Problem with Office 365 and Windows 8

[questorfla]

I posted this in the other software forum as well.  Normally I would not waste electronic space but this is an Urgent request for any information that might be of help.

Does anyone have any info on a way to prevent Office 365 from EVER using Offline mode.  I understand the reasons for it but I have a lot of people who don't.  When they hit send, if the item says it sent, they expect it to be gone.  Then the recipient may not get the item for hours because it really did NOT get sent but put in a cache waiting for the next internet connection.  There is not indication to the sender (or not one they ever see) that this item did not really g out.  It is not in the Outbox and shows in the Sent box.
And eventually it does send.  But on items of an Urgent nature this is a  Nightmare!

I can even understand their reasons for the request, they just want Outlook to work the way it always has.  I have tried to research this but it almost looks like no one even wants to discuss it.
If she hits SEND, and it does NOT really go out for whatever reason, she wants it to show that by staying in her OUTBOX so she KNOWS it is not sent.

All attempts to explain the "new way" that Microsoft forced on everyone with the "OneDrive" default has been a total nightmare at most businesses.  and If there is NO other way, I might have to suggest they go back to Office 2010.  Although I am not even sure that is possible as far as importing the new PST file from Outlook 2013 (365)  into Outlook 2010.

This company uses Outlook like a Giant Filing Cabinet and learning NEW ways here is not a good thing.  The new laptops all come Windows 8 preloaded with Office 365 ready to go.  I know Office 2010 works fine on windows 8 as I build my OWN systems for my use and for the servers.  They run Office 2010 with no problem on windows 8 and Server 2012.

So right now, any help would be appreciated.  I just spent 3 days to find a way to unravel the "OneDrive" default and get rid of it.  Most people here did not even notice that they were defaulting to ONEDRIVE instead of their local systems other than complaints about the OPEN and SAVE being SLOW.  I almost missed it myself.  The only evidence being the address bar on SAVE showing
"httP://" instead of c:\

Getting rid of ONEDRIVE is worse than a cockroach infestation.  It just wont go away.  In addition is played havoc with locally mapped network drives in our office. 

Right now my only concern is Outlook 365 as this is a desperate request direct from the Owner and I hate to tell her I simply don't know the answer yet.  I hope someone here does.



 

 
 
 

[40hz]

This company uses Outlook like a Giant Filing Cabinet and learning NEW ways here is not a good thing.

-questorfla (March 11, 2014, 01:32 PM)

Note: Although this doesn't address your question, I can't help but point out that using Outlook as a "giant filing cabinet" is an extremely bad idea for more reasons than I have time to go into. Even Microsoft frowns on using it for that.

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Regarding Office 365, it's ultimately a subscription service designed to work with and as part of Microsoft's cloud infrastructure. I don't believe there's any way for the "enterprise" pieces of the equation that access hosted services (i.e. SharePoint, Exchange, etc.) to be set to not go through the cloud or use OneDrive. You can keep a locally sync-ed copy of data for convenience in offline use. But the minute you connect it's back to business "as usual" - and "usual" means the way Microsoft thinks it should be done.

FWIW, I don't think it's so much that nobody wants to talk about it as there's really nothing to talk about. Office 365 is what it is. And as I've pointed out to some of my clients, it's not the answer for every user or business. If your workflow fits the model, it's a great product. If not, you'll need to look elsewhere because there's not much the customer can do to change the way it works.

I'd contact Microsoft's O365 support, explain the problem, and ask just in case there's something you missed or can do. Support is included as part of the subscription. They can say better than me if there is some workaround. But I wouldn't be at all surprised if there isn't.



Luck.

[Stoic Joker]

This company uses Outlook like a Giant Filing Cabinet and learning NEW ways here is not a good thing.

-questorfla (March 11, 2014, 01:32 PM)

Note: Although this doesn't address your question, I can't help but point out that using Outlook as a "giant filing cabinet" is an extremely bad idea for more reasons than I have time to go into. Even Microsoft frowns on using it for that.

-40hz (March 11, 2014, 01:56 PM)

Did you wince when you read that too?

But seriously man, something here don't sound right. Open/Save defaults to OneDrive?!? That just doesn't strike me as normal at all. I just setup a Office365/Exchange client (in a workgroup (eek)) a few weeks ago and they aren't defaulting to Live/Sky/OneDrive. I'm thinking that maybe they (got screwed) are logging into Windows 8 with a Microsoft account instead of a Local Machine account...and that is forcing everything skyward.

Or have you seen this behavior in a "normal" deployment before?

[40hz]

Did you wince when you read that too?

-Stoic Joker (March 11, 2014, 03:03 PM)

More like grimaced and looked for a clear line to the nearest exit...

