5 ms·

How To use Dropbox to organize your startup's documents

23 points by rlucas 16y ago

zdw 16y ago
Alternatively, you could set up a private git repo, and use ssh keys to control access with gitolite or similar... I tend to think that Dropbox is only useful for people who can't figure out version control, but that's probably my own bias.
- rlucas 16y ago
  I agree; my bias was to try and control everything (including lots of legal docs, in our business) with SVN. But it turns out ... "people who can't [or won't] figure out version control" amounts to just about everybody who's not a dev, in my world. There are lots of those people and they're important to my success (and, dear reader, it is likely, also to yours).
- kyleslattery 16y ago
  However, one the great parts of Dropbox is that you don't have to pull new changes--they're automatically updated on your computer as soon as someone else changes a file. With Git, you'd have to remember to keep pulling the new information as needed.
- stevejohnson 16y ago
  Or for people who want to share binary files, or for people who like drag-and-drop interfaces, or for people who don't want to spend a bunch of time learning about secure shared repo setup. In other words, for people who Just Want To Share A Damn Folder. Like my thesis advisor, my artist friends, and me, a loyal git user.
  - patrickaljord 16y ago
    I find google doc better for sharing docs, you can edit them online anywhere and also upload any kind of files now though I never do.
    - stevejohnson 16y ago
      Doesn't work at all if the source material is in LaTeX, or anything more complicated than RTF really.
      - patrickaljord 16y ago
        You can still upload LaTeX docs to google docs and edit them with your own editor or use http://code.google.com/p/latex-lab/ http://code.google.com/p/latex-lab/
- runjake 16y ago
  I store all of my code plus their git repos on my Dropbox, that's MY bias. ( And it's a useful one)
smoody 16y ago
you might want to dig deeper into the dropbox encryption and security methodologies before putting valuable information up there if you haven't already.
- rlucas 16y ago
  Agreed; for better or worse, though, a lot of what we get comes in unencrypted email. (This includes legal documents from prestigious law firms, etc., whose practices we are unlikely to be able to influence.) Hence, we practice "no-worse-than" security. And if we originate a secret, and want it to remain so, we encrypt it using strong encryption.
phlux 16y ago
I have been doing this! However – we are still just two founders, so we haven't expanded beyond the 2gb freebie. Though I use the following structure: NEWCO: - DOCS – then dirs Doc, XLS, PDF, NDA, PPT, Legal, Research - GRAPHICS – All graphic collateral .vsd, .psd, .svg etc. - IMAGES – Output of graphics files, .png, .jpg - SITE – All HTML pages created. Outside of this, I make my Eclipse Workspace in my dropbox folder as well. Then any machine I open eclipse on, everything is as I left it. —*NOTE: this i proving weird as the Android SDK installs a TON of stuff in the folder. I am still figuring out the best way to do this.
bdclimber14 16y ago
I organize Dropbox based on access and make folders for each: Dropbox > MyStartup > Interns (Shared) Dropbox > MyStartup > Management (Shared) Dropbox > MyStartup > Entire Team (Shared) Dropbox > MyStartup > secret_takeover_plans.doc (Not Shared) Dropbox > MyStartup > Code (Not Shared, Addition to Git) Dropbox > Personal Stuff
dmarble 16y ago
Love me some organized files. We use Google Docs when we need to collaboratively edit a document, but the finalized versions are all stored in Dropbox. Startup\ (Shared with all employees) Competitors\ Contacts\ (folders for people/companies, better in a CRM at some point) Customers\ Dev\ Concepts\ (mockups) Web\ iPhone\ Android\ Specs\ Graphics\ (logo, frequently used images) Marketing\ Presentations\ Press\ Reference\ Research\ Unfiled\ Whiteboards_and_Ideas\ (photos of whiteboarding/brainstorming) Startup-Confidential\ (Shared with those who need to know) Legal\ Agreements-Executed\ (Folders by name of person/organization)\ (Agreements signed by this person/organization and us) Corporate_Records\ Master_Record_Book\ (Sequentially labeled, signed finalized documents from the corporate record book) YYYY-MM-DD_<Company-Event-Description>\ (Draft documents/revisions for each major legal event like formation, board actions, hiring) Employee_Records\ (Folders by name of employee)\ Important employee files, agreements Forms Template legal documents Finances\ Startup\Interns\ (Shared with interns) Startup-Working\ (for me)
- rlucas 16y ago
  Nice, bonus points for using the YYYYMMDD date form in your folder names -- free lexical sort!! (We do likewise with suffix notation, mainly because the more common use case for us is to to first sort by "event description" then by date.)
BoombaChicken 16y ago
I'm one of the people that works in RevenueLoan's DropBox structure, and I have to say that it has saved my butt a number of times. I work on a laptop, and largely work remotely, so the obvious benefit of being able to access the latest files all the time is tremendous. (I use GoogleDocs with another organization I am a part of, and the DropBox interface and user experience is superior in every regard. Especially with my non-technical compatriots!) I also have Growl notifications turned on for DropBox, so I can see the activity that is happening within the company even if I am not in the office that day. This is a surprising benefit. And finally, having naming conventions (like the YYYYMMDD format) that we rigidly adhere to, ensures that I can find anything anywhere: The folder hierarchy is clear and concise, the file names are standardized across all folders, Etc. All of this increases efficiency, and just has to have saved me all kinds of time... and that is one thing every startup company in the world could use more of!

