Microsoft Office · Beginner level

Beginner level · Module 1: Computer Files, Folders and Cloud Basics · Lesson 2 of 3

Naming, Saving and Exporting Files

Apply a file-naming convention, save versions properly and export documents to PDF for sharing.

In this lesson you will

  • Apply a consistent naming convention
  • Use Save As, PDF export and print preview correctly

Key concepts

naming conventionSave vs Save AsPDFprint preview

The lesson

A good file name tells you what the file is without opening it. A consistent convention such as YYYY-MM-DD_Topic_Version (2026-03-15_FieldReport_v2) sorts files in date order automatically and shows which version is the latest.

Save As creates a copy with a new name or format; Save overwrites the current file. Save often — power cuts happen — and turn on AutoSave where your organisation uses OneDrive.

PDF is the best format for sending finished documents: it looks the same on every computer and phone and cannot easily be changed. Keep the editable Word or Excel file as your master copy.

Step by step

  1. Rename each practice file using the date-topic-version convention.
  2. Sort the folder by name and check the order is by date.
  3. Open a document and use Save As to export it as PDF.
  4. Open the PDF to check the formatting is intact.

Practice activity

Rename a set of badly named files using the convention YYYY-MM-DD_Topic_Version and export one document to PDF.

Expected result: Correctly named files that sort in date order and a PDF that opens with formatting intact.

Check your understanding

  1. When should you send a PDF instead of a Word file?

    Show answer

    When the recipient should read or print it without editing, or formatting must stay exactly the same.

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