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Best Practices

Data Organisation

Organise your landscape architecture data for maximum efficiency, searchability, and professional presentation.

Naming Conventions

Consistent naming makes everything easier to find and looks more professional to clients and contractors.

Project Names

Use this format: ClientName - ProjectType - Location - Year

✅ Good Examples
  • • "Smith - Residential Garden - Toorak - 2024"
  • • "Melbourne Uni - Campus Landscaping - Carlton - 2024"
  • • "Jones - Pool Area Redesign - Brighton - 2024"
❌ Poor Examples
  • • "Garden Project"
  • • "New Job"
  • • "Smith's Place"

Document Names

Include project reference, document type, and version:

  • • "Smith2024_ConceptPlan_v2.pdf"
  • • "MelbUni2024_PlantSchedule_Final.xlsx"
  • • "Jones2024_IrrigationSpec_Draft.pdf"

Category Structure

Set up a logical category hierarchy that matches how landscape architects think about projects.

Plant Categories

Trees
  • • Feature Trees
  • • Shade Trees
  • • Screening Trees
  • • Street Trees
Shrubs
  • • Feature Shrubs
  • • Screening Shrubs
  • • Hedge Plants
  • • Foundation Planting
Groundcovers
  • • Low Groundcovers
  • • Lawn Alternatives
  • • Slope Stabilisation
  • • Under-tree Planting

Material Categories

Hardscaping
  • • Paving Materials
  • • Retaining Walls
  • • Fencing & Gates
  • • Outdoor Structures
Irrigation
  • • Irrigation Systems
  • • Controllers & Timers
  • • Fittings & Accessories
  • • Drainage Solutions
Growing Media
  • • Garden Soils
  • • Mulches
  • • Aggregates
  • • Compost & Fertilisers

Smart Tagging Strategy

Use tags to add context that makes items easier to find with semantic search.

Functional Tags

drought-tolerant
coastal-suitable
child-safe
low-maintenance
fast-growing
bird-attracting

Location Tags

melbourne-suppliers
sydney-delivery
regional-victoria
inner-city
coastal-regions

Project Type Tags

residential
commercial
public-space
rooftop-garden
pool-area
streetscape

File Management Best Practices

Document Quality

  • • Always upload high-resolution PDFs and images
  • • Ensure text is readable (avoid blurry scans)
  • • Use consistent file formats across projects
  • • Compress large files before uploading

Version Control

  • • Use version numbers (v1, v2, v3) or descriptors (Draft, Final)
  • • Keep only the latest 2-3 versions of each document
  • • Archive old versions rather than deleting them
  • • Document what changed between versions

Regular Maintenance

  • • Review and clean up categories monthly
  • • Remove duplicate or outdated files
  • • Update tags as projects evolve
  • • Verify all links and references work

Optimising for Search

Organise your data to take full advantage of Smthy's AI-powered semantic search.

Rich Descriptions

Include context in item descriptions to improve search results:

✅ Good

"Eucalyptus leucoxylon - drought-tolerant feature tree, suitable for coastal Melbourne, attracts native birds, 8-12m mature height"

❌ Poor

"Eucalyptus leucoxylon - tree"

Searchable Metadata

Include information that clients and contractors commonly search for:

  • • Plant characteristics (height, spread, flowering time)
  • • Material specifications (dimensions, colours, finishes)
  • • Supplier locations and delivery areas
  • • Installation requirements and timeframes
  • • Maintenance needs and schedules

Organising for Client Presentation

Structure your data so it's easy to create professional client presentations and reports.

Client-Friendly Categories

  • • "Feature Plants" instead of "Specimen Trees"
  • • "Garden Beds" instead of "Planting Areas"
  • • "Outdoor Living" instead of "Hardscape Elements"
  • • "Garden Care" instead of "Maintenance Requirements"

Visual Organisation

  • • Group items by garden area or function
  • • Include high-quality reference images
  • • Show before/during/after photos
  • • Use consistent image sizing and quality

Common Organisation Mistakes

Too Many Categories

Having 50+ categories makes organisation harder, not easier. Stick to 15-20 main categories with subcategories as needed.

Inconsistent Naming

Using different naming conventions across projects makes everything harder to find. Establish rules and stick to them.

No Regular Cleanup

Without regular maintenance, even the best organisation system becomes cluttered and inefficient over time.

What's Next?

With your data well-organised, learn about security best practices to protect your projects and client information.