Mastering Co-Authoring in Microsoft 365 – Best Practices for Syncing, Versioning, and User Training
In today’s cloud-driven work environment, effective collaboration is crucial for organizational success. Microsoft 365’s co-authoring and versioning features have revolutionized how teams work on documents in real-time, but with these advances come challenges, especially around syncing, document management, and maintaining a seamless user experience. Here, I’ll explore some of the common pitfalls and best practices for managing co-authoring, syncing, and versioning in Microsoft 365.
The Complex Dance of Syncing and Co-Authoring
Syncing and OCS Overload: Syncing is an event-driven process that kicks in every time a file is edited or even when a folder is renamed. The OneDrive sync client monitors these changes and updates them across all devices. However, when you sync documents through both OneDrive and SharePoint, it can create an overload on the Office Collaboration Service (OCS), which is responsible for managing real-time co-authoring and versioning.
Conflicting Processes: One of the major issues arises when two separate apps (OneDrive and SharePoint) both attempt to manage document versions simultaneously. This “bumping heads” scenario can lead to version conflicts, slower editing, and sometimes even lost changes. It’s critical for users to understand that unnecessary syncing—especially of files not in active use—can exacerbate these issues.
Impact of File Syncing: Even if you are not actively working on a file, any changes made by others will trigger a sync on your device. This means that your desktop could be constantly updating files, leading to unnecessary strain on both the network and your computer’s CPU. Reducing the number of synced files, especially those deep in a folder structure that are rarely accessed, can significantly improve performance.
Best Practices for Seamless Collaboration
Direct SharePoint Access: To minimize conflicts, users should access documents directly through SharePoint or use Office Web Apps instead of relying on synced copies via OneDrive. This ensures that changes are saved directly to the cloud, reducing the chance of conflicts and speeding up the co-authoring process.
Leveraging Minor Versions: Minor versions are incredibly useful in environments where multiple users collaborate on the same document. Instead of every change creating a new major version, which can lead to clutter and confusion, minor versions allow for more granular control. This way, changes can be saved without making them visible to all users, preventing premature updates and reducing the likelihood of version conflicts.
Utilizing the Monthly Enterprise Channel (MEC): Another way to keep strict governance over versions of apps if using the desktop is to transition to the Monthly Enterprise Channel (MEC) for Office updates, ensuring that all users are on the latest version of Microsoft 365 apps. This is crucial for maintaining consistency across the organization and resolving issues related to outdated versions that could lead to syncing and co-authoring problems.
Syncing, Folder Structures, and User Training
Managing Sync Processes: Users need to be educated on how syncing works and the impact of syncing files they aren’t actively using. For example, syncing an entire directory with deep folder structures can cause unnecessary updates to files that aren’t even being used. Instead, users should sync only the files they need and unsync those that aren’t in use to reduce system strain.
Folder Structure Changes: When a folder name is changed, it triggers a sync across all connected devices. This may seem insignificant, but in a heavily synced environment, even small changes like these can lead to significant delays and potential conflicts.
User Training and Proactive Management: In a cloud-based environment, users need to take a proactive role in managing their documents. This involves ensuring they are working on the latest version of a file, particularly when traveling or working in areas with unstable internet connections. Users should pre-download necessary files and avoid making extensive changes offline unless absolutely necessary. Additionally, leveraging metadata and content types to describe data within SharePoint can significantly enhance search capabilities and document management. By adopting these practices, users can move away from traditional folder structures and start using views based on metadata, enabling quicker document retrieval and a more organized approach to accessing files. This shift not only improves efficiency but also positions the organization to take advantage of advanced technologies like Microsoft Syntex AI, which relies on properly labeled documents to deliver intelligent insights and automation. Do not get left behind in this rapidly changing world—ensuring documents are labeled specifically for their purpose is key to staying competitive and efficient.
Use Office Web Apps: For users with poor internet connections, using Office Web Apps can mitigate issues by ensuring that changes are continuously saved and synced to the cloud, thus reducing the risk of data loss or version conflicts.
Conclusion
In the age of cloud computing, control is increasingly being placed in the hands of users. While this empowers employees to collaborate more effectively, it also requires them to be more vigilant and educated about best practices for managing documents. IT teams can provide the tools and initial training, but it’s up to the users to apply these practices to ensure a seamless and efficient working environment. By understanding and implementing the strategies outlined here, organizations can minimize conflicts, enhance performance, and make the most out of Microsoft 365’s powerful collaboration tools.