Information Services
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Getting started with OneDrive
What is OneDrive @ University of Edinburgh?
OneDrive @ University of Edinburgh is a cloud storage area where you can create, edit, upload and share documents and files.
• OneDrive is accessible from anywhere with internet access which makes OneDrive particularly useful when working off site.
• You can work with Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote documents directly via your web browser or mobile web apps without installing Microsoft Office.
• OneDrive is supported by Microsoft.
Accessing OneDrive from Office 365
You can access OneDrive through your Office 365 account at https://www.office365.ed.ac.uk Click at the top right of the screen to display your Documents.
You will see the folders and files you have created or uploaded. The Shared with Everyone folder is created by default. A green star indicates a new item.
Hovering over a document author or modifier’s name displays a toolbar , allowing you to communicate through Lync.
Storage space and uploading files
OneDrive provides 25 GB of storage space. You can upload files of any type, e.g. PDF, JPG and PNG files, although there is a size limitation of 2 GB per file.
Click on the menu bar and browse to your file, or click on the FILES tab and on Upload
Document.
Documents you create or upload are automatically private until you share them. An icon in the
Sharing column indicates the status ( or ). Note that documents in the Shared with Everyone folder are visible to everyone. These documents are view-only.
Deleting a document
To delete a file or folder, select it by clicking in the margin immediately to the left to display a tick , then click and choose Delete. Alternatively, click the ellipsis (…) next to the file name, click the second ellipsis at the bottom of the callout window and select Delete.
To delete several files at once, select them on the Documents page then click Manage and Delete.
Moving a document
To move a document into a folder, drag it into the designated folder in the Documents page.
Renaming a file or folder
Select a file or folder by clicking in the margin to the left, then click Manage and choose Edit
Properties. Type in the new name and click Save.
Using Office Online
OneDrive includes browser-based versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote. These are limited versions of Microsoft Office and may lack some of the features you normally use e.g. format painter, thesaurus, mail merge, applying conditional formatting and running macros.
Creating documents in OneDrive
You can create lite Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote files directly in OneDrive, click on
Click on an application to create a new file in Office Online. You can continue to edit the file online.
Note that Office Online does not have the full functionality of the desktop versions of Office 2013 for PC and Office 2011 for Mac. If you require greater functionality you can open the file created online in the corresponding desktop application.
You can also create a new folder from this menu, or from New Folder under the FILES tab.
To edit a document in Word Online:
Click on a document to open it, then click EDIT DOCUMENT on the menu at the top of the screen. Choose Edit in Word Online to use the browser version. The basic editing and formatting tabs will then appear.
The FILE options:
Return to the document.
Save As Use this to download a copy or a PDF version to your computer. Note that it is not necessary to save the document – Office Online saves automatically.
To close a document:
Click on your name at the top left of the screen to return to the Documents page.
Editing in Word on the desktop
If you require the full functionality of Word you can open up the desktop version. First, open the document in OneDrive, then click on EDIT DOCUMENT and choose the Edit in Word option. If you are then asked to launch the application, click OK.
When you are finished editing, save the document. If you have shared this document, it will be refreshed with edits by other authors. You can compare versions by clicking on File and Info. Click on File and Close to return to OneDrive.
To edit a spreadsheet in Excel Online:
Opening an Excel spreadsheet is a similar procedure to opening a Word document. Click on the spreadsheet to open it, and click EDIT WORKBOOK on the menu at the top of the screen. Choose
Edit in Excel Online to use the browser version. After editing click on your name at the top left of
the screen to return to the Documents page.
Again, if you require full functionality, there is the option to use the desktop version of Excel by choosing EDIT WORKBOOK and Edit in Excel on first opening the spreadsheet.
Sharing documents
If you share a document with someone, they will be able to edit it if you have given them permission.
You can also share an entire folder. Note that all the documents in the folder are shared – you can’t set sharing options for individual files.
Setting sharing options
From your Documents list:
Typing a name into Invite people displays a list of matches. Make your selections, then from the dropdown list, select Can edit or Can view. If you want to send a notification to the recipient, click on SHOW
OPTIONS and make sure Send an email invitation is ticked. Type in an
optional message and click SHARE.
You will receive an email notification that you have shared a document.
If your document is already open in Office Online you can set sharing from the File menu, Share,
Share with People. This open the same dialogue box as above.
Changing permissions
If you want to change the permissions for a shared document, click on the Sharing icon on the
Documents page.
You can change the permissions for individuals and also invite additional people to share.
The Get a link option generates a link to the document that you can send to others. It will open in Office Online with guest reader access.
Sending emails
You can send an email to everyone you’ve shared a document with, perhaps to tell them something about the document. Click on the Sharing icon and on EMAIL EVERYONE.
Setting up an alert
You can set up an alert for a shared file or folder so that you’re notified when something changes. Select the file or folder and click on the FILES tab. Click on Alert Me and select Set alert on this
Security Issues
Confidential files
OneDrive is very useful for accessing and creating files away from the office or the computer labs. However, OneDrive should not be used to store confidential files as portable devices can be lost or stolen and others could gain access to your files. Moreover, it is recommended that you log out of OneDrive when you have finished using it.
Backing up your files
It is recommended that you create a backup copy of your important files in a separate area.
If you delete a file, OneDrive stores your deleted files in the recycle bin for at least three days and a maximum of ninety days. If your recycle bin is full, the oldest items will be automatically
deleted after three days.
Managing document versions
Each time you edit a document, OneDrive retains a version. You can use this to track and manage changes.
To see the versions, click to the immediate left of the document to select it and click on the FILES tab. In the Manage group, click on Version History.
Hover over the Modified date, click on the down arrow. Select View to open it or Restore to make this the current version.
You can also work with versions in the desktop application. Click on the File tab and Info. Click on a version under Versions to open it. To restore the version, click on Restore on the bar at the top.
Saving and opening files on OneDrive from Microsoft Office
To save a document to OneDrive from the desktop application, click on File and Save As. Click on
OneDrive @ University of Edinburgh and on Documents. Navigate to a folder and Save. Note: OneDrive is backed up by Microsoft, therefore Information Services won’t
be able to retrieve any file accidentally deleted and removed from the recycle bin.
