Forum Discussion
Re: How to use SharePoint Team Site files on a day-to-day-basis
BTW, I would also add that local sync encourages users to (continue to) use folders, which as all we know is not good.
Rethinking the way of working, abandoning the concept of network share, is instead crucial to a correct use of SPO.
Web UI access to SPO libraries, opposed to syncing, promotes the correct use of metadata, which is the way to go with SPO libraries.
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I whole heartedly agree. In theory.
But in reality getting those people to change their way of working to a slower browser based experience with metadata can be quite painful.
I'm not saying it can't be done. I'm just saying it it's never as easy we make it out.
Would obviously love to be shown differently because I do think Lists/Libraries + Views with metadata is such a better method of slicing up information.
This is especially true if you are responsible for the adoption of users that were working with folders on drive-letter-mapped file shares for hundreds of years. :) Metadata is a fantastic thing, but using them exclusively in a folderless document library requires a huge mindset change for the majority of users, which can eventually undermine the success of the whole Sharepoint adoption. So this should be handled carefully in such a typical situations when you are migrating from file shares to Sharepoint, and providing some 'classic way of access' to documents is inevitable in certain cases.
I often set up "folder people" with folders that have default metadata set and then make a couple of views. I have seen some great "ah ha" moments and people starting leverage the power of metdata.
Not that folders are evil (like I used to believe). Metadata is just such a powerful feature.
