In Google Drive, files can't be stored in multiple locations. Instead, shortcuts are used. Learn more from Google Workspace Updates: Expanding shortcuts in Google Drive, reducing unorganized files.

This impacts move operations in some Team Folders.

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Which Team Folders are affected?

The shortcut feature in Google Drive has a small impact on move operations in Team Folders in which one of the following settings are defined:

• Uniform permissions are defined for the Permission propagation setting – learn more: Define the permissions mode
• Administrators only is defined for the Who can change permissions setting – learn more: Define who can change the sharing permissions

Note: Secured Folders, Document Management libraries, and Team folders in which all users can change permissions are not affected by shortcuts in Google Drive.

What’s the impact on move operations?

Google Drive considers that moving a file or subfolder in Google Drive changes its permissions. This doesn’t affect how standard Google Drive functions because all users with edit access can change the permissions of files and folders.

However, if one of the settings described above is active in your Team Folder, contributors can no longer move files. This is because moving files may involve changing permissions.

Your contributors need to be able to move files in Team Folders, so a workaround is available in AODocs.

Summary of the workaround

If the setting Interpret internal shortcuts as move operation is active in the Team Folder’s library security:

1. When a user moves a document or folder in the Google Drive interface, AODocs creates a temporary shortcut.

2. AODocs moves the document or folder and then deletes the shortcut.

As an administrator, make sure users can move documents and folders in Team Folders

1. Open the library security of a Team Folder in which one of the following settings are defined:

• uniform permission propagation
• only administrators can change the sharing permissions

2. Select the Root folder permissions tab.

3. Select the checkbox Interpret internal shortcuts as move operations.

When you activate this option, all internal shortcuts in your library are interpreted as move operations.

Important: If there are any existing internal shortcuts in your library, the documents or folders concerned will be automatically moved to the location of the internal shortcut.

4. Click Save.

As a user, move documents and folders in Team Folders using Google Drive

Notes:
– Only move operations in Google Drive are impacted by the behavior or shortcuts in Google Drive. You can move documents or folders using the AODocs interface as standard. In AODocs, you can move several files and folders in one go. Learn more: Move documents or folders to a different folder in the AODocs interface.
– If you have the Smarbar installed and have access to the root level of the Team Folder, you can use the Move to button provided by the Smartbar to move your files and folders individually. Learn more: Move files or folders to a different folder – in Google Drive.
If the setting Interpret internal shortcuts as move operation is active in your Team Folder, there are two ways to move documents and folders:

• drag and drop to a new location: a shortcut is created, AODocs then moves the document or folder and deletes the shortcut
• create a shortcut via the drop-down menu: AODocs interprets the shortcut you create as a move operation, so moves the document or folder, and then deletes the shortcut

Create a shortcut (perform a move operation) by drag and drop

1. Drag and drop a document or folder to the required location.

2. Click Add shortcut in the dialog Add to shared folder?

AODocs creates a temporary shortcut. A message appears at the bottom of your screen. AODocs then moves the selected document or folder, and then removes the shortcut.

You can now access your document or folder in its new location.

Note: You can’t drag and drop documents and folders via the breadcrumb. Learn more: Limitations.

Create a shortcut (perform a move operation) via the drop-down menu

1. Right-click the document or folder you want to move.

2. Select Organize > Add shortcut in the pop-up menu.

3. Select the required folder.

You can select any folder in the library, including the root.

4. Click Add.

AODocs creates a temporary shortcut, moves the selected document or folder, and then removes the shortcut.

You can now access your document or folder in its new location.

Limitations

• It may take a few seconds for AODocs to delete the shortcut and move the file.
• You can’t drag and drop documents and folders via the breadcrumb, due to inconsistencies in the way Google Drive implements the shortcuts. Instead, drag and drop your document or folder to a new location in the main Google Drive screen or create a shortcut.
• The Move option isn’t available in the right-click menu because it requires the right to change permissions.

Instead, move your document or folder by drag and drop or create a shortcut.

• You can’t set up internal shortcuts in the Team Folder. This is because all internal shortcuts are interpreted as move operations. If there are any existing internal shortcuts in your library when you activate the option Interpret internal shortcuts as move operations, the documents or folders concerned will be moved automatically to the location of the internal shortcut.

You can set up shortcuts in Google Drive outside the Team Folder.