How to make OneDrive errors more obvious

[HootersGsy]

I have a user (for reference, I'm no IT expert, just the one in the office who is best at IT!) who really struggles with noticing errors or reading error prompts so I need to find a way to make issues with OneDrive syncing more obvious as they keep missing that their files aren't syncing due to use of illegal characters etc.

I've had a google but I get a million results about how to fix syncing issues etc, nothing to help with actually identifying that there is an issue.

User training has been tried but with limited success and leaves me having to deal with multiple sync conflicts...

If anyone has any suggestions they will be very gratefully received with a virtual pint heading your way.

[toohuge]

Could you expand a little on the conflicts you are seeing?

Do you have any examples? I'm curious to see what the problem you are facing is

[HootersGsy]

toohuge said:

Could you expand a little on the conflicts you are seeing?

Do you have any examples? I'm curious to see what the problem you are facing is

We have a few document stores in Sharepoint that are replicated to users local machines via OneDrive. One of the most common issues is the user putting a leading or trailing space in a folder name which then stops OneDrive syncing all the documents in that folder.

EDIT: I should add, the user is on a Mac so there are perhaps some things allowed in file/folder names that wouldn't be possible on a Windows environment.

[JeffreyD]

Does the user really *need* to sync all the docs?

As in - are they without internet access for extended periods of time?

If they have access to the internet then they don't really need to sync.

[HootersGsy]

JeffreyD said:

Does the user really *need* to sync all the docs?

As in - are they without internet access for extended periods of time?

If they have access to the internet then they don't really need to sync.

These are document stores in SharePoint (sync'd via OneDrive) that multiple people access so it is essential that any changes you make get sync'd so the rest of the team pick up the changes. Whether or not files are all stored locally isn't the problem, it's when they make a change/create a new file and wonder why no one else can see it that is causing me headaches.

[JeffreyD]

HootersGsy said:

These are document stores in SharePoint (sync'd via OneDrive) that multiple people access so it is essential that any changes you make get sync'd so the rest of the team pick up the changes. Whether or not files are all stored locally isn't the problem, it's when they make a change/create a new file and wonder why no one else can see it that is causing me headaches.

On our sharepoint system you can access the document online by logging into your account via a web browser. In effect you can do more or less all non complex tasks in a web browser.

Would certainly solve the problem for the Apple user.

[PushedDover]

JeffreyD said:

HootersGsy said:

These are document stores in SharePoint (sync'd via OneDrive) that multiple people access so it is essential that any changes you make get sync'd so the rest of the team pick up the changes. Whether or not files are all stored locally isn't the problem, it's when they make a change/create a new file and wonder why no one else can see it that is causing me headaches.

On our sharepoint system you can access the document online by logging into your account via a web browser. In effect you can do more or less all non complex tasks in a web browser.

Would certainly solve the problem for the Apple user.

I'm with Hooters Guy (and a Mac user).
Being able to browse and hunt the files down via finder is soooooo much less irritating than via a web page / portal.

I hear you on the 'symbols' that wont allow sync, and the most common as you say is an errant 'space' before the .extension

eg:

[JeffreyD]

PushedDover said:

I'm with Hooters Guy (and a Mac user).
Being able to browse and hunt the files down via finder is soooooo much less irritating than via a web page / portal.

I hear you on the 'symbols' that wont allow sync, and the most common as you say is an errant 'space' before the .extension

As it's a company with no IT support you have to be pragmatic when solving problems.
using the web access will eliminate this error.

Given the limit of their IT support, what's the most productive solution for the company?

Once you are logged in I can't see what's remotely irritating about the web based system, unless you are dealing with very large or complex files.

[HootersGsy]

JeffreyD said:

As it's a company with no IT support you have to be pragmatic when solving problems.
using the web access will eliminate this error.

Given the limit of their IT support, what's the most productive solution for the company?

Once you are logged in I can't see what's remotely irritating about the web based system, unless you are dealing with very large or complex files.

I have to say I'm not a fan of the online versions of Word/Excel etc. but do tend to use functions that just don't exist in the online versions!

WIth this user the online could work for simple tasks but we also have multiple mailboxes (from different organisations... don't ask) to manage - I'd have to look to see if Outlook online could cope with that but I'm not convinced it would do.

The issue I'm really trying to solve is making the fact that there is a sync issue more obvious to the user so they don't carry on in ignorance of there being a problem. Unfortunately this user in particular is very bad at ignoring all error messages until something happens that stops them working. They're also the sort of person who takes pride in not having their car serviced for 5+ years...!