GIS Naming Conventions

I will start off with some basic naming conventions that I have used over the years for the maps, BP's, and envelopes within the Gentran Integration Suite application.  I don't always follow the naming conventions exactly because there are times where you have to go out of the norm to describe a process or transaction type that doesn't fit within the convention.  The conventions I use are just a basic template to make it a little easier to find a particular map or BP based on its role in the process flow. 

Maps


[CompanyAbbreviation]_[data type]_[version or system]_[transaction]_TO_[data type]_[version or system]_[transaction]

Data Types:

• EDI = Electronic Data Interchange
• POS = Positional Flat File
• DEL = Delimited (CSV)
• XML = XML
• SQL = SQL Database

Version or System:

• ERP
• SAP
• 004030

Transaction:

• 850
• ASN
• INVOICE
• 816
 
Business Processes
 
Generic:

GEN_Report_[Desc] - Reports
GEN_Generic_[Desc] - Used in generic flow
GEN_[TP]_[Transaction]_Start - Start of specific TP/Transaction flow
GEN_Util_[Desc] - Utility function

Document Envelopes


ISA:
[Company Abbreviation]_[Partner]_[Direction]_[ISA Version]_[Envelope Level]

GS:
[Company Abbreviation]_[Partner]_[Direction]_[Functional ID]_[GS Version]_[Envelope Level]

ST:
[Company Abbreviation]_[Partner]_[Direction]_[Transaction]_[GS Version]_[Envelope Level]

I know there are many other areas in GIS that should have a naming convention but I would like to ask the readers for their input on what they use as naming conventions in GIS. 
 
The names for these components in GIS may seem a little long to some of you but there is nothing wrong with having a long name if it is used to describe more about the process or map without having to open the component in the editors. 
 
Plus, if you design a naming convention, it is easier to keep like components together.  For example, if you don't incorporate the EDI version in the map name in the same place each time it makes it difficult to quickly browse thru the map list to find the version you are looking for when changes are needed.  The same goes for the transaction ID as well as the type of map it is (i.e. Delimited or EDI or SQL, etc).
 
I hope this information is helpful to some of you out there.  Leave a comment with any questions you may have and I will try to answer them in the blog.
 
--- Chris