Embedded Files
Below is a practical approach for schools looking to streamline their file management systems.
Over time, files may have become scattered across various platforms, creating inefficiencies in access and collaboration. This guide walks you through locating files, designing an ideal future structure, engaging with digital support teams, and setting up a well-organised cloud-based system. It emphasises staff involvement, proper training, and careful planning for a smooth transition, ensuring your school can enhance productivity and maintain consistency in file storage.
11 Steps to a successful migration
11 Steps to a successful migration
1. Locate where your files currently reside
1. Locate where your files currently reside
Over time, our school files can become disorganised and reside in different locations, across different platforms. As part of the file migration process, it is a good idea to locate where all your files are, in order to bring them into a well organised hub that is easy to access.
It is common in schools to have files sitting in a variety of locations e.g Faculty T:Drive, Google Shared Drive, Personal OneDrive, USBs/Hard drives or in various Microsoft SharePoint spaces.
This is often due to different teams, stages or faculties setting up their own working spaces. This can cause issues in the long term with consistency, ease of access, security and productivity.
Take the time to investigate and map out where all existing school resources are stored in order to plan for a new, well organised, easy to access file storage structure.
2. Engage with Digital Support Team (DST)
2. Engage with Digital Support Team (DST)
The Digital Support Team are part of the Technology Enablement division of the Information Technology Directorate.
This team has done extensive work to help schools navigate a number of elements when it comes to cloud usage, including:
platform choice for your school
efficient file structures
cloud file workflows
PL for staff groups (Office/Support, Teaching, Executive)
Reach out to the DST via email - t4linnovations@det.nsw.edu.au - or Submit a request via our form below - or log a request via EdConnect.
3. What is the ideal future state?
3. What is the ideal future state?
Discuss current pain points and workflow issues.
Spend some time with school executive (including office staff) or as a whole school staff to discuss and identify what is working well and what an ideal setup would look and feel like. A staff survey or group discussion/ staff meeting could facilitate this.
Some guiding questions could be:
Describe your current file structure.
What elements work really well and what does not?
Are there any elements that are a 'must have'?
Are there any pain points you would like to avoid?
What is the ideal future state?
Is there a wish list? "we wish it could do..."
Are there particular workflows that need a bespoke setup?
How can we balance consistency with unique design?
4. Engage with Digital Field Services (DFS)
4. Engage with Digital Field Services (DFS)
Discuss digital infrastructure considerations with Digital Field Services (DFS).
A move to the cloud means that you will have a greater dependence on your school's digital hardware infrastructure.
Considerations to explore with your local DFS team:
Internet connection (bandwidth)
Internal network infrastructure
Wireless access points are adequate
Log a request via EdConnect:
5. Design a file structure (as per example)
5. Design a file structure (as per example)
Utilise recommended file structures to develop a fit for purpose design for your school.
It is vital for ease of access, productivity and security to create a fresh and efficient file structure for your school.
This file migration is the perfect opportunity to design a structure that works for everyone, is simple to navigate, promotes collaboration, is easily searchable and ensures correct permissions are enforced.
Design your file structure in consultation with your executive/leadership (including the SASS and front office/admin) team.
We recommend starting with the suggested file structures and then you can adapt these to suit your school.
Having a consistent file structure is key. You should be able to navigate to any Faculty or Stage and see at least the first six folders being the same. This way all staff can navigate your file space with ease.
6. Discuss structure with staff
6. Discuss structure with staff
Once you have planned a draft file structure that you feel will work, its recommended to have an open feedback session with staff.
As mentioned previously, consistency is the key. So this is a good time to set non-negotiables to help keep your file structure functional and tidy.
For example, what are the key six or so consistent folders? What can't be changed or deleted? Where do programs go? When and where can new folders be created? Who is responsible for each section of the faculty space?
Naming conventions for files is also an important topic. Discuss how files should be named so they can be easily found in a search and archived efficiently.
7. Set up file structure in chosen platform
7. Set up file structure in chosen platform
Now that your plan is set, it's time to start to build your new file space.
If you have chosen MS Teams you will want to create your team, set the channels and make the key folders throughout. You will also want to review the member settings and check to see your permissions are all set. In teams you can set Private channels as well as set access rights to particular folders if you choose.
If you have chosen Google, then you will need to create your Google Shared Drive space(s) and build out your folders. Member settings are a little simpler and straight forward.
All teachers should have read/write access.
Every file space, private channel or shared channel should have at least two Owners/Managers for redundancy purposes.
8. Staff PL plan
8. Staff PL plan
What training does your staff need? Who will deliver it?
With anything new in teaching, professional development is pivotal for success.
It is important to identify what PL your staff will require and then who will deliver those sessions.
When looking at file migration, how to work in these new spaces is the most important thing to understand. You will need to draw comparisons to where they files used to be, to where they are now - as well as how you used to do something, and what that process is now.
What are the capabilities of your new file platform? What will save you time? How will this system offer better productivity?
The DST can support this phase.
9. Define a migration plan
9. Define a migration plan
Now that everything has been created, staff know how to use your chosen platform - it's time to plan the migration of the files themselves. This plan should be communicated with staff. It is essential to communicate when they will be restricted from using the old system and the new system goes live.
File cleanup / Archive
A large number of files are un-needed or duplicates.
Decide which files can be deleted.
Would you like to archive some of these files. (Setting up an archive space is a great way to move files that aren't actively needed to a space where they can be easy accessed if required).
You can choose to use your existing file space as this archive and only migrate the files that are actively in use (the last 2-3 years' worth).
Set a date and a time for the migration.
Identify what files will be migrated. This depends on part 1 (File Clean-up/Archive).
Will the school need to deploy software? e.g. MS Teams app, Google Drive for desktop etc.
Staff members should make sure they have set up the desktop syncing applications on their devices (This may be part of the PL).
Who will complete the file migration?
Which teacher/TSO/team at your school will do the file movement?
Over what time period? (a day/a week/school holidays/in batches?)
If you need further assistance - contact EdConnect, DFS or the DST .
10. Set legacy drives (Faculty Drive) to read only
10. Set legacy drives (Faculty Drive) to read only
Once all files have been moved to their new home, it is recommended to set the old systems (Faculty Drive) to read-only.
If you have moved from your schools Faculty T:Drive, then you will need to contact EdConnect and request that it be set to read-only. This then creates an archive or a backup space for historical files.
For any legacy cloud locations, these can be set to read-only by the Owner/Manager or deleted entirely if not needed.
11. Staff move their own U:Drive to a cloud storage space
11. Staff move their own U:Drive to a cloud storage space
To complete the migration process and to enable smooth transfer of personal data to shared spaces we highly recommend each individual staff member and students move a copy of their own data from their U:Drive to a personal cloud location, either Microsoft OneDrive or Google MyDrive.
If there is no particular preference we recommend aligning with the school's platform of choice.
Microsoft Teams + OneDrive
Google Shared Drives + Google MyDrive
Staff can choose whichever personal storage option they like if they have a preference and or are familiar with one or the other.
See the how-to video guides by clicking the blue buttons or visit the T4L Cloud Storage and Workflows website for more information.
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