Quick answer: Start with a folder for each matter or project and clear filenames for contracts, amendments and correspondence. Use Tag+ to mark supported files by topic and status, Comment+ to record context, and Rate+ for reference importance. Find matching files through indexed Explorer filters, keeping signed originals and backups separate from working copies.
Start with a small, recognizable example
Imagine a kitchen renovation folder containing a signed contract, an earlier draft, a later amendment and a PDF copy of an email. A filename tells you what each document is; tags and comments explain its role in the project.
Kitchen contract - draft.pdfKitchen contract - signed.pdfKitchen amendment 01.pdfSupplier correspondence.pdf
Use copies of a few documents for your first tagging exercise. Keep the original signed files and your usual backup process. This workflow organizes documents; it does not establish which document has legal effect.
1. Give topic and status different jobs
Create a small tag set in Tag Manager. Apply Kitchen to the project files and use explicit status tags such as Needs review, Signed and Superseded where you have confirmed that status yourself.
| Document | Example tags | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|
| Earlier draft | Kitchen, Superseded | Keeps the old copy distinguishable without deleting it |
| Signed contract | Kitchen, Signed | Makes the signed copy easy to retrieve |
| New amendment | Kitchen, Needs review | Shows which document still needs your attention |
Select one or more PDFs, right-click and apply the relevant tags. When a document changes status, remove the old status tag rather than leaving contradictory labels on it.
2. Record the context you would otherwise forget
Use Comment+ on the amendment to add a note such as: Discussed with supplier on 12 September. Compare the delivery schedule with the signed contract before responding. The comment is a note associated with the file, not an annotation inserted into the PDF's pages.
Use Rate+ only if reference importance is useful to you: five stars might mark the documents you consult most often. Keep approval and signature status in explicit tags; a star rating is not a substitute for either.
3. Find the documents by their role
In Settings > Navigation+, build a filter combining the Kitchen and Signed tags. Open it from the Search filters section in Explorer. Add another filter for Kitchen and Needs review when you want to see outstanding reading.
These filters use the Windows Search index. Include the project folder in indexed locations and allow time for changes to appear. Check your result against the actual documents before relying on a label.
The result: a folder you can return to months later
You can distinguish drafts from signed copies, find the amendment you meant to review, and read the reason you kept a piece of correspondence. The files stay in their project folder; tags provide additional ways to find them.