OneDrive for business - easy access to folder structure?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the use of OneDrive for Business as part of Office 365, specifically focusing on accessing files and folders in a user-friendly manner. Participants express concerns about the syncing feature and the usability of SharePoint compared to File Explorer, and they seek solutions for easy access to their folder structure on various computers.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses confusion about the syncing feature of OneDrive for Business, stating that they only need online access and do not work offline.
  • Another participant suggests that Google Drive offers a more user-friendly cloud storage solution that can be accessed from any computer without special software.
  • A third participant recommends Google Drive based on their positive experience with it.
  • One participant proposes using a drive mapping tool to automatically map OneDrive for Business to Windows File Explorer, allowing for easier access to files as if they were on a local server.
  • It is noted that Zee Drive is a commercial tool that can facilitate this mapping process.
  • A later reply mentions that both Google Drive and OneDrive can be accessed via web browsers, suggesting this as an alternative solution.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the best solution for accessing files and folders. Multiple competing views are presented regarding the usability of OneDrive for Business versus Google Drive, as well as the effectiveness of drive mapping tools.

Contextual Notes

Participants express limitations in their current understanding of OneDrive's syncing capabilities and the usability of SharePoint, indicating a need for clearer guidance on these features.

TSN79
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I'm considering using OneDrive for business as a part of Office 365. What I'm unsure about is how to use it exactly. What I need it for is simply as a way of accessing my files and folders in the File Explorer. What I don't get is this sync-business I keep reading about. If the only thought behind syncing is so that I can work offline, then syncing is of no interest to me as I never do. I only need to have online access to my files and folders.

The Sharepoint-area is not very user-friendly in terms of navigating the folder structure, drag-and-drop, and such compared to File Explorer, which is why I either need to use the OneDrive for business-app, or map it as a network drive. Both of which are useless solutions should I ever want to log into a computer that doesn't have one of these already set up.

Is there a solution that can give me access to my folder structure and files in a user-friendly way, and also be easy to log into on a "random" computer?
 
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TSN79 said:
... Is there a solution that can give me access to my folder structure and files in a user-friendly way, and also be easy to log into on a "random" computer?

Google-Drive offers free "cloud" storage of copies of files on your computer. These copies can be accessed by any* computer connected to the internet : no special software required. [ * security options can be selected restricting access ].

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Drive
 
To get the kind of experience you are after you need a drive mapping tool. This will ensure that when you sign into Windows a drive is automatically mapped to your OneDrive for Business. Then you can work with your files through Windows File Explorer just like they were on an on-premises file server.

An example of a tool like this is Zee Drive http://www.thinkscape.com/Map-Network-Drives-To-Office-365-OneDrive/

Note that Zee Drive is a commercial tool.
 
TSN79 said:
I'm considering using OneDrive for business as a part of Office 365. What I'm unsure about is how to use it exactly. What I need it for is simply as a way of accessing my files and folders in the File Explorer. What I don't get is this sync-business I keep reading about. If the only thought behind syncing is so that I can work offline, then syncing is of no interest to me as I never do. I only need to have online access to my files and folders.

The Sharepoint-area is not very user-friendly in terms of navigating the folder structure, drag-and-drop, and such compared to File Explorer, which is why I either need to use the OneDrive for business-app, or map it as a network drive. Both of which are useless solutions should I ever want to log into a computer that doesn't have one of these already set up.

Is there a solution that can give me access to my folder structure and files in a user-friendly way, and also be easy to log into on a "random" computer?
Both Google Drive and OneDrive can be accessed via browsers, have you tried that?
 

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