Name cards your team can find
Project, purpose and last digits: what belongs in a card name and what to keep in the shared record.
Start with the card's purpose
Review the card's history and list what it pays for. If project purchases and shared subscriptions are mixed together, sort out the expense categories before naming the card.
Keep instructions out of the name. Put the owner, service links and renewal dates in a shared record that the team can update.
Use “Project · Purpose”
Put the project first and the expense type second. If your team searches by purpose instead, reverse that order consistently.
- “Team · Tools” for hosting, email and shared work services.
- “Alpha · Subscriptions” for recurring costs on Project Alpha.
Distinguish similar cards
When names repeat, add a lasting distinction such as the department or expense type. “New” and “backup” don't explain the purpose and may refer to a different card next month.
Keep the last four digits in the shared record. If those also match, use an internal identifier. The full card number isn't needed.
When to update the name
When a project closes or the card takes on different expenses, update both its name and its record. Check which services still charge it before changing its purpose.
Ask a colleague to find the card for a specific purchase. Their questions will show what the name or record is missing.
Your next step
Rename a card whose purpose needs explaining, then check whether a colleague can find it without help.