Stop Sync Conflicts: Moving Your Team from NAS Devices to OneDrive

Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: Stop Sync Conflicts: Moving Your Team from NAS Devices to OneDrive. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

Common Causes

Moving from a local Network Attached Storage (NAS) device or mapped network drive to Microsoft OneDrive and SharePoint Online removes the friction of file locking and sync conflicts. Instead of waiting for a colleague to close a document before you can edit it, your team can work on the same file simultaneously with real-time autosave and a full version history. This guide walks you through transitioning your business from traditional network shares to a modern cloud collaboration environment.

Why Move Away from NAS Storage

Traditional NAS devices and mapped drives, such as Z:\, often create bottlenecks for small businesses. When multiple staff members open the same file, one person is typically locked out or forced to create a "copy" of the document, leading to version confusion. OneDrive and SharePoint eliminate these issues by allowing co-authoring, where changes are merged in real-time, and every iteration is saved automatically.

Quick Fix Steps

1. Audit your current NAS or network drive to identify critical folders and outdated files.
2. Ensure all users have a valid Microsoft 365 licence that includes OneDrive and SharePoint.
3. Install the OneDrive sync client on all business workstations.
4. Migrate data from the NAS to the appropriate SharePoint Team Site or OneDrive location using a supported migration tool.
5. Train staff on co-authoring and version history.

Detailed Instructions

1. Planning Your Migration

Before moving data, determine how your organisation will structure its cloud storage. We recommend using SharePoint Team Sites for departmental files and OneDrive for personal working documents.

• SharePoint: Use for shared team folders, company policies, and project documentation.
• OneDrive: Use for individual drafts and files not yet ready for team collaboration.

2. Installing and Configuring OneDrive

1. Open a web browser and sign in to Office.com with your business credentials.
2. Select the OneDrive app from the app launcher.
3. Click Sync in the top toolbar to connect your cloud library to your local File Explorer.
4. Follow the prompts in the OneDrive setup wizard to choose which folders to sync to your PC.
5. Once complete, your OneDrive files will appear in File Explorer under OneDrive - [Your Organisation Name].

Tip: Encourage staff to use the Files On-Demand feature. This allows you to see all your cloud files in File Explorer without using up local hard drive space until you actually open the file.

3. Moving Data from NAS to SharePoint

1. For small volumes of data, open File Explorer and navigate to your mapped network drive (e.g., Z:\). Select the folders you wish to migrate and copy them.
2. Open your web browser and navigate to your SharePoint Team Site.
3. Click Documents in the left-hand navigation menu.
4. Drag and drop the folders from your NAS into the SharePoint document library, or use the Upload button in the SharePoint toolbar.
5. For larger business migrations, use the SharePoint Migration Tool or Mover to transfer data securely and preserve permissions and metadata.

Caution: Do not delete data from your NAS until you have verified that all files have uploaded successfully to SharePoint and that all team members can access them.

4. Enabling Seamless Co-Authoring

Once your files are in SharePoint or OneDrive, your team can begin collaborating in real-time.

1. Open a Word, Excel, or PowerPoint file stored in SharePoint or OneDrive.
2. Share the file with colleagues by clicking Share in the top-right corner and entering their email addresses.
3. Multiple users can now open the same document simultaneously. You will see coloured cursors indicating where others are typing or editing.
4. Changes are saved automatically to the cloud; there is no need to manually click Save.

5. Recovering Previous Versions

If a mistake is made during co-authoring, you can restore a previous version of the file.

1. Right-click the file in File Explorer or the SharePoint web interface.
2. Select Version history.
3. Browse the list of saved versions and select the date and time you wish to restore.
4. Click Restore to revert the document to that specific version.

Troubleshooting

File is not syncing

• Check your internet connection.
• Click the OneDrive blue cloud icon in the system tray (bottom right of your screen) and check for error messages.
• Ensure you are signed into the OneDrive app with your business account, not a personal Microsoft account.

Unable to co-author a document

• Ensure the file is saved in a supported format (e.g., .docx, .xlsx, .pptx). Older formats like .doc do not support real-time co-authoring.
• Confirm that all users have edit permissions for the SharePoint folder or file.
• Ensure the file is open in the desktop app or browser, not as a read-only copy.

Missing files after migration

• Check the SharePoint Recycle Bin if files were accidentally deleted during the move.
• Verify that the files were uploaded to the correct Team Site or OneDrive folder.
• Use the search bar at the top of SharePoint to locate the file by name.

If you encounter issues during your migration or need assistance configuring your tenant, please Open a Ticket with our Brisbane support team.

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