How to stop using z drive and share files with my team

Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: How to stop using z drive and share files with my team. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

Common Causes

Many Australian small businesses still rely on mapped network drives, such as the Z: drive, or local Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices to share files across their team. While these solutions work within the office, they create significant challenges for remote workers, complicate version control, and increase the risk of data loss if on-premises hardware fails. Migrating your shared folders to Microsoft SharePoint Online, Microsoft Teams, and OneDrive allows your team to collaborate in real time, utilise autosave, and recover previous versions of files easily, all while maintaining secure permission structures.

Why move away from the Z drive?

Traditional network drives are tied to your physical office network. If you are working from home or travelling, you typically require a VPN connection to access your files. SharePoint Online and OneDrive store your data in the cloud, meaning your team can access files from any device with an internet connection. Multiple staff members can edit the same document simultaneously, and Microsoft 365 automatically saves changes as you work.

Quick fix steps

1. Identify which folders on your Z drive or NAS are actively used by your team.
2. Determine who needs access to each folder and what level of permission they require.
3. Create a SharePoint site or Microsoft Team for each department or project.
4. Upload your existing files to the appropriate SharePoint document library.
5. Sync libraries to your computer using OneDrive for offline access.
6. Remove the mapped Z drive from user machines once migration is verified.

Detailed instructions

Step 1: Plan your migration

Before moving any data, analyse your current folder structure. Decide whether you will use a single SharePoint site for the whole organisation or separate sites for different teams. Create a list of folders and the staff members who need access to them.

Step 2: Create a SharePoint site or Microsoft Team

1. Sign in to portal.office.com with your Microsoft 365 business account.
2. Select the SharePoint app from the Microsoft 365 app launcher.
3. Click Create site and choose Team site for collaboration or Communication site for company-wide announcements.
4. Enter a site name and description, then click Next.
5. Add owners and members, then click Finish.
6. Alternatively, create a Team in Microsoft Teams, which automatically creates a connected SharePoint site for file storage.

Step 3: Upload your files

1. Open your new SharePoint site and navigate to the Documents library.
2. Click Upload and select Folder or Files.
3. Browse to your existing Z drive or NAS share and select the folders you wish to migrate.
4. For large migrations, consider using the SharePoint Migration Tool available from Microsoft.

Step 4: Set permissions

1. In your SharePoint document library, select the folder you want to secure.
2. Click Manage access in the command bar.
3. Click Grant Access to add specific people or groups.
4. Choose the permission level: Can edit or Can view.
5. Click Grant Access to confirm.

Step 5: Sync libraries to your computer

Syncing allows you to access SharePoint files through File Explorer on Windows or Finder on macOS, just like a mapped drive, but with cloud backup.

1. Open your SharePoint document library in a web browser.
2. Click Sync in the top command bar.
3. If prompted, open Microsoft OneDrive.
4. Follow the prompts to complete the setup. The library will appear in File Explorer under your organisation name.

Step 6: Remove the mapped Z drive

Once you have confirmed that all staff can access their files in SharePoint and OneDrive, remove the old network mapping.

1. Open File Explorer.
2. Right-click This PC.
3. Select Disconnect network drive.
4. Choose the Z: drive and click OK.

Collaborative benefits

• Real-time co-authoring: Multiple staff members can edit the same Word, Excel, or PowerPoint file at the same time. You will see each other's changes as they happen.
• Autosave: Changes are saved automatically to the cloud, reducing the risk of lost work.
• Version history: Right-click a file in SharePoint or OneDrive and select Version history to view or restore previous versions.
• Remote access: Files are available from any location with an internet connection, without needing a VPN.
• Reduced sync conflicts: Cloud-based collaboration eliminates the conflicting copies often created when multiple people edit files on a local NAS.

Troubleshooting

Files not syncing

• Ensure you have an active internet connection.
• Check the OneDrive icon in the system tray (Windows) or menu bar (macOS) for sync errors.
• Sign out of OneDrive and sign back in with your Microsoft 365 account.

Cannot access shared folder

• Verify that you have been granted access to the SharePoint site or specific folder.
• Ask the site owner to check Manage access permissions.
• Clear your browser cache or try accessing the site in an InPrivate or incognito window.

Missing version history

• Version history is available for files stored in SharePoint Online and OneDrive, not local drives.
• Ensure the file was uploaded or created in the cloud library, not just synced locally.

Moving away from the Z drive and local NAS storage modernises your workplace and protects your business data. If you host with us, you don't need to do this yourself — just Open a Ticket and our Brisbane team will get it sorted. If you need assistance planning your migration or configuring permissions for your team, Open a Ticket.

Still Having Issues?