Office 365 for Education User Guides
OneDrive for Business Frequently Asked
Questions
Table of Contents
What is OneDrive for Business?................................................................................................................................... 3
How do I access my OneDrive for Business account?.......................................................................................... 3
How do I set my Language, Time zone and Regional settings?.......................................................................... 3
Does it matter which browser I use to access OneDrive for Business? ............................................................. 5
What should I use OneDrive for Business for and when should I use other storage options? ........................ 6
How do I turn on auditing? .......................................................................................................................................... 6
How do I create a new folder?..................................................................................................................................... 7
How do I upload a file?.................................................................................................................................................. 7
How do I share a file? .................................................................................................................................................... 7
How do I share a folder?................................................................................................................................................ 7
How can I tell who I have shared a document with?........................................................................................... 8
Can OneDrive for Business do real-time online collaboration?........................................................................... 8
Can I create a new document from my Web browser?............................................................................................ 8
What happens when I delete a file? Can I get it back? ...................................................................................... 8
Are there any limits associated with OneDrive for Business? .......................................................................... 8
What does it mean to Sync files to my local computer?.................................................................................... 9
How can I Sync my files to my device?.............................................................................................................. 11
What happens if I delete a file from the sync folder on my device? .............................................................. 12
Is OneDrive for Business secure?.............................................................................................................................. 12
What apps are there for OneDrive for Business?............................................................................................. 12
Is this replacing any services?................................................................................................................................... 13
How do I sign-in using the iOS OneDrive for Business app? ............................................................................ 13
What happens to my OneDrive documents if I leave the Institute?................................................................ 13
OneDrive for Business Videos ................................................................................................................................... 13
Microsoft end user training resources .............................................................................................................. 13
Office 365 Learning Centre ....................................................................................................................................... 13
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What is OneDrive for Business?
OneDrive for Business is Microsoft’s Public Cloud online file storage and file sharing
service that Institute staff and students can use to store work and study related files.
OneDrive for Business is delivered via the Institute’s Office 365 for Education
subscription with the following features;
You can access your OneDrive for Business space from any device running a standards
compliant Web browser. In addition it is also mapped to drive letter o: on all
Windows’s PC’s on Campus under “My Computer”
Your Institute Office 365 account allows you to store up to 1 Terabyte (TB) of
data within your OneDrive for Business space
You can share your documents with other Institute staff and students and also
external colleagues via sharing invitations
You can create and edit Office documents online, using the online versions of
word, Excel and PowerPoint
You can also create and edit OneDrive for Business documents using the full
Microsoft Office desktop suit of programs
You can create new OneDrive for Business folders to help organize your files
Important: OneDrive for Business is developed, operated and supported by Microsoft.
This means that the Institute can only provide limited first line support and forward
more complex problems to Microsoft for resolution.
How do I access my OneDrive for Business account?
Important: You must initialize your OneDrive for Business space before you can use it
with any of the supported desktop, tablet or smartphone applications.
Navigate to https://onedrive.dkit.ie and sign-in with your Institute’s e-mail username
and your password.
When you have signed in you can access your OneDrive for Business space by clicking
on the OneDrive icon. The first time you access your OneDrive, it will take a
couple of minutes to initialise. This is normal. If you get an error please contact the IT
Services Help Desk.
You can also access your One Drive which is mapped to drive letter O; under “my
Computer” on any networked DkIT Windows PC.
How do I set my Language, Time zone and Regional settings?
Before you add files to your OneDrive for Business space or edit documents using the
Office web apps it is important that you set the correct Language, Time zone and
Regional settings. There are two places you need to do this as follows;
1. To ensure the proper settings for the files you add to your OneDrive space –
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Navigate to https://onedrive.dkit.ie then Click on ‘Your Name’ in the upper right
hand corner of Portal page and select ‘About me’
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When the Profile page appears click on ‘Edit Profile’
Now click on the three dots ____icon and select ‘Language and Region’
You will now be presented with a page that will allow you to select the values you
require
Remember to click at the bottom of the screen.
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2. To ensure that you have the proper settings for the Office web apps,
navigate to your OneDrive space and click through
> Site Settings > Regional Settings.
Now choose the settings you require
Remember to click at the bottom of the screen
Does it matter which browser I use to access OneDrive for Business?
