authorauthors: Alicia Goodwin and Joseph Savignano
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Please choose one method to use or the other. If you use both OneDrive Shortcuts and sync SharePoint to your file explorer issues will occur! |
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For additional details (including pros/cons) on SharePoint syncs and OneDrive Shortcuts please see: https://seattleuniversity.atlassian.net/wiki/x/EYDGew |
How to Sync SharePoint or OneDrive to your Device for Easy Access
a. You will need to go into an internet browser, such as Google Chrome, and navigate to your SharePoint.
b. Ensure you are in the Documents Section of your SharePoint using the left-hand navigation bar.
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c. Choose the “Sync” option in the ribbon and it will sync with the device you are on. All documents will be seen in your device’s File Explorer, and you can edit/save documents to your SharePoint site while not working in a browser.
i. Below is an image of a user working on the desktop version of Word, and they want to save a document. Users can save documents directly to SharePoint or OneDrive.
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ii. Below is an image of a user’s File Explorer on their device. OneDrive is seen on the device because it has been synced. A user does not need to go into an internet browser to access files.
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Adding a OneDrive shortcut to a SharePoint location
a. Navigate to your online SharePoint document library.
b. Select what folder you wish to create a shortcut for.
c. In the documents ribbon you will see “ Add Shortcut to OneDrive,” select this link.
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d. A new shortcut link will be added to your OneDrive. You can pin it for quick access to the top of your file explorer by right-clicking on the new shortcut and selecting “Pin for quick access.”
i. You can also rename the shortcut here for clarity if necessary
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Due to known issues at the time of writing, only one method (Syncing or Shortcuts) should be used for a single SharePoint site. Using both may cause sync conflicts. |
Creating OneDrive Shortcuts
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| title | Create a OneDrive Shortcut for a SharePoint location |
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Make sure that you are not already using SharePoint sync for any files or folders on the SharePoint site you are wanting to create a shortcut to. Check this using the steps in the Sync settings and statuses drop-down above Browse to the file/folder location on SharePoint, select it, then click Add Shortcut to OneDrive in the menu options. The shortcuts will appear in your SU OneDrive folder in File Explorer. In the case of the screenshot below I have created two shortcuts from the same site for two separate folders.  Image AddedYou can pin the shortcut to the Quick Access section of File Explorer by right-clicking the new shortcut and selecting Pin for Quick Access. .png?version=3&modificationDate=1722620844905&cacheVersion=1&api=v2&width=250) Image Added
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| title | Instructions for working offline with documents in OneDrive |
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Documents saved to OneDrive are not stored on your computer. They live in the cloud (a computer in a Microsoft data center). If you need to access a document on OneDrive you will need an internet connection. If you need to work offline (ie on an airplane), you will need to download the documents you need to your computer. Go to your File Explorer and select SharePoint site that holds your documents
 Image Modified Open the folder and right click the document you need to download and select “Always Keep on this Device”.
 Image Modified The icons next to the file names indicate whether a document lives in one of three places: blue cloud → in the cloud light green check mark → temporarily on your computer (not permanently downloaded) grass green check mark → on your computer (downloaded - ready for you to work online)
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| title | OneDrive shortcut limitations |
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You cannot have a SharePoint sync and a OneDrive shortcut to the same site SharePoint site syncs have been known to break in the past if you attempt to use the Add Shortcut to OneDrive feature in the browser version of a site. At the time of writing this, I can add file shortcuts without issue but folder shortcuts break my sync. To be safe, please avoid using Add Shortcut to OneDrive for any content from synced sites.
OneDrive shortcuts do not currently have functionality for selectively choosing which sub-folders appear. You cannot create a shortcut to a child/nested folder if you already have a shortcut to the parent folder.
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| title | When to choose OneDrive shortcuts |
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When you want a File Explorer shortcut to follow you to any device where you are signed into your Seattle University OneDrive When you don’t need the entire SharePoint site document library and are not already using SharePoint sync for the folder/files
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Syncing SharePoint document libraries to File Explorer
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| title | Sync a SharePoint site document library to File Explorer |
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Syncing a SharePoint site provides a familiar approach to managing and accessing files within a SharePoint site, similar to doing so using mapped shared drives in File Explorer. On https://www.microsoft365.com/ click the app launcher/waffle icon in the upper left corner of the browser page, then select SharePoint. Use the search bar or select one of the linked sites on the SharePoint landing page. Select the Documents library for the site and click Sync, highlighted in the image below. If the browser requests permission to use Microsoft OneDrive click the option to allow. You may notice a OneDrive window briefly open, only to close moments later, this is normal behavior. .png?version=1&modificationDate=1722621306059&cacheVersion=1&api=v2&width=494) Image AddedThe synced site’s document library will appear in File Explorer under the 🏢 Seattle University dropdown.  Image AddedDepending on the size of the site you are syncing, it may anywhere from a few minutes to multiple hours for all the folders and files to sync to your device.
It is possible to sync at any folder level in the SharePoint Document library. Sync at the highest level in the document library that you will need access to. This means that if you there is a Parent folder with three child folders, you could choose to sync just the child folder that you need. However, if you needed two of the child folders, but not the third, you would have to sync the parent folder, and this would still sync all three child folders. |
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| title | Sync settings and statuses |
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To view your synced sites, edit the synced folders for them, or stop syncs, please follow the instructions below. Click the blue OneDrive icon in the lower right area of your Windows taskbar.  Image AddedClick the cog/gear in the upper right corner of the OneDrive pop-up window that appears. Click Settings in the menu. Click the Account tab. The following menu will show you the current status of your currently synced SharePoint sites, as well as your Seattle University OneDrive account.  Image AddedUsing the Choose folders button you can limit which folders will appear in File Explorer in the synced site’s document library. If you would like to stop syncing a particular site’s document library, click Stop sync and then you can delete the site in File Explorer.
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STOP! Please check with the Service Desk if you are unsure on whether or not a folder/site that you would like to delete from your File Explorer is still synced. Files/folders deleted from a synced site are deleted for all members of the site. |
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| title | When to choose SharePoint sync |
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When you need to sync an entire SharePoint site document library to your File Explorer When you primarily access a synced site from File Explorer on a single computer When you need to sync a parent folder but would like the option to select which child folders appear.
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