GJ FILE MANAGER · FIELD NOTES
A Project Handoff Without Moving Your Originals
Learn a Mac workflow to prepare a client handoff by using GJ File Manager's file groups and a separate delivery folder, while keeping original assets untouched and avoiding version confusion.
The scenario: preparing a client handoff
Imagine you have a client project with files scattered across your Mac. Originals might live in ~/Projects/ClientX/Originals, including hero-image.psd and logo.ai. Working files like draft-copy.docx and notes.txt are in ~/Projects/ClientX/Drafts. Exports such as hero-image-3000px.jpg and logo-500px.png are in ~/Projects/ClientX/Exports. For the handoff, you need only final deliverables, but you must keep your working files in place and avoid sending outdated drafts. Use GJ File Manager's file groups as an access aid: they organize related items around a task without moving them from their folders. Remember, a group is not a folder, and it is not a backup.
Create a file group for the handoff
In GJ File Manager, select the related files or folders for the handoff, such as hero-image.psd, logo.ai, draft-copy.docx, and notes.txt. Use the group action and name the group clearly, for example 'ClientX Handoff Review'. Add items from other locations, like the Drafts and Originals folders, and inspect the group to ensure everything needed is included. This group gives you one entry point to scattered material without copying them. If a file's path changes, its disk goes offline, or authorization is lost, access may be affected; a group does not turn files into cloud copies.
Separate working area from delivery area
When you are ready to prepare the delivery, do not send the group itself. In GJ File Manager, create a clearly named Delivery folder, such as 'ClientX Delivery 2026-09-18', and open it in its own tab. Then copy the required files from their sources. You can use the file group as a checklist, but you must copy the actual files. As you copy, inspect name conflicts rather than replacing blindly. For instance, if two files are both named final.jpg, check their content and version before deciding which to include. This ensures you are not sending an old draft like draft-copy.docx unless it is required.
Verify each item and package the delivery
In the Delivery folder, check each item against your delivery list: name, content, version, and whether it opens. Open hero-image-3000px.jpg in Preview and logo-500px.png to confirm they are the correct exports. Ensure you are not including internal notes like notes.txt unless requested. If you need an archive, compress this checked folder, then inspect the package by opening it to confirm all files are present and correct. Retain a copy of the delivery for your records. Equal file counts do not establish equal content; your verification is essential. Keep originals separate from exports and maintain an independent backup; a file group is not a backup.
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Written by the GJ File Manager team. Mac workflows; controls may differ on iPad.
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