SharePoint Library Sync Issues

[BarryAnderson]

I have a simple document library in SharePoint online:

• No checkout required
• No validation
• A number of required metadata fields are present

I see the following oddity when using sync:

1. Library works as expected opening/editing and saving in Word online and desktop client.
2. After I choose "Sync" in the document library the files are successfully synced to desktop.
3. Now if I choose "Open in desktop client" from SharePoint the file is read only.
4. Remove sync from OneDrive.
5. Now if I choose "Open in desktop client" I can edit and save with no issues.

Why does using the desktop client when sync is enabled make the file read-only, am I missing something or is there an issue here?

Thanks.

[#2 · Accepted solution]

@BarryAnderson 

Due to there being required meta data fields which you cannot fill when opening a desktop file OneDrive makes the whole folder read only. 

There is an update coming - 

Synced metadata support—Metadata adds structure and compliance to your files. Currently shared libraries with mandatory metadata synchronizes as read-only. We are excited to announce that in the next few weeks we are rolling out an update to the OneDrive sync app supporting read and write sync for shared libraries that contain required metadata. This will enable business users to edit content in their synced libraries while working from their desktops.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/blog/2020/07/01/introducing-new-onedrive-features-to-s...

[#3]

I don’t think this is entirely true. Office apps can open and work with files with required metadata. However you cannot work directly with the files stored local because of it.

There is an option in your onedrive sync client under the office tab that you need to make sure is on/off where your office apps will open the files from online and not locally. I think this will let you work on them. Usually it’s on by default I think thou.


Either way. Syncing with metadata is not supported other than read only when it comes to moving files in and out etc. as stated above so not ideal to use yet till update hits.

I could be wrong here since I can’t test it but I’m pretty sure that option is why you can’t open in desktop app via SharePoint since it’s trying to open the local copy cause of the file being synced and that option in onedrive being (uncheck?) or check can’t remember which it is but it’ll make sense when you go see it. Just a hunch thou.