Project Folder/File Sync Best Practices for End Users
Project Folder/File Sync Best Practices for End Users
Please use the following guidelines to ensure best practices around syncing folders/files for your Procore projects to SharePoint and back to Procore.
Maintain Top-Level Folder Integrity
Please ensure that you are not renaming any of the top-level folders in Procore or SharePoint. Per the images below, the project name in Procore/SharePoint and the Documents/Photos/RFIs/Submittals folders that are created inside the project folder in SharePoint cannot be renamed or moved (highlighted in red). This will break the integration that your company admin has established for your team.
Edits or updates made within those folders will trigger the sync which runs every minute searching for changes in the background. Though the sync runs every minute searching for updates, the time the integration takes to fully sync the data will depend on the size of the data to be updated.
Please note: We also sync the RFI and Submittals PDF summary attachments automatically generated by Procore one-way to your SharePoint account to show the latest snapshot of RFI/Submittals statuses. If this tool isn't visible, it is because your team admin did not select to sync during set-up. If you have any questions, please contact your admin.
Procore | SharePoint |
File Size and Naming Guidelines
There are also some other important factors to consider when adding files in Procore or SharePoint to sync:
1. Please ensure individual files are not larger than 955 MB. Files of this size will need to be added manually into Procore or SharePoint as required.
2. Please ensure files are not 0KB in size. Adding a document as a template for later with no data inside it, for example, will be 0KB in size. These files are not able to be synced. The best practice here is to place at least one character inside the document to make it at least 1KB.
3. SharePoint has a maximum file path length limit of 400 characters. This includes the full directory path and the file name. Therefore, it's important to avoid using overly long folder or file names, as this can prevent successful syncing. In some versions of Microsoft Office 365, the character limit may be even lower, at 256 characters.
2. Please ensure files are not 0KB in size. Adding a document as a template for later with no data inside it, for example, will be 0KB in size. These files are not able to be synced. The best practice here is to place at least one character inside the document to make it at least 1KB.
3. SharePoint has a maximum file path length limit of 400 characters. This includes the full directory path and the file name. Therefore, it's important to avoid using overly long folder or file names, as this can prevent successful syncing. In some versions of Microsoft Office 365, the character limit may be even lower, at 256 characters.
Best Practice: Keep folder and file names concise and structured to avoid hitting these character limits. Reducing folder nesting can help minimize the overall path length.
Procore Considerations: While Procore itself does not impose strict limits on file name or path length, syncing issues may arise due to SharePoint and OneDrive restrictions. If a file path exceeds the SharePoint or OneDrive limit, the sync process may fail for those files.
4. In addition to length limitations, certain characters are not allowed in file or folder names in SharePoint or OneDrive, which may cause sync errors. Some of these invalid characters include:
* : < > ? / \ |Best Practice: Avoid using these characters in both file names and folder structures. Always adhere to SharePoint’s naming rules to avoid disruptions in synchronization.
For more detailed information about SharePoint and OneDrive restrictions, visit Microsoft’s official support page:
Restrictions and Limitations in OneDrive and SharePoint.
By adhering to these guidelines, you can minimize the risk of sync errors and ensure that your files synchronize smoothly between Procore and SharePoint.
Avoid Premature Deletions
Premature deleting – when you add a folder to sync (either in Procore or SharePoint) and it has folders/files within it, it will take some time to sync to the opposite application. Usually, the top folder is created first quite quickly, then the rest of the data in the folder you added will take more time to sync over. If someone deletes or moves that top level folder before it has had a chance to fully sync all the data inside it, it will cause a break in the sync of that folder. It is best to allow the folder to complete syncing first and then make any necessary changes.
Optimize Folder Structure
The flatter and shorter the folder structure, the better. Be mindful to keep the total folder and file paths as short as possible. Microsoft's path limitations vary from 400 characters maximum in OneDrive to as small as 256 characters maximum in SharePoint. Check with your admin to confirm any limitations pertaining to your current business plan. For ease of reference, here are all the limitations to be mindful of when working.
Understand Two-Way Sync Behavior
Both the Documents and Photos tools of a project support two-way synchronization, meaning any changes made within these folders will automatically be reflected in Procore. You can rename, move, delete, or add files within these Documents and Photos folders, and the changes will be mirrored in Procore accordingly.
However, if you move a file outside of these folders (Documents and Photos) to another project or a different location in SharePoint, the changes will not be mirrored in Procore. This is because Procore only syncs files located within its designated Project Documents and Photos tool folders. As a result, if a file is moved outside of these folders in SharePoint, it will remain unsynced in the SyncEzy file manager. The file will appear as unsynced from SharePoint’s side because it is no longer part of the synced Procore folders.
To resolve the issue, you can either move the file back to its original location in SharePoint or manually delete it from Procore. Since the file has been moved to a new location in SharePoint, it is treated as a new file and synced to Procore from that location if that project is also configured to Sync.
To resolve the issue, you can either move the file back to its original location in SharePoint or manually delete it from Procore. Since the file has been moved to a new location in SharePoint, it is treated as a new file and synced to Procore from that location if that project is also configured to Sync.
We work within the limitations of both systems to bridge the gap as best as we can, however, there are a few ways a user can break the sync so please take note of these and share with your colleagues as required.
Still have questions? Reference our FAQ Guide, contact your team's admin to clarify or please email support@syncezy.com 24 hours a day, 5 days a week.
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