To respectively sort and arrange a plurality of files into a plurality of categories by leaving an existing hierarchical directory as it is and providing a virtual management file in regard to a file management method and a recording medium managing the plurality of files by the plurality of categories.

Such a virtual management file is provided that sets a high-order virtual directory, a low-order virtual directory, a path to a directory storing an existing file, and a file name coordinately with a virtual directory name and manages them. The file management method comprises steps of preparing a record in the virtual management file when there is an instruction to prepare a virtual directory, setting the virtual directory name, and setting it to a random high-order virtual directory or low-order virtual directory.