File Organiser - Effortless Date-Based File Management (Updated Jul 2026)


Description:
File Organiser automates the process of tidying up folders by moving or copying files into a clear, date-based structure. You can organise files daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly, include subfolders, filter and exclude by file type, base the sorting on create or modified date, and decide how to handle name conflicts. It can skip identical files using an MD5 check, queue several source folders at once, preview the resulting folder tree before running, and even run automatically on a daily schedule. A dedicated Test Mode lets you preview exactly what will happen before any files change, a Move run writes an undo log so you can restore files to where they came from, and every run produces a summary you can export as text or HTML.

How to use:

1. Select the folder to organise:
   In Folder to Organise, browse to the source folder that contains the files you want to sort. This can be a downloads folder, backup area, project directory, or any other location.
   
   
2. Select the output folder:
   In Output Folder, choose where the organised files should be placed. It must be a separate location from the source (the tool won’t let the output sit inside the source folder).
   
   
3. Choose how files are organised over time:
   In Organise files, pick one of:
   • Daily — a folder per day (named yyyy-MM-dd).
   • Weekly — weekly folders (named yyyy-MM-dd to yyyy-MM-dd).
   • Monthly — monthly folders (named yyyy-MM). This is the default.
   • Yearly — yearly folders (named yyyy).
   This controls how granular the destination folder structure will be.
   
   
4. Set the date range:
   Choose a starting from date and a finishing on date. File Organiser only processes files whose selected date attribute falls within this range, so you can target specific periods.
   
   
5. Include or exclude subfolders:
   Use the Sub folders should dropdown to decide whether subfolders under the source are included:
   • be — include files from all subfolders.
   • not be — only process files in the top-level folder.
6. Choose the operation:
   In the Operation dropdown, select:
   • Move — move files into the organised structure, removing them from the source.
   • Copy — copy files into the organised structure, leaving the originals in place.
   Use Move when you are cleaning up a location; use Copy when you are building an organised archive.
   
   
7. Decide how to handle name conflicts:
   In the On conflict dropdown, choose what happens if a file with the same name already exists in the destination:
   • Skip — leave the existing file and don’t move/copy the new one.
   • Rename — keep both files by adding a number such as name (1).ext (the default).
   • Overwrite — replace the existing file with the new one.
8. Choose which date attribute to use:
   In Organised by, select whether the tool groups files using:
   • Create Date — when the file was originally created.
   • Modified Date — when the file was last changed (the default).
9. Filter and exclude file types:
   In Filter, enter a single wildcard for the files to include — *.* for everything (the default), or something like *.jpg for one type. In Exclude, list one or more patterns, separated by commas or semicolons, to leave out — the default is *.tmp, thumbs.db, desktop.ini.
   
   
10. Skip duplicates (optional):
    Tick Skip identical files (MD5) to compare a file against any existing file of the same name at the destination and skip it if the contents are an exact match, so you don’t create duplicate copies.
    
    
11. Use Test Mode to preview changes:
    Tick Test Mode – Simulate Only to run a simulation. No files are moved or copied; the Output window lists exactly which files would be affected and where they would go. Use this to validate your settings safely.
    
    
12. Run the organiser:
    When you’re happy with the settings, clear Test Mode to apply changes, then click Organise. The Output window reports each action in colour, and a stats line summarises how many files were moved, copied, skipped, detected as duplicates, and any errors. The Organise button becomes Stop while running (you can also click Cancel), and Clear resets the output.
    
    
13. Export the log:
    Use Export to CSV for a structured log you can open in Excel, or Export to Text for a simple readable report. This is useful for audit trails and troubleshooting.
    
    

More tabs and options

• Preview: On the Preview tab, click Generate Preview to build a tree of the destination folders and the files that would land in each — a fast way to check the result before running.
  
  
• Multi-Source: On the Multi-Source tab, use Add Folder to queue several source folders that are all organised into the same output folder with the current options; Remove Selected takes one off the list.
  
  
• Restore (undo): After a Move run, File Organiser writes a restore log and loads it on the Restore tab. Tick the files you want and click Restore Selected to move them back to their original locations. You can also Browse… to open an earlier restore log.
  
  
• Summary Report: Each run fills the Summary Report tab with the settings used and the totals. Use Export as Text or Export as HTML to save it.
  
  
• Auto-run daily: Tick Auto-run daily at and set a time to have the organiser run itself once a day with the current settings, so a folder stays tidy without you needing to open it each time.
  
  

Why you would use each option:

• Daily / Weekly / Monthly / Yearly: Choose the level of detail that matches your workflow — daily for fine-grained histories, monthly or yearly for high-level archives.
  
  
• Include / exclude subfolders: Target just a single folder or an entire tree, depending on whether you are organising a specific area or a whole drive segment.
  
  
• Move vs Copy: Move is ideal for decluttering and reclaiming space; Copy is safer when building organised archives while keeping the original structure intact.
  
  
• Skip / Rename / Overwrite on conflict: Protect important files by skipping, avoid collisions by renaming, or replace older versions by overwriting.
  
  
• Create Date vs Modified Date: Use Create Date when you care about when content was first produced; use Modified Date when the last change is more relevant.
  
  
• Filter and Exclude: Include only the file type that matters and leave out temporary or system files, so you organise exactly what you intend to.
  
  
• Skip identical files (MD5): Avoid piling up duplicate copies when re-running the organiser over the same data.
  
  
• Test Mode: Safely experiment with different date ranges, filters, and options to confirm behaviour before committing any changes.
  
  

File Organiser has the following features:

• Flexible Date-Based Organisation: Sorts files into Daily, Weekly, Monthly, or Yearly folders.


• Custom Date Range Filtering: Specify a start and end date so only files within a particular period are considered.


• Choice of Date Attribute: Organise files by their creation date or last modified date.


• Subfolder Inclusion: Include or exclude subfolders for comprehensive or targeted management.


• Wildcard Filter & Exclusions: Include a file type with a wildcard (e.g., *.jpg, or *.* for all) and exclude patterns such as *.tmp, thumbs.db and desktop.ini.


• Move or Copy with Conflict Handling: Move or copy files, and Skip, Rename, or Overwrite when names clash.


• MD5 Duplicate Skipping: Optionally skip files whose contents already exist at the destination.


• Multi-Source Queue: Organise several source folders into one output in a single run.


• Folder Structure Preview: See the resulting folder tree before running.


• Safe Test Mode: Preview the proposed changes without moving or altering any files.


• Undo / Restore: Move runs write a restore log so files can be sent back to their original locations.


• Scheduled Auto-Run: Run the organiser automatically once a day at a chosen time.


• Reports & Export: Colour-coded output with stats, a run summary, and export to CSV, text, or HTML.