What are some common pitfalls to look out for with the OneDrive and Google Drive apps?

There are a few common pitfalls when using the OneDrive or the Google Drive app on your computer.  These issues can lead to inconsistencies between what you see in the web browser for files in the cloud and what you see on your local computer.

• There hasn't been enough time to complete the sync.
  • This can happen if you save a file and immediately log off.  The file is stored on the local computer, but not in the cloud.
  • Look for the green checkmarks next to the filename in File Explorer.
    • A red "X" means that sync has failed.
    • Double arrows in a circle means that sync is still in progress.
  • Failure to sync before logging off in a shared computing lab can lead to data loss because user data is periodically removed from those drives to free disk space for other users.
    • This problem normally resolves itself at your next login on that computer.
    • If you do not log in again on that computer before the user data is removed, unsynced data will be lost.
    • This can also happen immediately after login, where the computer has just started the sync process. Waiting a few seconds will usually resolve this issue. However, opening the local copy before the sync has completed will have you working with an older version of the file.

      REMEMBER - Be sure your files have synced before logging out.

• Sync isn't running.
  • The OneDrive and Google Drive applications may not be set to start at login. If they're not running, start them from the Start Menu.
• ​​​​​​​Sync is paused in the app.
  • ​​​​​​​Both OneDrive and Google Drive allow you to pause the sync in the app. If the app doesn't seem to be syncing, check to see if it has been paused and resume syncing if necessary.
• The file is open or is a file type that does not sync.
  • ​​​​​​​If a file is open or if it is of a type that does not sync (some databases are of this type), it won't be sent to the cloud.
  • You can see such errors in the activity logs in the OneDrive and Google Drive applications. You can see errors and activity by launching the app from the Start Menu or from the icon in the System Tray.
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