Content files are managed and tracked in a distributed collaborative computing environment to receive, store, and maintain content descriptor data associated with a distributed content files in a central directory registry. The central directory registry can be accessed by a plurality of remote distributed computing devices via one or more network connections. The remote distributed computing devices create content files using locally hosted software applications. Upon saving the content file to a portable or transient storage device connected to a computing device, content descriptor data comprised of administrative data pertaining to the content file and associated with the content file is created and forwarded to the central directory server.