Cannot Sync document library from SharePoint to OneDrive for Business

Question

My company are wanting to start using SharePoint to share documents but we want to be able to sync the document library to our laptops.

I have created a SharePoint library. If I open the document library click on Sync, it brings up a dialog box saying "Sync this library to your device for easy access" I then click the "Sync Now button".  But all that happens is that it brings up an webpage telling me how to install OneDrive for Business sync client.

I already have the sync client loaded and it is working fine for my own OneDrive documents.

Office 365 was downloaded onto my Laptop through Portal.office.com and I have checked that have all the latest updates installed. I did choose the recommended 32bit version although my laptop is 64bit.

This is the first time we have used SharePoint so we have not had this working in the past.

Any help appreciated.

Answer 1

Hi Paul,

The SharePoint Online document library support of the OneDrive for Business Next Generation is currently under development. But at present there is no specific ETA on when this feature will be added. To get the latest news, we suggest you keep an eye on Office 365 Roadmap (OneDrive for Business SharePoint Online Document Library Sync under the In development group):

https://fasttrack.microsoft.com/roadmap

Thanks,

Eric Yang

Answer 2

Hi Paul,

Thanks for clarifying.

To further troubleshoot the issue, could you try the following steps?

1. Could you try if you can right-click on the OneDrive for Business icon on the system tray and choose Sync a new library, then paste the URL of the library from the browser to sync the library?

2. Could you try in other browsers and see if the issue will happen?

Besides, as the OneDrive for Business Next Generation Sync Client can’t be used to sync SharePoint Online site libraries, you may consider installing the previous OneDrive for Business sync client side by side with the next generation sync client.

Thanks,

Eric Yang

Answer 3

further to my reply above, that last line should have read "sharepoint documents".  here is a screen shot of the client i am using.


Answer 4

James, thank you for your reply. I am using the original OneDrive For Business, Groove.exe, client. This is the one that automatically installed and started when I wanted to Sync my One Drive folders from work. I do not have the next generation client.

Reading the link you gave about the next generation client it says "The new OneDrive for Business sync client doesn't yet support syncing site libraries" So I am assuming I would NOT want to install the next genration client if I am wanting my DahrePoint dicuments synchronised.Is that right ?

Answer 5

Hi Paul,

I'm making an assumption that the OneDrive sync client you mentioned is the OneDrive for Business next generation sync client. If so, please note that the OneDrive for Business next generation sync client (OneDrive.exe) has a different syncing mechanism comparing with the legacy OneDrive for Business sync client (groove.exe), after we add our business account into the OneDrive for Business next generation sync client, files will be automatically synced to the local, and we don't need to click the Sync button from the OneDrive for Business library to trigger a sync. Details about adding a business account can also be found in this article.

If we click the Sync button from the OneDrive for Business library, it will only call the legacy OneDrive for Business sync client (groove.exe), if we do not have the legacy OneDrive for Business (groove.exe) installed, we will be redirected to the download page as you got.

So would you please check whether you have installed the legacy OneDrive for Business sync client (groove.exe)?

(Hit Win + S and search OneDrive for Business, and also check whether there is a process named GROOVE.EXE in Task Manager > Details )

For your reference: Which OneDrive sync client am I using?

Thanks,

James