Description

This article will cover how you can use Folder sync to create a project from a local folder or sync a project down to a local folder. Please note you must be a team admin to be able to use folder sync.

Requirements

  • A Workplace Customer
  • Workplace agent installed
  • A team admin level user

The Process

By default, all Projects sync to your Workplace folder.

Local Folder Syncing allows any folder on your computer to be synced with the Workplace service, enabling you to sync Projects to locations most convenient for you.  These folders can be located anywhere on your local drive, an external drive or a network drive.  These synced local folders provide all the same features and functionality as a Project.  In fact, a local folder that is synced becomes a Project within Workplace Online.

To set up syncing of a local folder:

Mac:

  • Click on the Workplace icon  in the menu bar and select ‘Open Workplace Preferences…’, then click on the ‘Folder Sync’ tab

PC:

  • Click on the Workplace icon in the system tray and, from the ‘Settings’ sub-menu, select ‘Folder Sync…’
  • To sync a Project with a local folder, click on ‘Sync Project’.  A dialog box with two options will be displayed:
  • Create a Project from Local Folder - Select this option to create a new Project in Workplace Online from an existing local folder.

Sync Project to Local Folder - Select this option to sync a Project from Workplace Online to a local folder of your choosing.

Create a Project from Local Folder 

  • Selecting the ‘Sync Project from local folder’ option will open a dialog box.
  • Click on ‘Browse…’ and locate the folder to convert into a Project Provide a name for the Project
  • Click on ‘Create Project’ to convert the folder into a Project and start syncing

Note that a Project can be created from an entire drive, if you have the appropriate permissions at the root level of the drive, and if you have sufficient storage quota.  This allows for an entire network drive or external drive to be converted into a Project.

As a general precaution, we recommend keeping the number of files in a Project to less than 100,000.  While there is no limit on the number of files a Project may contain, performance will be affected when Projects exceed this suggested number of files.

Sync Project to Local Folder 

  • Selecting the ‘Sync Project to Local Folder’ option will present a dialog box with further options
  • Click on ‘Select Project…’ to view Projects available to sync
  • Select the Project to sync and then click ‘OK’

Note that only Projects that are not already synced locally will be displayed as available to sync. If you wish to sync a Project that is already on your machine to a different location, first the Project must be un-synced via the preferences (“Workplace sync” or “Folder sync” tab). 

  • Next, click on ‘Browse’ to specify the location of the local folder that this Project will sync to.  The local path will be displayed below.  Select ‘Sync Project into local folder’ to complete the process and start syncing

Notes: If a local folder that is synced to a Project is moved, renamed, deleted or unavailable (network & external drives), the Workplace Desktop Agent will prompt you and request that you fix the sync errors.  From the Workplace menu, available from the menu bar / task bar, select ‘Fix Sync Errors…’.  The dialog box that opens will allow you to correct the path to the Project on your local machine or unsubscribe from the Project.

Syncing a local folder to a Project will not be permitted if:
it contains a folder which is already syncing with a Project, or it resides within the folder structure of a local folder that is already syncing with a Project, or it resides within the Workplace folder

When syncing a local folder on a share drive (for instance network drives) to a Project, the person who initiates this process becomes the owner of the resulting Project. Should another Team Member subsequently attempt to convert the same folder to a Project, they will receive a warning that the folder is already being synced and will be provided the option of being able to take over ownership or cancel the operation.

Pay careful attention to the data within volumes or folders that are synced to Projects, taking note of file types that should not be synced.

Note that external drive mounts may not be added as an External Project Folder when running in "Service Mode"