For full functionality, you should use Internet Explorer. Most options work in Chrome
and other browsers but not all - for example, you cannot view your files in an Explorer
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window (so as to easily view file-types and drag and drop files between folders) when
using Chrome.
What should I use OneDrive for Business for and when should I use other
storage options?
We are enabling OneDrive for Business as a solution for accessing, using, updating and
sharing files from multiple locations and devices. OneDrive for Business is the service
that allows you to do all of this seamlessly.
What should I put there?
OneDrive for Business can be used to store your Office documents and other files
The Institute has approved OneDrive for Business for general use, including the
storage of sensitive and confidential information.
However, if you need to share sensitive/confidential information with external
colleagues, seek approval from your line manager and turn on auditing. This will
give you (and the Institute) a way to track what happened if there is a problem.
What shouldn't I put there?
You should not use OneDrive for Business to store information which would be
classified as ‘Personal Data’ under the Data Protection Act.
You should not use OneDrive for Business for research data where the funding
body has stipulated that the data must be physically housed within the Institute
If you choose to sync to a device which is not owned by the Institute, you must not
store any restricted or sensitive Institute data.
How do I turn on auditing?
To turn auditing on, click on the ‘gear’ icon (upper right hand corner) and select
‘Site Settings’. Under ‘Site Collection Administration’, go to ‘Site Collection Audit
Settings’ and specify which things to audit. IT Services recommends you check all of
the boxes under "Documents and Items" and "Lists, Libraries, and Sites".
Important: To enable Audit logging you must activate it first. To activate, click on the
‘gear’ icon and select ‘Site Settings’. Under ‘Site Settings’ select ‘Site collection
features’. Under ‘Site collection features’, scroll down to the ‘Reporting’ menu item
and click on ‘Activate’
‘Audit log reports’ will now be available from the ‘Site Collection Administration’
section located under ‘Site Settings’ as described above.
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How do I create a new folder?
From your OneDrive for Business web page click on the icon then click the
icon and give your folder a name.
If you choose to install the sync client, you can create a new folder just like you
normally would on your local computer.
How do I upload a file?
You can upload a file by dragging/dropping a file from your device to the area where it
says "Drag files here to upload". You can also upload a file or several files by clicking
on the icon and choosing the file(s) you wish to upload.
If you choose to install the sync client (ref: Is Syncing files to my computer
recommended?) the sync folder can be used to copy files to and from your OneDrive for
Business space.
How do I share a file?
To share a file, click on the 3 dots next to the file name or click on the
symbol. Select "Invite Others". To add colleagues, type in their last name and select
from the directory, to add a colleague from outside the Institute type in their e-mail
address.
If you want to share a file anonymously, open your document and go to Sharing. Select
"Get a Link". You can create a "read only" or "edit" link to send to
anyone via
email. Just remember, anyone you send this link to can forward the email to anyone
they choose. There is no tracking of who made changes to your document if you made
an "edit" link.
How do I share a folder?
To share a folder, click on the 3 dots next to the folder name or click on the
symbol. Select "Invite Others". To add colleagues, type in their last name and select
from the directory.
Please note: To share an entire folder, all users must have either a DkIT account or a
Microsoft account. If the user does not have a DkIT account or a Microsoft account,
they can setup a personal Microsoft account. Information on how to create a
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Microsoft account can be viewed @ http://windows.microsoft.com/en-hk/windows-
8/microsoft-account-tutorial
How can I tell who I have shared a document with?
Highlight the document name and select the shared icon. You can see who
you have shared a file with from there. You can also click the next to the file name
and it will open up a window and provide "Shared with" information.
Can OneDrive for Business do real-time online collaboration?
Yes, if you have shared a document then OneDrive for Business can do real-time online
collaboration but you have to open the document in an Office online app. In the upper
right hand corner of the online app you will see when someone else is editing the
file. You will also see a flag while the other person is typing.
Can I create a new document from my Web browser?
Yes, you can create a new document by clicking on the icon from the main
area of your OneDrive for Business web page. You can then choose the type of
document you want to create and the relevant Office online app will launch to help you
create that document. You can also switch to using your "full" Office application (e.g.
Word) by clicking on the icon located in the ribbon area; this will give you
the full functionality of your local Office apps.
What happens when I delete a file? Can I get it back?
When you delete a file, it goes into the Recycle Bin for 90 days. After 90 days, it gets
deleted permanently.
