Automatic file naming in Obsidian with Templater

Place this block anywhere in the template file. When creating the new note using the template this is contained within, it’ll either move the newly created one to the right place, or (if it already exists) it’ll just open the note that’s already there and abort creation of this new (unwanted) note.

<%*
const targetNotename = moment().format("[Work/Meetings/]YYYY[/M]MM[/]YYYY-MM-DD");

if (await tp.file.exists(targetNotename + ".md")) {
	// open existing file
	const file = tp.app.vault.getAbstractFileByPath(targetNotename + ".md");
	await app.workspace.getLeaf(false).openFile(file);

	// abort creation of already-in-progress new file
	throw new Notice("File exists already...")
} else {
	// keep the file, but put it in the right location
	await tp.file.move(targetNotename);
}
-%>

I use a custom hotkey defined within Templater to cause a work meeting note to be created. I like having this logic in the template itself since it’s literally the only file I want to behave exactly this way, plus it means it always happens as long as Templater is executing/resolving the code within the template.