Question about versioning

[Velvis]

A client had an issue with being unable to open their most important Excel file. Seems somehow the extension got changed from xlsm to xlsx. So that problem is solved.

Anyways before figuring that out I was trying to find a versioned copy but there was none.

She is a M365 user with access to a work sharepoint site. However this file was saved to her desktop and her desktop is backed up to her work OneDrive account.

I tried turning on Windows 10 versioning but it said it needed an external storage device to do so. I was under the impression when file versioning Windows just kept earlier versions of files on the hard drive.

I was somewhat surprised I couldn't find a previous version of the document.

What's the proper way to implement this so its not an issue in the future?

 

[nlinecomputers]

A client had an issue with being unable to open their most important Excel file. Seems somehow the extension got changed from xlsm to xlsx. So that problem is solved.

Anyways before figuring that out I was trying to find a versioned copy but there was none.

She is a M365 user with access to a work sharepoint site. However this file was saved to her desktop and her desktop is backed up to her work OneDrive account.

I tried turning on Windows 10 versioning but it said it needed an external storage device to do so. I was under the impression when file versioning Windows just kept earlier versions of files on the hard drive.

I was somewhat surprised I couldn't find a previous version of the document.

What's the proper way to implement this so its not an issue in the future?

Don’t store files on the desktop. Keep files in your OneDrive stack. The only way to get versioning on the desktop is to use a third party backup. Use OneDrive the correct way and it’s not an issue.

 

[Porthos]

Doesn't one drive backup Desktop, Documents, and Pictures?
The consumer one does.

 

[nlinecomputers]

Doesn't one drive backup Desktop, Documents, and Pictures?
The consumer one does.

It backs them up, but it doesn’t version them.

 

[Porthos]

It backs them up, but it doesn’t version them.

I just tried a few but I found versions of this file.

 

[Porthos]

 

[Velvis]

So oddly, the Excel file I changed the extension from xlsx to xlsm is not the correct file. To further clarify, CorrectFileName.xlsx would not open with an error about wrong file type. I renamed it CorrectFileName.xlsm but the user says that is a different Excel spreadsheet all together. Weird.

Anyone have any ideas what could be going on here?

 

[Velvis]

I just tried a few but I found versions of this file.
View attachment 14077

How do you get to this area to look for older versions?

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

It backs them up, but it doesn’t version them.

Yes it does.
By default, OneDriveForBusiness backs up the users Desktop, Docs, and Pictures. When they were introducing that feature to backup those 3 user folders, you had to manually turn on capturing those folders via the "Backup tab".

By default, ANY/ALL MS Office files that are kept in any folders that OneDrive protects....have versioning enabled. Since the OneDrive sync client is responsible for syncing Teams/SP Document Libraries to Windows File Explorer...this versioning includes those also.

It's a wonderful feature, except...for users of "templates"...learn to open a template, save a renamed copy...and then start from there. Else, you lost your template starting with the first keystroke.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

How do you get to this area to look for older versions?

Right click the file you wish to restore....select "Version History" from the menu....

 

[Porthos]

How do you get to this area to look for older versions?

One Drive web interface.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

They brought the dialog box on the local OneDrive client a while ago, you don't need to go in via web interface anymore, big time saver.
Just right click the file you wish to roll back.

 

[Velvis]

Yes it does.
By default, OneDriveForBusiness backs up the users Desktop, Docs, and Pictures. When they were introducing that feature to backup those 3 user folders, you had to manually turn on capturing those folders via the "Backup tab".

By default, ANY/ALL MS Office files that are kept in any folders that OneDrive protects....have versioning enabled. Since the OneDrive sync client is responsible for syncing Teams/SP Document Libraries to Windows File Explorer...this versioning includes those also.

It's a wonderful feature, except...for users of "templates"...learn to open a template, save a renamed copy...and then start from there. Else, you lost your template starting with the first keystroke.

So she has the backup turned on from the backup tab, but I don't see any backups or previous versions.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Has she been signed in? What version of Windows 10? Is the OneDrive sync client fairly up to date?

 

[Velvis]

Has she been signed in? What version of Windows 10? Is the OneDrive sync client fairly up to date?

So, I was able to find and old copy of the spreadsheet. I still dont understand why all of a sudden a different spreadsheet had the same name as the one she was looking for though.

But what I did notice is the auto save was off and when I tried to turn it on it said the spreadsheet is encrypted. (It has a password so I am assuming that is why.)