Start with the project, not the sender.
Use a short project code consistently. A homeowner, supplier, and subcontractor may all send files for the same job. Sender-only folders scatter that job across the collection.
Use a small, stable tree.
This fictional structure separates work awaiting review from records ready to use. Add categories only when they solve a real retrieval problem.
P014-Sample-Renovation/ 00-Incoming/ 01-Homeowner-Documents/ 02-Agreements/ 03-Supplier-Quotes/ 04-Receipts/ 90-Questions/ 99-Superseded/
Keep revisions explainable.
Retain an original-to-renamed mapping. Use V01 and V02 for known revisions, and record which version is approved. A file named final-final does not establish approval.
Make uncertainty easy to resolve.
Leave unidentified documents in Questions. Ask one concrete question: “Which project is this for?” Avoid choosing a destination solely from the upload date or a similar filename.