Preserve your work and identify the latest version
Do not immediately delete the local folder, unlink the account or reinstall the application. If changes have not uploaded, first save a separate copy of the affected document to an approved location outside the folder being investigated. Keep that copy under company control, not in personal email.
Ask colleagues to pause editing the affected document. Compare the content and modification times of local and web copies. Names such as “final” and “final2” are not reliable evidence: open the document and check the actual changes.
Check the account, location and error message
A computer can contain both personal and business OneDrive accounts. Check which account owns the folder and whether the document is actually in the library your team uses. A file on the Desktop is not automatically part of a shared library.
Open the OneDrive status panel and record the error text. Microsoft's sync troubleshooting guide distinguishes paused sync, sign-in problems, full storage and other states. Exceeding the storage quota prevents new files from uploading or syncing normally.
One file, one computer or the whole company?
- One document: save your work, close the application using it and inspect the reported file issue.
- One computer: compare access to the library in a browser and check sign-in, connectivity, local disk space and sync status.
- One library: test access with another authorised account and check whether permissions have changed.
- Several employees: an administrator should check Microsoft 365 service health and recent shared configuration changes.
This sequence narrows the investigation. If everyone can access the current document online but one computer has an older copy, changing permissions for the entire company is not an appropriate first step.
Locked files and conflicting versions
“This file can't be synced” can require different actions depending on the cause. Microsoft notes that a file currently in use may finish syncing once work is saved and its application is closed; see the guidance for this error.
If two edited copies exist, do not automatically overwrite one with the other. The document owner should compare their contents, combine the required changes and save the agreed version in the correct location. Deciding which business content is correct is separate from repairing synchronisation.
When shared document organisation needs attention
If problems recur whenever someone joins the team, or important documents are shared from individuals' personal folders, review how the team works. Define a home for team documents, a library owner and access permissions. SharePoint libraries also have their own Microsoft sync guidance.
Synchronisation is not a standalone recovery plan. Deletions or incorrect edits can propagate; available version recovery depends on the system and configuration. For critical business data, agree and test a recovery process. Our business backup guide explains the wider planning considerations.
NBG TEAM support for OneDrive and business documents
NBG TEAM can review your OneDrive and Microsoft 365 environment, staff access and file-sharing arrangements. We aim to identify the cause, preserve working versions and agree a clearer process for documents used by several people.
For businesses in Belgrade and New Belgrade, explore our IT support services or report a synchronisation issue. Include the number of affected computers, the error text and whether the latest version is visible in a browser. Do not send passwords or an entire business folder.
Related guide: A practical guide to business backups.