Letter and correspondence examples
Rename and organize letters and correspondence on Mac
Letters arrive as scans, downloads, and photographed pages with names like letter.pdf or scan_0012.pdf. NameQuick reads each one and builds a consistent filename from the document date, sender, recipient, and subject.
Use this workflow for incoming letters, official correspondence, notices, cover letters, application and permit letters, school and authority letters, and saved business correspondence. NameQuick reads each scanned or downloaded letter, pulls the date, sender, recipient, and subject off the page, and builds the filename from those fields before filing, routing, or archive. It does not replace a mail or records system.
For example, letter.pdf can become 2026-05-07_Sample-Authority_to_J-Doe_Permit-Renewal.pdf.
What arrives in a correspondence folder
Flatbed or document-scanner output, often named scan_001.pdf or similar, from physical mail.
Letters and notices saved from portals or email, usually named letter.pdf or Document(1).pdf.
Phone photos of a page saved to Downloads, Desktop, or a synced folder.
Statements of account cover letters, permit letters, and authority notices downloaded from a portal.
Start with the letter template
Lead with a template, not a one-off prompt. A template fixes the field order so every file is named the same way. Go to Presets > New Preset > Template and use this spec.
Fields - Document date - Sender - Recipient or addressee - Subject Pattern {document_date}_{sender}_to_{recipient}_{subject} Field rules - Use the letter date or send date, formatted as YYYY-MM-DD. - Use the sending organization or person. - Use the recipient or addressee when it is clear. - Keep the subject to 3 to 6 words. - Omit an unclear sender or recipient. Do not guess. Do not include - street or mailing addresses - phone numbers - customer or reference IDs - private account numbers
Template variants
Pick the variant that matches how you sort these files. Each keeps the same structured pattern.
For letters and notices you receive, routed by sender and recipient.
- •Put the date first so letters sort by month.
- •Use the sending organization or person as the sender.
- •Keep the subject to 3 to 6 short words.
Fields NameQuick reads from a letter
| Field | Useful for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Document date | Sorting correspondence chronologically | 2026-05-07 |
| Sender | Routing letters by who sent them | Sample-Authority, Northstar-Books |
| Recipient or addressee | Routing letters by who they are addressed to | J-Doe |
| Subject | Finding a letter by what it is about | Permit-Renewal, Policy-Update |
| Document type | Understanding the file without opening it | Letter, Notice, Cover-Letter, Application |
Keep sensitive data out of filenames
These details should never appear in a filename. The template and prompt exclude them by default.
- street or mailing addresses
- phone numbers
- customer or reference IDs
- private account numbers
- national ID or social security numbers
A practical workflow
Collect letters in one folder
Put new scanned letters, saved PDFs, photographed pages, and downloaded notices into a single review folder, such as ~/Documents/Correspondence Inbox/.
Apply the letter template
Use the letter naming template so every file follows the same pattern. The template keeps the date, sender, recipient, and subject in a fixed order.
Preview the suggested names
Check the document date, a clear sender, the right recipient, and a short subject. Confirm no addresses, phone numbers, or IDs appear in the name.
Rename the batch
Apply the renames together so Finder search, Spotlight, and backups all see consistent, sortable correspondence names.
Route by recipient or sender
Use rules or a watch folder to move renamed letters into recipient or sender folders, and add Finder tags so filing is faster.
Hand off or archive
Readable letters are easier to forward, file by person, or store by year. Keep your mail or records system as the system of record.
Optional: a quick custom prompt
If you prefer a freeform prompt over a template, paste this into Presets > New Preset > Custom Prompt. The template is still the more consistent starting point.
Rename this letter based on its visible contents. The file is an incoming letter, sent correspondence, official notice, cover letter, or application letter. Create a concise, safe macOS filename. Preferred pattern: {date}_{sender}_to_{recipient}_{subject} Rules: - Use the letter date or send date. Format it as YYYY-MM-DD. - Use the sending organization or person as the sender. - Use the recipient or addressee when it is clear. - Keep the subject to 3 to 6 words. - Omit an unclear sender or recipient. Do not guess. - Do not include street or mailing addresses, phone numbers, customer or reference IDs, or private account numbers. - Remove unsafe filename characters: / \ : * ? " < > | and line breaks. - Preserve the original file extension. Fallback: - If only a date and sender are reliable, use {date}_{sender}_Letter. - If almost nothing is readable, use Needs-Review_{originalBaseName}. Return only the filename, with no explanation.
Rename first, then route
Once names are stable, rules can move and tag files. Keep the first rules narrow and send unreadable files to review.
Rename with the letter template
Build names from the document date, sender, recipient, and a short subject.
Tag the route in Finder
Add Finder tags such as Incoming, Sent, or a recipient name after the filename is clear.
Route reliable letters
Move clear letters into recipient or sender folders. Keep letters with an unclear sender or recipient in a review lane.
| Rule | Trigger or condition | Action | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Route by recipient | Filename contains a clear recipient value | Move to Correspondence/{recipient}/{year}/ and add the matching tag | 2026-03-01_J-Doe_Sample-Insurer_Policy-Update.pdf |
| Route by sender | Filename contains a clear sender value | Move to Correspondence/{sender}/{year}/ and tag Incoming | 2026-05-07_Sample-Authority_to_J-Doe_Permit-Renewal.pdf |
| Needs review | Filename starts with Needs-Review or the sender or recipient is missing | Keep in Correspondence/Needs-Review and add a Finder tag | Needs-Review_scan_0012.pdf |
Example Finder folder structures
Correspondence grouped by recipient
Use this when you sort mail by who each letter is addressed to.
Naming emphasis: Correspondence/{recipient}/{year}
What NameQuick does not do
NameQuick creates readable, consistent filenames for local Mac files. For these files it does not:
- read legal or contractual meaning into letters
- replace a mail or records system
- verify the identity of a sender
- guarantee OCR accuracy on handwriting or faded scans
- decide what correspondence to keep or destroy
Common questions
How does NameQuick decide sender vs recipient?
NameQuick reads the visible content of the letter. The sender is usually the organization or person on the letterhead or in the From block, and the recipient is the addressee in the To or address block. When either is unclear, it omits the field rather than guess, and you can confirm or correct the suggestion in the preview.
Will a mailing address end up in the filename?
No. The template and prompt explicitly exclude street and mailing addresses, phone numbers, customer or reference IDs, and private account numbers. Always preview names before applying them to confirm no sensitive detail appears.
Can NameQuick read scanned or photographed letters?
Yes. NameQuick can read text from scanned letters and photographed pages using OCR, then propose a filename from the date, sender, recipient, and subject. Preview the results, since faded or angled scans can be harder to read.
What about handwritten letters?
OCR on handwriting is limited and often unreliable. When NameQuick cannot read a handwritten letter with confidence, it routes the file to Needs-Review so you can name it manually instead of applying a guessed name.
Organize one folder of correspondence
Rename 50 files free. Preview every letter name before applying, then route by recipient or sender.