File Management & OneDrive
Building Your Digital Filing Cabinet
Duration: 20-25 minutes
Goal: Set up organized file systems that will serve you throughout your academic career
What You'll Learn Today
By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to:
- Understand the digital filing cabinet analogy for organizing files
- Set up OneDrive and integrate it with your file system
- Create a logical folder structure for academic work
- Follow best practices for file naming
- Use Office apps effectively with OneDrive integration
- Troubleshoot common file management issues
Why File Management Matters
Common Student Disasters
- "I can't find my assignment that's due in 10 minutes!"
- "My computer crashed and I lost everything!"
- "Which version is the final one?"
- "I accidentally deleted my project folder!"
Good Organization Saves
- Time: Find files instantly
- Stress: Know where everything is
- Grades: Never lose assignments
- Collaboration: Easy sharing with classmates
The Digital Filing Cabinet
Physical Office
🗄️
- Filing Cabinet: Your computer
- Drawers: Major categories
- Manila Folders: Course folders
- Papers: Individual files
Digital System
💻
- OneDrive: Your digital cabinet
- Main Folders: Semester/Year
- Subfolders: Courses
- Files: Documents, images, etc.
What is OneDrive?
☁️
Microsoft's Cloud Storage Service
🔄
Automatic Sync
Files sync across all your devices automatically
👥
Easy Collaboration
Share and work on documents together in real-time
🛡️
Automatic Backup
Your files are safe even if your computer dies
University Integration
ETSU provides OneDrive access with your student account, but you will need to install the Microsoft 365 desktop apps (available for Windows & MacOS).
1️⃣
Visit
office.com/apps and sign into your ETSU student account. If you are automatically signed into another Microsoft account, try using an Incognito/Private browser window.
2️⃣
Click the "Install apps" dropdown menu button and select the first option: "Microsoft 365 apps".
3️⃣
When the download is complete, launch the executable and follow the installation instructions.
4️⃣
Once installed, you may have to open one of the Office apps (such as OneDrive) and sign into it with your student account to license the apps.
5️⃣
Finally, if on a Mac, got to System Preferences, then Extensions, and toggle on "OneDrive Finder Integration". Then open the OneDrive app and follow the setup to enable access to your OneDrive folder through Finder.
ⓘ For further assistance with Microsoft 365 and OneDrive, contact the ITS Help Desk
Understanding OneDrive Icons
✅
Green Checkmark
File is synced and available offline
🔄
Blue Arrows
File is currently syncing
☁️
Cloud Icon
File is online-only (saves space)
❌
Red X
Sync error occurred
🔒
Lock Icon
File is checked out by someone else
Activity: Plan Your File Structure
Let's Design Your Academic Filing System (5 minutes)
Work with a partner to plan your ideal folder structure for this semester
Think About:
- How many courses are you taking?
- What types of materials do you have for each course?
- Do you have group projects?
- How do you want to organize by time (weekly, by assignment type)?
Pro Tip
Start simple and add complexity as needed. You can always reorganize later!
Recommended Academic Structure
📁 Fall 2025 Semester/
📁 CSCI-1100_1150 Using Information Tech
📁 01. Syllabus and Course Info/
📄 CSCI-1100_On-Site_Syllabus_202580.pdf
📄 csci11001150_schedule_202580.xlsx
📁 02. Lecture Notes/
📁 01. Introduction and Tech Tips/
📁 02. Information Literacy/
📁 03. Labs/
📁 01. Information Literacy Lab/
📁 02. Tech Product Literacy Lab/
📁 04. Resources and References/
📁 MATH-1910 Calculus I/
📁 ENGL-1020 Composition II/
Why This Works
Numbers ensure folders sort in logical order, and consistent naming makes everything predictable
File Naming: Do's and Don'ts
✅ Good File Names
CSCI-1100_Lab-02_PCPartPicker_ChelsieDubay.docx
MATH-1910_Week-03_Lecture-Notes_Derivatives.pdf
ENGL-1020_Essay-01_Draft-02_2025-09-15.docx
HIST-2010_Research-Project-Bibliography.docx
Why these work:
- Course identifier first
- Content type specified
- Version/date included
- Your name for submissions
❌ Bad File Names
Document1.docx
Essay.docx
Homework.docx
Notes.docx
Assignment (1).docx
Problems:
- Meaningless names
- No course identification
- No version control
- Impossible to search
Activity: File Naming Practice
Fix These File Names (3 minutes)
Work individually to improve these terrible file names:
Before (Bad):
Document1.docx (Biology lab report)
Essay.docx (English argumentative essay, first draft)
Homework.docx (Calculus problem set #3)
Presentation.pptx (History presentation on WWII)
Incomplete GBI Data.xlsx (UIT lab Excel file)
Challenge
Create descriptive names that follow our naming convention. We'll share answers on the next slide!
