A simple move/copy function between SharePoint Online Document libraries/folders/files
SharePoint Online Document Libraries are missing possibly the two most basic and fundamental functions in the online portal:
- A move/cut function, which is missing altogether, both for folders and files
- A copy function, which although technically exists, is really over complicated for a function which has existed in a much simpler form in every document repository technology since the mid-1980s...
Currently, in order to move a file or folder from within the online portal between different libraries or even different folders within the same library...well the function just doesn't exist. So users need to either sync the site just to simply MOVE something or they need to Open in Explorer (and we all know how badly and slowly that works).
Secondly, in order to copy a file from within the online portal between different libraries or even different folders within the same library, I need to copy the URL of the target folder preemptively, then paste in the copy dialog box...should this be the procedure for simply copy/pasting something? Oh and that function's missing for folders...
So again users need to sync a site library or Open with Explorer just to simply copy paste something easily.
How does a document library product make it into production for years on end without having proper move/copy functionality? How does it even make it out of approval?
Rick McKeon
shared this idea
AdminSharePoint UserVoice Admin
(SharePoint UserVoice Admin, Microsoft SharePoint)
responded
Copy/Move within library, between libraries and across sites is now possible.
https://support.office.com/en-ie/article/move-or-copy-files-in-sharepoint-00e2f483-4df3-46be-a861-1f5f0c1a87bc?ui=en-US&rs=en-IE&ad=IE
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90 comments
Comments are closed-
Anonymous
commented
It seems that Microsoft SharePoint engineers think that only SharePoint administrators are the actual users of SharePoint and think that those administrators don't mind doing cool work-arounds for simple tasks (e.g. Powershell, jquery, blah blah). News Flash! Users WITHOUT admin smarts will not put up with NOT being able to simply move a stupid file from one SharePoint document library to another document library in the same site. Stop working on "sexy new features" and fix the old ones. You're killing user adoption. And 3rd party businesses are eventually going to replace you.
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AJ Brown
commented
Anyone hive an update for this? What I have been doing is using the "copy" option and then deleting the source file/folder.
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André
commented
@Peta, look at the comments below. Microsoft is very silent.....
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Peta
commented
Is there an update to this? We really need to disable the SharePoint online "View in Explorer"button from users due to security but before we do we need to know we can move data between libraries.
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André
commented
@Martin, have a look at this
https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Move-or-copy-items-from-a-SharePoint-document-library-00e2f483-4df3-46be-a861-1f5f0c1a87bc
Copy to other site(s) collections is possible, move to other site(s) site collections is not possible, only move within the site.
Drag and drop is not available.
It is a simple copy function...
Move is at this moment more complicated, you can only move a document to an existing folder in the same library. But this works with drop and drag and the move option in the grid once the document has been selected.If this helps you, please click the Like button
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Martin Coupal
commented
@André: Can you explain how you move files between libraries and site collections without doing a copy first and then delete?
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André
commented
Copy/move exists in the new UI of a library, not in the classic environment.
You can copy / move between folders, libraries, onedrive and other
site collections when you have the permissions to these sites.But you still cannot copy items with or without attachments to other lists. Please click on like if this helps you
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Jenn
commented
And, a year later it still does not exist.
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Anonymous
commented
I have never posted a comment, but really have to do so. We are a global company and we have--for better or worse--decided to use SharePoint as a global platform. It is really obvious that the product is highly immature and really not ready for enterprise use. Our users bitterly complain.about simple things. For example, moving a folder to another location even in the same library produces an error saying that the folder can't be moved because a specifically named document is NOT checked out. What?! When are you folks going to fix these basic issues? Please, please, fix this. I can understand if a folder has files checked out to people and you would be prevented from moving it for that reason. But because a file is NOT checked out?! MS Support cannot explain to me why that is and nobody at MS seems to know why. Our cases and tickets on this have been dropped because MS can't figure it out. In case anybody is interested in actually fixing this and wants to see it demonstrated, please contact me. You have my email address.
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Anonymous
commented
It's so so shit. Bizarre functionality gap!
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Anonymous
commented
Still not available...is frankly shocking! Why make the repository commercially available when the most BASIC functionalities are not available? Surely the most fundamental requirement is to be able to move files and folders to suit one's needs? What a mess!!!
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Ryan Helmer
commented
Another way to copy a document is via the New > Link function, but this is also frustratingly difficult to use. Unless the document shows up on the Recent list, how do you get an appropriate URL for a document elsewhere? The share/copy function creates a link for sharing, which is not the same kind of URL. The URL when opening the document in the browser is also not the right URL.
How does one obtain the correct URL to use with New > Link? Unless I'm missing something, the Link functionality is great, but seems not fully implemented.
Thank you for your work on this!
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Kim Smith
commented
Wow... 'working on it' - That was a year ago. This is pretty basic from a user point of view. Disappointed. When can we expect this to be added?
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Peter Whitehouse commented
Same as below the sort view for the destination folders is not in Alpha sort order. I believe this is a bug.
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Anonymous
commented
I am not sure if this is the correct place for this comment, I can copy/move a folder one place to another within Sharepoint online. The issue being that the folder destination is not in an Alpha sort view and appears in a random order. It could be nice to have this sorted.
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Adam
commented
I'm confused, this was working, we simply dragged files from one doc library to another then in the past 4 weeks, there was a change in the product. Now we can't do that. I can't move files outside its own doc library. I can copy but it makes this a two step process, copy into new library, delete from old library.
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André
commented
Latest update from Microsoft admin is : Working on it, dated October 18, 2016 almost a year ago. Any progress or news?
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Laurel
commented
Is there a way to move files between folders? So far I can't find a way at all!
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Tony Rockwell
commented
How about copy & paste for on-premise as well as a working version online?
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Lukas
commented
Any update on this?