To get a file back from the recycle bin, click on the gear icon in the upper right
hand corner and select "Site Contents". The icon is on the right. You
may restore a file from there or permanently delete a file.
Are there any limits associated with OneDrive for Business?
Yes. The current limits are as follow;
> The total space available for use within your OneDrive for Business space is 1
Tera Byte.
> The total number of files which can be Synced within your OneDrive for
Business space is 20,000
> The maximum individual file size is 10 Giga Bytes
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Character limits for files and folders
File names can have up to 128 characters
Folder names can have up to 256 characters
Folder name/file name combinations can have up to 260 characters
Folder Names and File Names
Do not use: ” & * : < > ? \ / { | } ~
Do not use the period character consecutively in the middle of a file name.
For example, “file. .name.docx”.
You cannot start a file name with the period character
You cannot use the period character at the end of a file name
Many other symbols are not recommended such as $^()-_=+[]`! (Other
international currency symbols and international symbols should be
avoided in site names, but some are more acceptable in file names. ASCII
is preferred wherever possible.
In addition, file names and folder names may not end with:
.files, _files , -Dateien , _fichiers , _bestanden , _file ,_archivos ,-
filer, _tiedostot ,_pliki ,_soubory ,_elemei , _arquivos ,_dosyalar
,_datoteke ,_fitxers,_failid,_fails ,_bylos ,_fajlovi,_fitxategiak
Invalid file types
You cannot upload OneNote files, or files with a *.tmp or *.ds_store
extension. Additionally, you cannot upload desktop.ini, thumbs.db, or
ehthumbs.db.
display screen.
Based on the above you can decide whether to sync or not.
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Important: You must select one of the OneDrive for Business download options
indicated by the red (see installation instructions), blue (Download now) and green (plus
sign ) arrows above. The other options relate to the consumer version of OneDrive
which is a different product and not appropriate for storing Institute data
If you click on the option you will install the English, 32-Bit version of the
OneDrive for Business client.
If you click on the plus sign you will be presented with options to install a different
language and either the 32-Bit (x86) or 64-Bit (x64) version of the OneDrive for
Business client.
If you click on ‘See installation instructions’ then a page will display, with the
instructions and a choice of language and version options at the end.
How can I Sync my files to my device?
If you have decided to sync your files then you can do so as follows;
From the Windows desktop sync client
To sync your files for the first time, double click the OneDrive for Business icon
located on the system tray then click the ‘Sync now’ menu option. You will be prompted
to accept the default location for your Sync folder or select a different location.
If you wish to manage your sync options thereafter, right click the OneDrive for
Business icon located on the system tray and select the option you want from the
menu e.g., click the ‘Sync now’ option to force a synchronisation.
From your OneDrive for Business web page
Click on the icon located on the ribbon located under ‘Documents’.
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Then click Sync now and follow the instructions
Important: If you use this method to sync your data for the first time the folder created
on your Windows desktop will be named ‘OneDrive for Business’.
What happens if I delete a file from the sync folder on my device?
If you delete a file from the sync folder on a device you have configured to sync with
your OneDrive for Business space, the file will be deleted from your OneDrive for
Business space and the sync folder of ALL other devices which you have configured to
sync with your OneDrive for Business space. You can however recover a deleted file
within 90Days from your OneDrive for Business Recycle Bin
Is OneDrive for Business secure?
All data deposited in the Institutes OneDrive for Business service is stored within
Microsoft’s data centers located in the EU. The Institute retains full ownership and
control over the data and is satisfied that the data is properly secured and protected.
What apps are there for OneDrive for Business?
OneDrive for business apps are available for a wide range of smartphones and tablet
devices, further information can be found in the Office 365 Mobile setup guide
The full sync client is available for Microsoft Windows devices and a ‘Public preview’
sync client for MAC OSX devices is available from the Microsoft download centre via
the following url;
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=45519
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How do I sign-in using the iOS OneDrive for Business app?
Once you start the app it will ask you for credentials. Please note that your user name is
your Institute e-mail address and your password is your GUID password.
What happens to my OneDrive documents if I leave the Institute?
All Office documents and other files stored in your OneDrive for Business space will
become inaccessible to you when you leave and will eventually be deleted. It is
therefore your responsibility to ensure that you obtain copies of any documents or files
you require after you leave the Institute.
For more information please consult the following:
OneDrive for Business Videos
Links:
Microsoft end user training resources
Office 365 Learning Centre
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