File Naming Solutions
After (Good):
BIOL-1110_Lab-Report-03_Cell-Division_ChelsieDubay.docx
ENGL-1020_Argumentative-Essay-Draft-01_ChelsieDubay.docx
MATH-1910_Problem-Set-03_Derivatives_ChelsieDubay.docx
HIST-1120_WWII-Presentation_Final_ChelsieDubay.pptx
CSCI-1150_GBI-Data_ChelsieDubay.xlsx
Key Principles Applied
- Course code first: Easy sorting and identification
- Assignment type: Know what it is at a glance
- Specific topic: Distinguish from other assignments
- Version/status: Track drafts and finals
- Your name: Essential for submissions
Office Apps + OneDrive = Magic
1
Save to OneDrive
Press Ctrl+S and navigate to your OneDrive folder structure
2
AutoSave Enabled
Toggle turns solid - your work saves automatically every few seconds
3
Access Anywhere
Continue working on any device with your Microsoft account
Version History is Your Friend
Click the document name at the top → Version History → See all previous versions with timestamps
Use case: Accidentally deleted a paragraph? Restore from an earlier version!
Sharing and Collaboration
Share Individual Files
- Click "Share" button in top-right
- Enter email addresses
- Choose "Can edit" or "Can view"
- Add a message explaining the share
Share Entire Folders
- Right-click OneDrive folder in File Explorer or OneDrive on the Web
- Select "Share" from context menu
- Perfect for group projects
- Everyone sees the same organization
Team Project Pro Tip
Create a shared folder structure for major project phases or tasks like:
📁 Team Chaotic Capybaras Project/
📁 01. Planning/
📁 02. Research/
📁 03. Writing/
Establish naming conventions with your team!
Troubleshooting Common Issues
OneDrive Not Syncing
- Check internet connection
- Right-click OneDrive icon → Settings
- Click "Reset OneDrive" if problems persist
- Sign out and sign back in
File Conflicts
- Look for "Conflicted Copy" in filename
- Compare versions manually
- Merge changes if needed
- Delete conflicted copy after merging
Can't Find Files
- Use OneDrive web interface (office.com/apps & click OneDrive)
- Check Recycle Bin (both local and OneDrive)
- Search by filename in File Explorer
- Check Version History for content changes
Running Out of Space
- Delete old/unnecessary files
- Use "Files On-Demand" (cloud-only storage)
- Empty OneDrive Recycle Bin
- Check university storage limits
Hands-On: Build Your System
Let's Set Up Your Academic File System (8 minutes)
Follow along as we create your semester folder structure
Step-by-Step:
- Open OneDrive folder (Windows: File Explorer → OneDrive; Mac: Finder → OneDrive)
- Create semester folder: "Fall 2025 Semester" (or your current semester)
- Create course folders for each of your classes
- Add standard subfolders to one course (we'll do others later)
- Test saving a document to your new structure
- Check sync status - look for the green checkmarks!
Don't Worry About Perfection
This is your starting point. You can always adjust and improve as the semester progresses!
Your New File Workflow
📚
Before/After Class
Store resources (e.g., slides, handouts) in organized folders
🥼
Lab
Start assignments in proper folders
Submit assignments with confidence (this IS the right version!)
Assignment Submission Workflow:
- Work on assignment in proper course folder
- Use descriptive filename with your name
- Save final version as "..._FINAL.docx"
- Download backup copy to local Downloads
- Submit through D2L
Best Practices Checklist
Organization
- Create consistent folder structures
- Use descriptive, standardized file names
- Organize by course, then content type
- Keep active and archived materials separate
Collaboration
- Share folders, not individual files when possible
- Establish naming conventions with team members
- Use comments and suggestions for feedback
- Regularly sync to avoid conflicts
Backup and Security
- Don't rely solely on OneDrive - keep local backups of critical files
- Download final versions of important assignments
- Be cautious with sharing permissions
- Regularly review and clean up shared folders
🚨 Warning: Your OneDrive access has an expiration date!
- When you graduate, your OneDrive access ends!
- Make a PLAN to export all your files to an external hard drive, to Google Drive, etc.!
You're Now a File Management Pro!
What You've Accomplished
- ✓ Understanding of digital filing cabinet concept
- ✓ OneDrive setup and integration knowledge
- ✓ Logical academic folder structure
- ✓ File naming best practices
- ✓ Office apps integration skills
- ✓ Troubleshooting common problems
Your Next Steps
- This week: Create your folder structure for all courses
- Moving forward: Stick to your naming conventions
- Monthly: Review and clean up old files
- Help others: "Have you heard the good news?" Share these practices with classmates!
Questions? Let's troubleshoot together!