How-to

How to name and number your scanned documents

Why consistent file names help

A folder of scans named "IMG_2031.jpg", "scan1.pdf" and "Document (2).pdf" can be hard to sort through later, even when every file is present. Giving each scan a short, consistent name — one that says what it is and roughly where it sits in the bundle — can make the same folder much quicker to scan visually and to check against a checklist.

What a particular application or upload system actually requires for file names and file types is set out in its own instructions, and the guidance on GOV.UK takes precedence over anything suggested here; questions about a specific case are best directed to an IAA-registered adviser or an SRA-regulated solicitor. The pattern below is simply one way some people find it helps to keep files organised, not a description of what any system requires.

• A consistent name makes it easier to tell files apart at a glance.
• A predictable order can make a folder faster to check against a checklist.
• A clear name also helps if a file is later opened on its own, away from its folder.

A simple naming pattern

One straightforward pattern some people use combines a section number, an item number, a short description and a date, for example: 03-02_bank-statement_2026-01.pdf. Read left to right, this can mean section 3, item 2, a bank statement, dated January 2026 — though the exact meaning of each part is entirely up to whoever sets it up.

• Two-digit section number — a rough category, such as identity, finances or relationship documents.
• Two-digit item number — the position of that file within its section.
• Short description — a few words, in lower case, describing the document.
• Date — the date the document covers, in YYYY-MM-DD (or YYYY-MM) format.

The categories and their order are an organising choice, not a fixed structure — some people mirror the sections of their own checklist, while others use a simpler scheme with only one or two levels.

Why leading zeros and YYYY-MM-DD keep the sort order right

Most file managers sort names as plain text, not as numbers, so "9" would sort after "10" and "2". Writing numbers with a leading zero — "01", "02", "03" — keeps a list in the expected order once it passes nine items. The same idea applies to dates: writing them as YYYY-MM-DD sorts correctly by year, then month, then day, whereas a format like DD/MM/YYYY does not sort in date order at all when read as text.

• Two digits for section and item numbers: "01" rather than "1".
• YYYY-MM-DD (or YYYY-MM where only the month matters) rather than DD/MM/YYYY.
• The same number of digits throughout, so later additions do not throw off the order.

Avoiding spaces and special characters

Spaces, apostrophes, slashes and other punctuation in a file name can behave inconsistently once a file is uploaded, emailed or opened on a different device — some systems replace them with odd characters, and some online upload systems reject them outright. Using a hyphen or underscore instead of a space, and sticking to plain letters, numbers and a single file extension, tends to avoid these problems.

• Replace spaces with a hyphen or underscore, for example "bank-statement" rather than "bank statement".
• Avoid apostrophes, slashes, brackets and symbols such as £, & or #.
• Keep names reasonably short — very long file names can be cut off by some systems.
• Where an online upload system publishes its own file-name, file-type or size limits, those instructions take precedence over any pattern used here.

Keeping multi-page documents together

Where a single document runs to several pages or several separate scans — such as a long bank statement — some people give each page or file the same section and item number, with an extra part added to show the order, for example "03-02_bank-statement_2026-01_p1.pdf" and "03-02_bank-statement_2026-01_p2.pdf". Combining pages into a single PDF for that document, where that is practical, can also keep the group together as one file rather than several.

• Keep the same section and item number across every page of one document.
• Add a page marker ("_p1", "_p2") only where pages are kept as separate files.
• Consider merging pages of one document into a single PDF where that is straightforward to do.

A simple index, and renaming as new files arrive

A short index or list — even a simple spreadsheet with one row per file — showing the file name, what it is and its date can make a folder easier to check against a checklist without opening every file. As new scans arrive over time, some people renumber files within a section so the order still reads cleanly, and update the index to match; others simply add the next number in sequence and let the index note the order instead.

• List each file name alongside a plain description in a simple index.
• Update the index whenever a file is added, renamed or removed.
• Choose either renumbering or adding sequentially, and keep to one approach within a section.
• Keep a backup of the index itself, not only of the individual scanned files.

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