Use color-coded labels to distinguish folders maintained on a periodic (fiscal or calendar year) basis, and white for folders that are not routinely purged which remain in the files year after year.

The folder label describes where a folder belongs in the files and what is in it. Each label should include the file code, folder title or content description and, if needed, a date for the contents.

Although space on labels is limited, including additional information, such as identification of record copies and destruction date can be helpful in file management.

For extensive or complicated filing systems, labeling systems using large, easily visible letters, numbers and dates in varying color combinations and tab configurations are available from commercial vendors.

Bar code technology is also commercially available for large file systems with significant retrieval activity.