Why you shouldn't be saving files to your desktop!
It can be tempting. You know you’ll need visibility of a particular file so you save it to your desktop. You can open it first thing in the morning when you turn your PC and you don’t have to go searching for it. But why is this a bad idea?
Files saved to desktops as are not as protected as documents you save in your libraries. For example, if you carry out a system restore, they’ll be deleted; and that important file you needed is gone with no way of getting it back.
It’s also frustrating when you need to get to the file and you have loads of applications open. Minimising all of those windows just to get to one file is really annoying.
So what can you do?
You can use a collaboration tool such as Office 365, enabling you to save documents to the cloud where they can be accessed from anywhere as long as you have internet.
When in work, use the shared drives you have access to. This way, if you’re off on holiday, other members of your team can access important documents that might be needed.
By saving documents in this way, you’ll get backups, they’ll be secure and you’ll also be able to see when other people make changes and what changes they have made.
If you really need to save work to your desktop, create a shortcut. This way the document itself is safe in a folder, but you can still access it from your desktop. You can even pin the shortcut to your taskbar!
In a nutshell:
1. Files Are Visible
The desktop is always visible so you can’t hide files. People can easily access sensitive information.
2. It’s Cluttered
You can’t organise the files properly, it looks messy and you can’t see your screensaver.
3. Annoying to Find
How annoying is it to get to your desktop when you have loads of programs open?
4. Easily Deleted
If you carry out a system restore, chances are the file will be deleted for good.
5. Save in Shared Files
The document will be backed up and only people who have access to that file can see it, increasing security.
So remember, next time you want to save a file to your desktop, think again!