Every architect's filing system is different and there is no single right way of doing it. There is, however, a plethora of wrong ways. A filing or office library system fails if it is not readily understood, inconsistent, illogical, difficult to use, or not used. For this reason it is sensible to codify the system so that it can be understood at a glance.
It is vitally important that architect's filing systems, both for office filing and for each job, should be logically ordered and up to date. It helps minimise the cost and risk of error when the job is in progress and it is vitally important if a claim is made. Lawyers have commented on the ease of acting for an architect whose records are well ordered as distinct from the difficulty and expense of acting where the records that do exist have been shoved into a cardboard box.