Yes! I sure can. But.... and there is always a but... it probably takes me 20-30 seconds to figure out where to file the email, find the folder, then move it there. Multiply that by 200 emails on a busy day.... plus its a really annoying 20 seconds of scrolling through my ever growing folder collection. So, I think myself... self, how excellent would it be to read an email, hit a file it quick action button, and move on to the next! However, with 5 votes in, it looks like the many folder approach has a clear lead.
Assumptions:
-- Average number of incoming emails per day = 200.
-- Average time of filing an email in a topic folder = 25 seconds.
-- Average time of filing an email in one big archive folder = 2 seconds.
-- Average number of searched emails per day = 20.
-- Average time of searching for an email in topic folders = 25 seconds.
-- Average time of searching for an email in one big archive folder using search function = 60 seconds.
1. Filing in topic folders.
-- Filing: 200 emails * 25 seconds = 5000 seconds/day.
-- Searching: 20 emails * 25 seconds = 500 seconds/day.
Total time: 5000 + 500 = 5500 seconds ~
1 hour 32 minutes.
2. Filing in one big archive folder.
-- Filing: 200 emails * 2 seconds = 400 seconds/day.
-- Searching: 20 emails * 60 seconds = 1200 seconds/day.
Total time: 400 + 1200 = 1600 seconds ~
27 minutes.