Migration from Network Drives to OneDrive and Teams

When moving network drives to Teams or OneDrive, we ask that you adhere to the following guidelines; please expand the accordian sections below to find more details:

• Do not transfer specific media, system, and disk images files.
• Adhere to file structure best practices.
• Use clear, succinct, and non-redundant filenames.
• Let your division or department know when and where files will be moved, and who’s handling the transfer.
• Sync files or folders that you regularly use to your computer (do not use the "shortcut" option).
• Don't re-name folders that have corresponding channels

Do not transfer the following filetypes to Teams or OneDrive:

• Executable and binary files:
  • .exe, .com, .scr, .pif, .application, .gadget, .msi, .msp, .cpl, .msc, .jar
• Script and macro files: 
  • .bat, .cmd, .vbs, .vbe, .js, .jse, .ws, .wsf, .wsh, .ps1, .psm1, .hta, .reg
• Disk image and Virtual machine files:
  
  • .iso, .img, .vhd, .vhdx, .vmdk, .ova
• Less common but high risk files:
  • .chm (Compiled HTML Help), .lnk (shortcut - can execute code), .url, .inf, .dll, .ocx, .sys
• Certain zip/compressed files:
  • .zip, .rar, .7z, .gz, .tar, .iso, .img (if password-protected or deeply nested)
• Excessive numbers of multimedia files (including but not limited to these types)
  • .jpg, .jpeg, .png, .gif, .mov, .mpg, .avi, .mp3, .wav, .heif, .heifs, .heic, .heics; .avci, .avcs, .HIF

• Organize folders in sensical hierarchies
• Optimize folder names
  • An example of this would be changing:
    • p-card receipts > 2025-2026 receipts > 26 October > Professor DGreen > 2026 10 Omelette Parlor receipt 22.36.jpg to:
    • p-card > 25-26 > 10-Oct > DGreen > Omelette Parlor 22.36.jpg
• Try to use only basic characters in your file and folder names:
  • capital and lowercase letters
  • numbers
  • hyphen (-) and underscore (_)
• Avoid using the following:
  • a space at the beginning or end of a file or folder name
  • slash (/) and back slash (\)
  • colon (:)
  • pipe (|)
  • quote (")
  • question mark (?)
  • less-than and greater-than (<) and (>)
• Each channel in Teams has a corresponding folder; that said, most files should probably be sorted into folders in the General channel
• Shared and Private channels are different and their folders live "outside" the regular team

• Keep file names short and to the point. If you have a folder called Contracts, then folders for each year and month in that folder, the filename Lexcorp Contract May 2027.pdf is redundant and should just be shortened to Lexcorp.pdf or the folders removed. 
• Alternatively, just make a folder called Contracts, then the filename 2027 Lexcorp.pdf would be just fine, then you don't need a folder with the year. 
• Avoid using filenames with a space at the beginning or end or names with the following characters 
  • " * : < > ? / \ |
• Also, the full path (the name of the file and all the folders its in) cannot exceed 255 characters. 

Sources: Microsoft Support 1, 2

Email your colleagues or post to Teams when you start moving files - you should mention which files and folders you are moving and where you are moving them to specifically in the team. 

To sync files from your OneDrive to your computer or phone (see the mac and PC videos above):

1. Open the OneDrive app (you may need to download it on macOS or mobile device)
2. Enter your CC email account - the system will send you to Single Sign In
3. Enter your username and password for your CC account

To sync files from Teams:

1. Open the Team you want to sync files from either in your web browser or in the Teams app
2. Open the General Channel
3. Click Shared near the top of the screen (it might be "under" or next to "Posts"
4. Just above the list of files, click the Documents title next to the name of the channel
5. Once that has loaded go up to the menu bar on that page - it should have a + New button on the left, then say, Upload, Edit in grid view, and other items. You want to click or click the ... then click  
   1. Do not click "Add shortcut to OneDrive" - this can cause issues
6. Click Allow on the next pop-up (if it comes up) asking your computer to allow OneDrive to sync files
7. Your files will sync and you should have a new icon in your file manager:
   1. Finder on macOS will have OneDrive - Shared Libraries - The Colorado College
   2. File Explorer on Windows will have The Colorado College