How do you access shared files in Azure O365 Cloud by HDF
This article is designed to help you understand the files sharing features of Azure O365 Cloud by HDF, a compilation of services provided by Microsoft.
Your shared files are stored in SharePoint in the cloud. You can access them through a browser, or directly on your computer (provided that HDF has configured OneDrive on your computer to sync the files or file headers).
To access them on your OneDrive configured computer, open a Windows Explorer window, and look for your company name on the left. Clicking it should open the root folder of your SharePoint account, typically called “<your company> Team – Documents”. Opening this folder will display all of your shared folders.
Article Index:
Primary Article:
The top/primary article.
Description of an OnPrem Network:
How a typical non-Azure O365 Cloud by HDF network works.
Description of an Azure O365 Cloud by HDF Network:
How a the Azure O365 Cloud by HDF network works.
Logging in:
How to use a PIN or password to log into your computer.
Accessing shared files:
How to access shared files.
Troubleshooting:
When things are not working the way they should.
Azure O365 Cloud by HDF
This article only applies to those who use this new network configuration. If you are not sure what type of network or services you are using, please contact HDF.
To the right of each file and folder you will see an icon. This icon shows you where the file/folder is located:
This file/folder is only available online. If you click on it, it will be downloaded to your computer. Once downloaded, you can open or modify it, and the icon will change to reflect that it now resides on your computer. Files/folders in the cloud are only available to you when you are connected to the Internet.
A local copy of this file/folder exists on your computer. It is being synced with the copy in the cloud to reflect changes made by you or others. This file/folder is available to you even when you are not connected to the Internet. If you will not be accessing this file frequently, you may want to remove it from your computer by right-clicking and selecting “Free up space”. If you do so, the icon will change to the blue cloud.
You have selected this file/folder to always keep a copy on your local computer. You have done this by right-clicking it and selecting “Always keep on this device”. These files/folders are available even when you are not connected to the Internet. They are being synced with the copies in the cloud, so changes you or someone else make will be reflected in both your local copy and the cloud copy. These files take up space on your local computer.
This file/folder is currently being synced. It can also indicate that you have the file open on your local computer. When you close the file, this icon should change.
Answers to common questions about shared files:
I can see the files. Are they stored locally on my computer?
Not initially. When we setup your computer, we left the files on the cloud server. There are many Gigabytes of files in total, and they would needlessly take up space if we synced them all down. Please note the icon to the right of the files/folders and refer to the legend above.
Will it take longer to access files now?
Perhaps. When you first access a file, it will take longer because the file must be downloaded through the Internet. How much longer will depend on your Internet speed and the size of the file. In many cases, you won’t notice the difference. Once the file has been downloaded to your computer, it can be accessed again with no delay.
After I access a file will it be stored locally on my computer?
Yes. You will notice the icon next to the file change, and a copy of the file will be left on your computer.
What if I make a change to the file once I have accessed it
The changes will automatically be synced back to the cloud server (either immediately, or the next time your computer is connected to the Internet). The changes will then be synced automatically with all of your colleagues who have access to that file.
Should I leave a copy on my computer?
If you will be accessing the file again, you should leave it on your computer. If you won’t be accessing it again (or not for a very long time), just right-click the file and select “Free up space”. This will remove the file from your computer. It will still be accessible through the cloud (as before) should you need it again.
Do I need to be worried about file length?
Yes. There are limits to path lengths in O365. The path length is the length of the file name plus the lengths of all of the parent folder names in which the file resides. Please keep your parent folder names and the file names at reasonable limits.
I inadvertently deleted a file! Can I restore it?
Yes, deleted items can usually be restored up to 93 days after they were deleted. For more information about how items are deleted and where they end up, please refer to this Microsoft Article. After 93 days, the files can no longer be restored.
If you have questions about this, please let us know and we will be happy to assist you.
Take care,
