Reminder about files stored in OneDrive

We often get tickets from people who have lost access to documents and files, as they are in someone else’s OneDrive and that person has left. This is to remind you that when someone leaves, their Microsoft 365 account is closed and anything in their OneDrive gets deleted.

One day you have access, and the next it’s gone?

Microsoft 365 makes it easy to save files online, but it isn’t always obvious where the original is stored. The easiest way to check is to “copy link”, and then see where the URL takes you. If the URL contains someone’s user ID, then that tells you whether it’s in a Team or whose OneDrive it is in. Here are some examples:

This shared document is stored in a Team: https://livereadingac.sharepoint.com/:w:/s/grp-it-Incidents-OutofHoursProcessChannel/exampleDoC

This shared document is stored in my OneDrive: https://livereadingac-my.sharepoint.com/:w:/g/personal/lm920207_reading_ac_uk/eXAMpleDoc

If you are using documents which are shared from someone else’s OneDrive, they are only available while that person works at University of Reading.

Leaver: If you can do a handover, it is best to transfer any documentation (not just give access to a folder) that you think may be needed in the future to someone else’s OneDrive, or better still Teams.
Stayer: If someone has left without handing over documents, you should ensure you download anything you want to your own OneDrive, or better still Teams, within 30 days of the departure date.

Accounts are closed 30 days after the leave date. Whilst M365 Admin can retrieve files up to 60 days later, after this it will not be possible.

Other areas you should check

Teams

Files stored in Teams will remain as long as that Team is active, even if the owner of that file has left. If the leaver is also the Owner of a Team, they will need to assign a successor before they leave.

Make someone a Team owner in Microsoft Teams – Microsoft Support

Email

It is not possible to keep an email account running when someone has left, and we cannot give anyone access to a leaver’s email account without a very good reason.

If you need to retrieve email, please read our data access guidance .

OneNote

Like OneDrive, OneNote is also associated with an individual’s account so the same applies if they have shared their own Notebook with you.

How to export a OneNote notebook to another account

Further information and contact

For information about sharing files and file storage, see the Microsoft guide: Set up file storage and sharing in M365.

For advice from IMPS about your responsibilities before leaving, see Leaving the University.

As always, if you have any questions or need any further information, the IT Service Desk is always happy to help.

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