23 points by rlucas 16y ago

zdw 16y ago

Alternatively, you could set up a private git repo, and use ssh keys to control access with gitolite or similar... I tend to think that Dropbox is only useful for people who can't figure out version control, but that's probably my own bias.

rlucas 16y ago
I agree; my bias was to try and control everything (including lots of legal docs, in our business) with SVN. But it turns out ... "people who can't [or won't] figure out version control" amounts to just about everybody who's not a dev, in my world. There are lots of those people and they're important to my success (and, dear reader, it is likely, also to yours).
kyleslattery 16y ago
However, one the great parts of Dropbox is that you don't have to pull new changes--they're automatically updated on your computer as soon as someone else changes a file. With Git, you'd have to remember to keep pulling the new information as needed.
stevejohnson 16y ago
Or for people who want to share binary files, or for people who like drag-and-drop interfaces, or for people who don't want to spend a bunch of time learning about secure shared repo setup. In other words, for people who Just Want To Share A Damn Folder. Like my thesis advisor, my artist friends, and me, a loyal git user.
- patrickaljord 16y ago
  I find google doc better for sharing docs, you can edit them online anywhere and also upload any kind of files now though I never do.
  - stevejohnson 16y ago
    Doesn't work at all if the source material is in LaTeX, or anything more complicated than RTF really.
    - patrickaljord 16y ago
      You can still upload LaTeX docs to google docs and edit them with your own editor or use http://code.google.com/p/latex-lab/ http://code.google.com/p/latex-lab/
runjake 16y ago
I store all of my code plus their git repos on my Dropbox, that's MY bias. ( And it's a useful one)

smoody 16y ago

you might want to dig deeper into the dropbox encryption and security methodologies before putting valuable information up there if you haven't already.

rlucas 16y ago
Agreed; for better or worse, though, a lot of what we get comes in unencrypted email. (This includes legal documents from prestigious law firms, etc., whose practices we are unlikely to be able to influence.) Hence, we practice "no-worse-than" security. And if we originate a secret, and want it to remain so, we encrypt it using strong encryption.

phlux 16y ago

I have been doing this! However – we are still just two founders, so we haven't expanded beyond the 2gb freebie. Though I use the following structure: NEWCO: - DOCS – then dirs Doc, XLS, PDF, NDA, PPT, Legal, Research - GRAPHICS – All graphic collateral .vsd, .psd, .svg etc. - IMAGES – Output of graphics files, .png, .jpg - SITE – All HTML pages created. Outside of this, I make my Eclipse Workspace in my dropbox folder as well. Then any machine I open eclipse on, everything is as I left it. —*NOTE: this i proving weird as the Android SDK installs a TON of stuff in the folder. I am still figuring out the best way to do this.

bdclimber14 16y ago

I organize Dropbox based on access and make folders for each: Dropbox > MyStartup > Interns (Shared) Dropbox > MyStartup > Management (Shared) Dropbox > MyStartup > Entire Team (Shared) Dropbox > MyStartup > secret_takeover_plans.doc (Not Shared) Dropbox > MyStartup > Code (Not Shared, Addition to Git) Dropbox > Personal Stuff

dmarble 16y ago

Love me some organized files. We use Google Docs when we need to collaboratively edit a document, but the finalized versions are all stored in Dropbox. Startup\ (Shared with all employees) Competitors\ Contacts\ (folders for people/companies, better in a CRM at some point) Customers\ Dev\ Concepts\ (mockups) Web\ iPhone\ Android\ Specs\ Graphics\ (logo, frequently used images) Marketing\ Presentations\ Press\ Reference\ Research\ Unfiled\ Whiteboards_and_Ideas\ (photos of whiteboarding/brainstorming) Startup-Confidential\ (Shared with those who need to know) Legal\ Agreements-Executed\ (Folders by name of person/organization)\ (Agreements signed by this person/organization and us) Corporate_Records\ Master_Record_Book\ (Sequentially labeled, signed finalized documents from the corporate record book) YYYY-MM-DD_<Company-Event-Description>\ (Draft documents/revisions for each major legal event like formation, board actions, hiring) Employee_Records\ (Folders by name of employee)\ Important employee files, agreements Forms Template legal documents Finances\ Startup\Interns\ (Shared with interns) Startup-Working\ (for me)

rlucas 16y ago
Nice, bonus points for using the YYYYMMDD date form in your folder names -- free lexical sort!! (We do likewise with suffix notation, mainly because the more common use case for us is to to first sort by "event description" then by date.)

BoombaChicken 16y ago

I'm one of the people that works in RevenueLoan's DropBox structure, and I have to say that it has saved my butt a number of times. I work on a laptop, and largely work remotely, so the obvious benefit of being able to access the latest files all the time is tremendous. (I use GoogleDocs with another organization I am a part of, and the DropBox interface and user experience is superior in every regard. Especially with my non-technical compatriots!) I also have Growl notifications turned on for DropBox, so I can see the activity that is happening within the company even if I am not in the office that day. This is a surprising benefit. And finally, having naming conventions (like the YYYYMMDD format) that we rigidly adhere to, ensures that I can find anything anywhere: The folder hierarchy is clear and concise, the file names are standardized across all folders, Etc. All of this increases efficiency, and just has to have saved me all kinds of time... and that is one thing every startup company in the world could use more of!