File and project organization in Figma - Dashboard Guide

Dashboard Mode - File and project organization

Goal

Organize your Figma files and projects to keep your BI dashboard designs neat, easy to find, and simple to update.

Sample Data

Project Name	File Name	File Type	Last Updated	Owner
Sales Dashboards	Q1 Sales Overview	Design File	2024-06-01	Alice
Sales Dashboards	Q2 Sales Overview	Design File	2024-06-15	Bob
Marketing Reports	Campaign Analysis	Design File	2024-05-20	Carol
Marketing Reports	Social Media Metrics	Prototype	2024-06-10	Dave
Executive Summaries	Annual Review	Design File	2024-04-30	Eve

Dashboard Components

• Project List Panel: Shows all projects with their files grouped by project name.
• File Details Table: Displays file name, type, last updated date, and owner for selected project.
• Recent Updates KPI: Counts files updated in the last 30 days.
• File Type Pie Chart: Visualizes distribution of file types across all projects.

Formulas/Expressions

• Recent Updates KPI: Count files where Last Updated >= Today - 30 days. For sample data, files updated after 2024-05-15 are counted (3 files).
• File Type Pie Chart: Calculate percentage of each file type from total files (5 files total): Design File (4 files, 80%), Prototype (1 file, 20%).

Dashboard Layout

+----------------------+-----------------------+
| Project List Panel    | File Type Pie Chart   |
| (Left side)          | (Top right corner)    |
+----------------------+-----------------------+
| File Details Table                         |
| (Bottom full width)                        |
+-------------------------------------------+
| Recent Updates KPI (Bottom right corner)  |
+-------------------------------------------+

Interactivity

Selecting a project in the Project List Panel updates the File Details Table to show only files from that project.

The File Type Pie Chart and Recent Updates KPI always show data for all projects combined.

Self Check

If you select the project Marketing Reports in the Project List Panel, which components update?

• The File Details Table updates to show only files from Marketing Reports (2 files).
• The Project List Panel, File Type Pie Chart, and Recent Updates KPI remain unchanged.

Key Result

A Figma project dashboard organizing BI design files by project, showing file details, recent updates, and file type distribution.

Practice

1. Why is it important to organize Figma files into folders within a project?

easy

A. To hide files from team members

B. To increase the file size

C. To make files load slower

D. To find and manage files easily later

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand folder purpose in Figma

   Folders group related files so you can find them quickly without searching everywhere.

2. Step 2: Consider file management benefits

   Organized folders reduce confusion and save time when working on projects.

3. Final Answer:

   To find and manage files easily later -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Organizing files = Easy access [OK]

Hint: Folders help you find files fast, like folders on your computer [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking folders slow down Figma
• Believing folders hide files from others
• Confusing folders with file size changes

2. Which of the following is the correct way to name Figma files for version control?

easy

A. ProjectName_v1, ProjectName_v2, ProjectName_final

B. FinalProject, FinalProject2, FinalProject3

C. MyFile, MyFileCopy, MyFileCopy2

D. Design1, Design2, Design3

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify clear version naming

   Using _v1, _v2, etc., clearly shows file versions in order.

2. Step 2: Compare other options

   Other names like 'FinalProject' or 'Copy' are vague and confusing for version tracking.

3. Final Answer:

   ProjectName_v1, ProjectName_v2, ProjectName_final -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Consistent version names = ProjectName_v1, ProjectName_v2, ProjectName_final [OK]

Hint: Use _v1, _v2 to track versions clearly [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using vague names like 'Copy' or 'Final'
• Skipping version numbers
• Mixing unrelated file names

3. Given a Figma project with folders named 'Assets', 'Designs', and 'Docs', where should you place a new icon file and why?

medium

A. In 'Docs' because icons need documentation

B. In 'Designs' because icons are part of the design files

C. In 'Assets' because icons are reusable elements

D. In the root project folder to keep it simple

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand folder roles

   'Assets' holds reusable elements like icons; 'Designs' holds working design files; 'Docs' holds documentation.

2. Step 2: Match icon file to folder

   Icons are reusable assets, so they belong in 'Assets' for easy reuse across projects.

3. Final Answer:

   In 'Assets' because icons are reusable elements -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Reusable elements go in Assets [OK]

Hint: Put reusable items like icons in Assets folder [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Putting icons in Docs folder
• Mixing assets with design files
• Leaving files in root folder

4. You notice your Figma project has files named inconsistently like 'DesignFinal', 'design_v2', and 'Design copy'. What is the best way to fix this?

medium

A. Rename files using a consistent pattern like ProjectName_v1, ProjectName_v2

B. Delete all files and start over

C. Leave files as they are to avoid confusion

D. Merge all files into one big file

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify problem with inconsistent naming

   Inconsistent names make it hard to track versions and progress.

2. Step 2: Apply consistent naming convention

   Renaming files with a clear pattern like ProjectName_v1 helps organize and find files easily.

3. Final Answer:

   Rename files using a consistent pattern like ProjectName_v1, ProjectName_v2 -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Consistent naming fixes confusion [OK]

Hint: Rename files with clear version numbers [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Deleting files unnecessarily
• Ignoring inconsistent names
• Merging unrelated files

5. You manage a large Figma project with multiple teams. How should you organize files and folders to keep work clear and efficient?

hard

A. Put all files in one folder and name them randomly

B. Create separate folders for each team, use consistent file naming, and keep assets in a shared 'Assets' folder

C. Create folders only for assets and put all design files together without folders

D. Use different projects for each file instead of folders

Solution

1. Step 1: Organize by team folders

   Separate folders for each team help keep their work isolated and easy to find.

2. Step 2: Use consistent naming and shared assets

   Consistent file names avoid confusion; a shared 'Assets' folder allows reuse across teams.

3. Final Answer:

   Create separate folders for each team, use consistent file naming, and keep assets in a shared 'Assets' folder -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Team folders + consistent names + shared assets = Create separate folders for each team, use consistent file naming, and keep assets in a shared 'Assets' folder [OK]

Hint: Separate by team, name files clearly, share assets [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Mixing all files in one folder
• Ignoring naming conventions
• Scattering assets across folders