1. A computer-implemented method for facilitating document retrieval in an electronic document management system, the method comprising the steps of: identifying, by at least one processor, one or more user-specific naming patterns in metadata created by a first user in connection with a plurality of documents; recording, by at least one processor and in a storage medium, said identified one or more user-specific naming patterns in at least one of a naming patterns file (NPF), database, and lookup table; creating, by at least one processor, a modified copy of the metadata wherein at least a portion of the original metadata created by the first user are modified, based on the recorded user-specific naming patterns, to improve searchability of the plurality of documents by other users; storing the modified copy of the metadata in association with the plurality of documents; and making the modified copy of the metadata available in a document query for one or more of the plurality of documents by a second user.