Move shared folder from my team member folder to team space

[chrismcfarling]

I'm using a business account and someone has shared a folder with me. This shared folder is in my team member folder where no one else on my team can access it. When I try to move it into the team space I get an error saying that it can't be moved.

How can I make a folder that has been shared from an external user available to the entire team?

[Fiona · Accepted solution]

Hey @chrismcfarling. Thanks for this question. 

If the user is not a member of the team, the system doesn't allow you to move it in your Team space to protect the owner's privacy. The owner might not want the rest of the users to see his folder. 

The solution would be to become the owner! How?

• Copy the folder. The copy will be owned by you and you can put it in the Team space.

Note The copy will not sync with the original folder. 

• Ask the owner to transfer ownership. Please find the steps to transfer ownership of a shared folder here. 

Let me know which solution could work better for you and any other questions you might have. 

Thank you! 

[chrismcfarling]

Duplicating the folder is not really desirable for several reasons. Having the original sender change ownership is probably the best approach. Although I see that as having some potential drawbacks as well.

Ideally the sender would be able to share directly with my team right at the start. I guess that would be a feature request.

[Fiona]

He can!  If he has the email addresses of your team members he could easily share with them. 

If he does that you will all see the folder in your purple folders and not in the Team space, though.

Hope this helps! 

[chrismcfarling]

Yeah but I don't think that's a great solution either. The whole point of having the team is so that everyone can access common data on the team space. Doing that would put some of the common data in the individual team member folders. I'd rather have it all in the team space.

[Fiona]

I completely understand that teams want to have team stuff in their team space. Sounds funny but I can't find another way to phrase this.  (team-team-team) 

The folder we are talking about though, is  created by a non team member, so as explained, there are safeguards to protect the owner's privacy. If the owner doesn't take action, as suggested the folder cannot be moved in a Team location. Data security is the barrier here. 

If the folder is shared with all of you, you will all have access, like team folders. The only difference is that the folder location will be in each members purple folder. 

I hope this clarifies matters. Thank you for your feedback @chrismcfarling.