the chore is even more time consuming, 

If you are just starting out in a home internet business, you need to start to organize your computer files. Don’t put it off, you will be sorry.


One suggested structure for affiliate programs could be as follows:

    Clickbank Folder:
        Login info and payout methods and terms (file)
            Sub folder – Product 1 (name)
                    Product description/commission structure/                             important terms (file)
                    Article, Blog Ideas, ad copy ideas (file)
                    Articles finished with – links & tracking codes                         (file)
                    Ad copy finished with – links & tracking codes                         (file)
                    Ad copy for each ad placement with links &                              codes (file)
                        Sub folder – Commissions
                            Commissions Earned (file)
                            Commissions received (file)


    Paydotcom Folder:
        Login info and payout methods and terms (file)
            Sub folder – Product 1 (name)
                Product description/commission structure/                              important terms (file)
                    Article, Blog Ideas, ad copy ideas (file)
                    Articles finished with – links & tracking codes                         (file)
                    Ad copy finished with – links & tracking codes                          (file)
                    Ad copy for each ad placement with links&                               codes (file)
                        Sub folder – Commissions
                            Commissions Earned (file)
                            Commissions received (file)

This is only one suggested way to organize your affiliate programs.  It just happens to be the way I do it.  I really do think of my document file as a file cabinet with drawers (folders) with dividers (sub folders) with files in each.

One suggested structure for pay to surf programs could be as follows:

    Surf for Pay Folder:
        Sub folder – Surf for pay 1
            File 1 –Login info, description, link, details of                         payout terms, commission terms, ads
            File 2 – Screen shots of referrals, clicks and                           commissions due
            File 3 – Referral and upgrade receipts

               
        Sub folder – Surf for pay 2
            File 1 –Login info, description, link, details of                         payout terms, commission terms, ads
            File 2 – Screen shots of referrals, clicks and                            commissions due
            File 3 – Referral and upgrade receipts

If you surf for pay and have joined a great number of sites, it may be easier to lump similar sites together in sub folders rather than each one having their own individual sub folder.  Any logical method will do.

Website Filing System:

Basically use a similar set up as the affiliate program with the exception that it is somewhat like your website structure in the public_html your hosting account:  The difference is that additional domains are set up as separate folders in your document file.

Folder – Domain 1
    Index.html
        Sub folders
            Articles
            Images
            Downloads
         Misc. files   
             
Folder – Domain 2 or Directory 2
    Index.html
        Sub folders
            Articles
            Images
            Downloads
         Misc. files           

When updating my index files I find it useful to date a backup of index files as index092409.html for instance and keep them for awhile before deletion.  On or after I upload the files I can rename them to index.html.

I know this seems like lot of work but to find files and keep your computer clear of old outdated files a structure like this wlll be much easier down the road.  Just think of your hard drive as a file cabinet and that you have to organize.