OneDrive for Business Windows Client Setup

Summary

This article will teach you how to use UA OneDrive for Business on Windows compatible devices.

Body

Overview

UA OneDrive for Business is the University of Alaska's branding of the Microsoft Office 365 OneDrive for Business, an online service that provides resources for file storage, collaboration, and communication with other UA individuals. The OneDrive for Business service, aimed at enterprise users, is not the same as the OneDrive service offered by Microsoft to individuals. For information on the differences, visit Microsoft's What Is OneDrive for Business page and read the section titled How is OneDrive for Business different from OneDrive.

OneDrive for Business is a personal document and file storage hub. It's easy to upload, download, and share files. You can also create, view, and edit documents online using the integrated Office Online applications, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. For those times you need the complete set of Office features, you can open your files in the full version of the applications and save them to your hard drive or back to the cloud.

Because OneDrive for Business is associated with your relationship to the University of Alaska, everything stored in it will be inaccessible should you leave the university. For this reason, it's best to use it to store materials that are your own personal university related (e.g. homework, business) use, like OneNote notebooks. For storing materials that are important for departments, schools, colleges, or other groups at the university indefinitely, you should be aware that there are several options available more suitable for collaboration such as network file shares, Google Shared Drives,  Microsoft Teams, and a SharePoint Online site. All of them offer various features and benefits.

For additional information read about UA OneDrive for Business.

 

Note
While you can sync multiple OneDrive for Business accounts, you can only sync one personal OneDrive account.

 

What materials do I need?

  • Windows compatible device
  • Active University of Alaska account

 

How do I use this technology?

  1. If your Windows device has either Windows 10, Office 2016, Office 2019, or Microsoft 365 apps for Enterprise (aka Office 365 ProPlus), it already has the OneDrive sync app installed.
    • For devices running older version of Windows, or on which Office 2016, or newer, is not installed, you can  download the OneDrive sync app for Windows from https://onedrive.live.com/about/download.
  2. In the task bar click in the Type here to search field, and enter OneDrive.

    Microsoft Windows search for OneDrive app
     
  3. Click on the found app to open it.
  4. When the Set up OneDrive​​​​​​​ dialog appears, enter your UA Email address (e.g. UaUsername@alaska.edu), then click Sign in.

    OneDrive Sign in dialog window
     
  5. When prompted enter your UA password, then click Sign in.

    OneDrive Sign in password prompt
     
  6. On the Your OneDrive folder screen, accept the default folder location (e.g. C:\Users\<your username>\OneDrive - University of Alaska) for your OneDrive files, and click Next.
     
    Note
    If you were already syncing your OneDrive @ UA to your computer (using the previous sync app) and you've just installed the sync app, you won't see the Your OneDrive folder or the Sync files from your OneDrive​​​​​​​ screen during the OneDrive setup. The sync app automatically takes over syncing in the same folder you were using before.

     

    OneDrive folder location on Windows
     
  7. On the Get to know your OneDrive​​​​​​​ screen click Next.

    Get to know your OneDrive dialog window
     
  8. On the Share files and folder screen click Next.

    OneDrive Share files and folders dialog window
     
  9. On the All your files, ready and on-demand screen click Next.

    OneDrive All your files, ready and on-demand dialog window
     
  10. On the Get the mobile app screen click Later.

    OneDrive Get the mobile app dialog window
     
  11. On the Your OneDrive is ready for you screen click Open my OneDrive folder.

    Your OneDrive is ready for you dialog window
     
  12. Windows Explorer window will open displaying your OneDrive folder.

    Windows Explorer showing OneDrive for Business folder​​​​​​​

 

Checking the Status of Your Files

  • A green check on a folder means that it has been successfully synced.
  • A blue circular arrow means it is currently being synced.
  • A red arrow indicates a folder or file that is out of sync.
  • Once the file synchronization starts you can click on the Show My Files button and open the local folder to see the files that are being synced.

OneDrive Sync Status

 

Need additional help or have issues

For additional assistance contact the IT Services Technical Support Center via phone at (907) 786-4646, toll-free at (877) 633-3888, email us at uaa.techsupport@alaska.edu.

Details

Details

Article ID: 27
Created
Tue 9/17/19 1:49 PM
Modified
Mon 8/15/22 5:57 PM

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