HOW TO: Add a SharePoint Site into Windows Explorer with OneDrive

As BGV IT migrates shared folders from our local S: Drive (BIGMOUNTAIN) to Microsoft's private cloud, users may want to integrate the Sharepoint folder into Windows Explorer via the OneDrive application.

This document outlines the process to access Sharepoint through Windows Explorer:

HOW TO: Sign in to OneDrive
PREREQUISITE: To leverage SharePoint via Windows Explorer, users must be logged in to OneDrive.

A Blue icon indicates the user is currently logged into OneDrive. (This is Good.)

A Grey icon with a line through it indicates that OneDrive is installed and running, but the user hasn't activated it. To activate OneDrive, the user will need to log in.

To login to OneDrive, click on the cloud icon in the System Tray.

Once the OneDrive Icon is Blue, the user has authenticated and is signed in to OneDrive. 

OneDrive can be accessed in several ways: online, the OneDrive mobile app (Android or iOS), or via Windows Explorer.

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HOW TO: Integrate SharePoint with Windows Explorer

Now that the user has signed in to OneDrive, they can add a SharePoint site to Windows Explorer by following these steps:

1. Open SharePoint's website and locate the SharePoint site that needs to be integrated with Windows Explorer. If you can't find the SharePoint site, use the search bar and type the name of the SharePoint site.          
2. Once the desired SharePoint site has been opened, use the left frame to navigate to Documents. Browse to the desired subfolder that should be integrated with Windows Explorer. Finally, click the Sync button.

• In Windows Explorer, a new Icon will be in the left frame (). When expanded, the Sharepoint folder will be listed as shown below:
  
•  
  • The 1st name (Information Systems) specifies the Team Name. After the (-) signifies the Directory being synced (Information_Systems)
    •  
      • The Status column (as highlighted above) will indicate whether the resource is
        • local () based
        • syncing ()
        • cloud () based
          •  
            • You may now access and edit Sharepoint resources (documents, folders, etc.) on your PC as though they were local resources.

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Alternatively, integrating a SharePoint site can also be completed through Microsoft Teams:

1. In the Microsoft Teams application, open the desired Team
   • Click on Team > General > Files.
   • Navigate to the desired level you would like to access in Windows Explorer
     • For example, Information Systems Sharepoint site the path looked like this:
       
     • Once at the desired folder level, click Sync in the menu bar:
       
     • Microsoft OneDrive will open. If needed, log in with your network credentials.
     • The initial sync will begin, but won't take up any space on your workstation nor hard drive.
     • In Windows Explorer, a new Icon will be in the left frame (). When expanded, the Sharepoint folder will be listed as shown below:
       

•  
  • The 1st name (Information Systems) specifies the Team Name. After the (-) signifies the Directory being synced (Information_Systems)
    •  
      • The Status column (as highlighted above) will indicate whether the resource is
        • local () based
        • syncing ()
        • cloud () based
          •  
            • You may now access and edit Sharepoint resources as though they were local on your PC.

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To Remove a Sharepoint site, please follow the directions outlined here:
HOW TO: Remove a Sharepoint Site from Windows Explorer.