Importing Your Existing Folder Structure

Already have a folder structure you've been using manually? You can bring it into Sorta and turn it into a reusable template.

Why Import?

If you've been organizing projects a certain way for years, you don't need to start from scratch. Import your existing structure and:

  • Apply it to new projects instantly
  • Add flows to automate sorting
  • Keep consistency across all your work

How to Import

Step 1: Choose a Reference Project

Pick a project folder that represents your ideal structure. This should be:

  • Well-organized (the way you want future projects to look)
  • Complete (has all the folders you typically use)
  • Clean (no junk folders or temporary files)

Step 2: Import into Sorta

  1. Open Sorta
  2. Go to Structures tab
  3. Click Import from Folder
  4. Select your reference project folder
  5. Sorta scans the folder hierarchy

Step 3: Review the Structure

Sorta shows you the detected structure:

Project Name/
├── Assets/
│   ├── Images/
│   ├── Fonts/
│   └── Icons/
├── Source/
│   ├── Design/
│   └── Working/
├── Export/
│   ├── Final/
│   └── Drafts/
└── Reference/

You can:

  • Rename folders to match your preferred naming
  • Remove folders you don't want in the template
  • Add folders that were missing from the reference

Step 4: Save as Structure

  1. Give your structure a name (e.g., "Design Project", "Video Edit")
  2. Click Save Structure
  3. It's now available when creating new projects

What Gets Imported

Included:

  • Folder hierarchy (all nested folders)
  • Folder names

Not included:

  • Files (only the structure, not content)
  • Hidden files/folders
  • System folders (.DS_Store, etc.)

After Importing

Apply to New Projects

When creating a new project:

  1. Click New Project
  2. Select your imported structure
  3. Choose a location
  4. Done — all folders are created instantly

Apply to Existing Projects

Have old projects that need restructuring?

  1. Open the project in Sorta
  2. Click Apply Structure
  3. Select your imported structure
  4. Sorta creates missing folders (doesn't delete existing ones)
  5. Manually move files to their new locations, or set up flows

Add Flows

Now that your structure is in Sorta, you can add flows:

  • See Creating Flows guide
  • Flows make the structure actually useful — files sort themselves

Tips

Start with Your Best Project

Import from a project where you were disciplined about organization. That's your gold standard.

Create Variations

You might need different structures for different work:

  • "Client Project" (with Deliverables, Feedback folders)
  • "Personal Project" (simpler, fewer folders)
  • "Video Project" (Footage, Audio, Graphics folders)

Don't Over-Engineer

A structure with 50 nested folders is hard to maintain. Keep it practical — you can always add folders later.

Name Consistently

Use the same naming conventions across structures:

  • Assets not assets or ASSETS
  • Source not src or Source Files