In order to collaborate with others, the following are steps you can take to establish shared, cloud-based folders and files on OneDrive or Google Drive.
Doing this will be a useful way to organize and keep track of a comprehensive project, such as a Junior Film. Files like word documents, slide presentations, and spreadsheets “stream” from their host servers. Items don’t need to be transferred or downloaded to view. Everything can be seen from a web browser. It’s also a good way to share files with others on a production team, like with practitioners. Those who work with you will be able to upload and download files from the folder.
Cloud-based folders and sharing of documents and movies work well with both Microsoft / OneDrive and Google. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. For example, as an Emily Carr student, you get a large amount of storage on OneDrive. With Google, the interface that plays back movies works nicely (you can advance through footage frame-by-frame) and spreadsheets have useful dropdown menus for production tracking and schedules. Both are fine with sharing options. OneDrive is especially secure for ECU students.
To set up a project folder
With One Drive
To utilize OneDrive with a web browser, go to <office.com> and “sign in” (that is, click on the icon at the top-right corner of the page).
To access the Microsoft programs, look at the top-left corner of the “Welcome to Microsoft 365” front page, at the small “grid-like” icon immediately to the left of the Emily Carr emblem.
Doing so will then open another window, from which you can access:
- OneDrive
- Outlook
- Word
- Excel
- PowerPoint
- And more
To make a new folder, from the OneDrive page, referring to the upper left corner of the browser window, click on the New button. Pull down and select Folder.
From the Create a Folder window, give it a name, without special characters; that is no emojis, all lowercase letters, underscores for spaces, and so on. For example:
- project_folder
Next, you will want to be able to share the folder, and consequently obtain a link, which you will use to set URLs on a blog post or to send to collaborators.
From the browser, locate the folder that you intend to share. Click on it, to make it active. Select the little arrow / share icon. A Send Link window will then open. Choose the following settings.
Regarding the “… share the link with” section, click on the text with underscore to open the Sharing Settings. The best option is:
- People in Emily Carr University
From More Settings, select either:
- “Can view,” if you want others to only read the document; that is, they cannot make changes to it.
- “Can edit,” if you want others to be able to make changes. For example, if you are working with a collaborator, and you want them to be able to upload a document, choose “Can edit.”
Press Apply. Doing so will return you to the Send Link window. Under “Copy Link,” it should now read:
- “People in your organization with the link can [view] or [edit].
Click on the Copy button to “Create a Sharing Link.” A link will then become available – which you can copy and use in other places.
With Google Drive
To make a new folder, referring to the upper left corner of the Chrome browser window, click on New. Pull down and select New Folder.
From the Create a Folder window, give it a name, without special characters; that is no emojis, all lowercase letters, underscores for spaces, and so on. For example:
- project_folder
Press Create.
Next, you will want to be able to share the folder, and consequently obtain a link, which you will use to set URLs on a blog post or to send to collaborators.
From the browser, locate the folder that you intend to share. Either context-click on the folder icon or name, or select the icon with “three small vertically-orientated dots” at the right of the file name to reveal the context menu. From there, choose Share > Share. A window will then open. Choose the following settings:
Regarding the General Access area, click on the pull-down menu arrow to reveal “Anyone with the link.”
To the right of that section is another arrow pull-down option. Click on it to select:
- “Viewer,” if you want others to only read the document; that is, they cannot make changes to it.
- “Editor,” if you want others to be able to make changes. For example, if you are working with a collaborator, and you want them to be able to upload a document, choose “Editor.”
You can click on the Copy Link button, which you would then give you the URL to use when making a link.
Press Done to exit the Share window
If you need to copy the link again, just as you did before, beside the folder icon and file name, click on the three small vertically-orientated dots” at the right of the file name to reveal the context menu. Choose Share > Copy Link.
Establish a project document
With One Drive
To access the Microsoft programs, once you have logged into M365 (that is, go to <office.com> and “sign in”, and click on the icon at the top-right corner of the page), look at the top-left corner of the “Welcome to Microsoft 365” front page, at the small “grid-like” icon immediately to the left of the Emily Carr emblem.
Doing so will then open another window, from which you can access:
Doing so will then open another window, from which you can access:
- Doing so will then open another window, from which you can access:
- OneDrive
- Outlook
- Word
- Excel
- PowerPoint
- And more
Click on Word. From that page, from “Create New”, choose “Blank Document.”
You will want to save it as <project_document> in the Project Folder that you have already set up, described in the section above.
To share the document, follow the same steps as sharing the Project Folder, also listed above.
With Google Drive
From here, you will be able to link to a given word document, slide presentation, spreadsheet, or movie from another document like a project blog.
Referring to the upper left corner of the Chrome browser window, click on New. Pull down and select one of the list:
- Google Doc
- Google Sheet
- Google Slide
You’ll probably want a Blank version, but Template will do as well.
You will want to save it in the Project Folder that you have probably already set up, described in the section above.
To share the Project Document, follow the same steps as sharing the Project Folder, also listed above.