🙈 Share Your Epic File Naming Fails and Let's Laugh Together!

[Andrea_Mayer]

I’ve encountered some truly hilarious file attachment naming blunders throughout my journey using Asana, and I can’t help but wonder how some of these mishaps happen.

Like that time when someone accidentally sent the first proposal draft instead of the final version to a client, or when it took ages to locate a simple thumbnail or banner because of the “creative” file names used.

It’s moments like these that make me question the thought process behind file naming.

It also made me realize the importance of efficiency and how often some unknowingly waste time on things we never initially considered. It’s fascinating to uncover the hidden areas where small improvements can have a big impact.

That’s why I’m starting this forum thread—to share our collective experiences with the worst file attachment naming fails and have a good laugh together.

Let’s share those cringe-worthy file names that left you shaking your head in disbelief.

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Let me kick things off by sharing a few examples of “No go” file attachment naming that I’ve come across:

1. “Final_Version_Updated_Revised_Final_FINAL.docx” - When the word “final” just isn’t enough, why not add a few more for good measure?
   

2. “Confidential_Super_Secret_Classified_Report_For_Your_Eyes_Only.doc” - Adding a lengthy title doesn’t necessarily increase its importance. Mission: Failed!

3. " Untitled design (2).png" or “image” - Ah, the classic default filename resulting from sheer laziness or forgetfulness. Not the most descriptive, is it?
   

Now, imagine how long it would take for someone to find the correct cover image to be displayed on the board view.

4. “original-2ac1b98c-a03c-4823-b61d-64d976363cbb…” - Who doesn’t love a good alphanumeric jumble? This gem tells you everything you need to know about the image—absolutely nothing.
   
   

5. “Important Proposal.docx” - When a file’s significance is overshadowed by the lack of effort put into its name, you know it’s a file naming fail of epic proportions.

6. “WhatsApp Image 2023-03-15 at 12:14.24 AM (1).jpg” - Ah, the notorious logo file named with a timestamp. Finding this logo will surely be a breeze with that naming convention!
   

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Now it’s your turn to share your hilarious encounters with file attachment naming gone wrong!

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P.S. Stay tuned for an upcoming post where I’ll be sharing some tips and tricks for proper file naming.

[Danielle-GenD]

I’ve had final draft dd.mm (date) trying to give myself an idea of versions but then made another draft on the same day named the same thing…

[lpb]

Great topic, @Andrea_Mayer!

I’m guilty of filenames like:

• project overview final
• project overview final v2
• project overview final v3
• etc.

This reminds me of being at the airport gate for a departing flight and hearing, “This is the final boarding call for flight 9999.”

Then starting a few minutes later and repeating several more times, “Once again, this is the final boarding call . . .”

Please react to this post if you believe there can never be more than one final file attachment per document or final boarding call per flight.

Larry

[Andrea_Mayer]

Thanks for sharing @lpb!
You are definitely not alone with these file names.
But hey at least version numbers are used.
And I mean even a final file might need revisions or edits.

Your reference to boarding call fits really well though!

[Debra_Hart]

Oh, my. Hilarious analogy!

[Richard_Sather]

Epic post @Andrea_Mayer !

[Elina_P]

Classic disaster! There should be a big red WARNING pop-up flashing on the screen every time someone is renaming a file to ‘…Final’ ‘NO! DON’T DO IT!’

Thanks for sharing @Andrea_Mayer !

[Richard_Sather]

Welcome to the forum, my good friend @Elina_P

[Elina_P]

Thank you @Richard_Sather ! I’m glad to be here

[hagi]

@Andrea_Mayer
Good article! Laughing alone at eleven o’clock at night.

[JeffreyR]

Don’t use “exchange” (server) in your domains or filenames when your company’s name ends in ‘s’ or you might send the wrong message!

[Jonathan_Stern]

Hi find we have a lot of documents in our sharepoint named:

Copy of Copy of Copy of [document name] - [User’s initials]

or sometimes

Document name - Copy - Copy - Copy

more rare but I sometimes have multiple user initials in the document name,

all this despite having version control enabled and the name of the users that created/edited the file right there next to the file name. it used to infuriate me but sadly have given up and I now turn a blind eye to these.

[Andrea_Mayer]

@Jonathan_Stern

Document name - Copy - Copy - Copy

Oh yes, another great example! Have been seeing such also a lot of times.

@Jonathan_Stern

it used to infuriate me but sadly have given up and I now turn a blind eye to these.

Managing this to ensure everybody uses proper file naming can indeed be a challenge on its on

[Becky_Caday]

Having multiple versions of same file because someone doesn’t know they can open and edit the OG file, so they just change one word to all caps. List 2.0 becomes LIST 2.0

[anon22680191]

These are all sitting in our production environment as we speak. I love NEW.hdf.old the best.

CHEFTECHXP_CSV_NEW.2010_01_04
CHEFTECHXP_CSV_NEW.hdf
CHEFTECHXP_CSV_NEW.hdf.good
CHEFTECHXP_CSV_NEW.hdf.old
CHEFTECHXP_CSV_old.hdf

[Andrea_Mayer]

Welcome to the Asana Community Forum @Jeff_Presz

And thanks for sharing.

@Jeff_Presz

I love NEW.hdf.old the best.

I agree with that

[Elina_P]

Can’t believe I just did that… There’s no escape!

[Keli_Kerr]

too funny

[Arndt_Dienstbier]

Hi there,
best thing I’ve seen: they were using whitespace for versioning. Hilarious!

Document.docx
Document .docx
Document .docx
Document .docx

Not a joke…

[Andrea_Mayer]

Hahaha, thanks for sharing,I have never seen that before