Or have you seen this behavior in a "normal" deployment before?

-Stoic Joker (March 11, 2014, 03:03 PM)

Truth is I was thinking Exchange when I said OneDrive. (<*facepalm*> I am sooo not with it today!) And yeah...it does sound like it's a problem with the original Win8 setup...

Because Exchange Online works just fine from my experience too. Fast as any local server I've ever worked with - and far better than a local one that wasn't set up right. And Exchange Online is what they should be using with O365...and Onedrive doesn't really have anything to do with that...so it's gotta be the Windows setup on the local machines.

Yeah...he's gonna need to look at his user account setups and see what's what there.

The new laptops all come Windows 8 preloaded with Office 365 ready to go.

-questorfla (March 11, 2014, 01:32 PM)

Whatever company (or business owner's nephew) is setting up these boxes for them has some explaining to do. Sounds like they come from one of the "big box" stores doesn't it?

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Oh yeah...additional question for questorfla: Which versions of Office 365 and Windows 8 are they running?

[questorfla]

I will try to answer as best as I can.
(1)  Outlook 365 IS for all intents Outlook 2013.
I don't want to start an argument on that part but it can be easily tested by installing 365 and disconnect the internet.  Word, Excel, All of it, Will continue to work fine no matter how far in the future you run the clock.
I have read multiple posts on this and to be honest I don't know who to believe.  BUT, ALL laptops I have seen in the past 3 months ALWAYS have Office 365 TRIAL preloaded.
With a major PUSH toward using it.
Also, until about a week ago, there wasn't a real issue at all.  If you clicked Browse, the system would BROWSE your local C drive.
True, you COULD click your SKYDRIVE account and browse it too but it was NOT the default.  NOW as of about a week or so ago, it is.
this is reflected in numerous posts all over the web,.
     http://answers.micro...0e-a513-0a3a17b7700a

I have reams of printout that I am going through trying to find the way to make this not happen.  There are so many threads where others are also looking I cant keep up with them all.  The best suggestion I have seen yet is to simply dump 365 for Office 2010.
    http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/31690-onedrive-save-documents-default-windows-8-1-a.html

It isn't so much that ONEDRIVE (aka SkyDrive)   CAN be used, it is that you are forced to do it since a Windows 8.1 upgrade.

We just had one girl who was used to browsing to the location to save her documents.  Now when she uses Browse in Word to Find a folder, it takes her to her ONEDRIVE (she did not even sign up  for it).  She started asking me what was wrong with out internet because it took so long now to just save a document.

  http://winsupersite.com/windows-8/windows-81-skydrive

As stated in the link above this was all done in a Pushed patch on a MS Tuesday update.
no one was ready for it.  It is my belief that since she happened to use her personal email name in her HOME system setup that when she added it to her Office system, it automatically linked it to her Home SkyDrive,  But whatever the reason, we cannot get rid of it.

I appreciate all comments and no these systems were not built by a nephew of the company,  These are brand new Dell, HP, and Toshiba Laptops.  But to be honest the DELL's were the first and the worst offenders.

At least so far.

[questorfla]

Sorry missed the last one.
Window 8.1 and Office 365 with all updates.  On Office 365  there is only one version that I know of?

[40hz]

Hi!

Thanks for the info. I see it's Windows 8.1.

By version of Office 365 I meant which plan. I'm guessing its either Office 365 Small Business Premium or Office 365 Midsize Business?

installing 365 and disconnect the internet.  Word, Excel, All of it, Will continue to work fine no matter how far in the future you run the clock.

-questorfla (March 11, 2014, 09:29 PM)

Um...your clock is not how Microsoft checks on your subscription status. That would be far too easy to manipulate. It uses your assigned licenses for verification.

Ok...let me see what I can find out about that alleged Win 8.1 snafu. Be back!

[questorfla]

I appreciate the help and all.  The "snafu" at this point has two components (I Think!)
One is probably not related to the other.  The OneDrive issue is a person gripe.  Only the two people who have DELL's are affected.  I checked.
The Default setup with OneDrive is not changed in a couple of others.  This is a recent (s of last Friday) complaint that was dumped in my lap so I have not thoroughly researched it yet.  But I have spent MANY hours of reading. It is just an "issue" with me that it is even possible for someone to be saving document in a CLOUD drive and not be made 100% aware of the fact.

The other one is the "time to send" that lapses from the click of the SEND button on the email to the time it actually leaves you laptop.
That is a clear as I can make it I guess.

And Why will it proceed to send faster if the User Also clicks the real Send/Receive button.

Personally, I believe it is directly related to the manner in which they use Outlook as a filing cabinet.
But I cannot explain why the extra click speeds things up.

Their PST files are beyond HUGE!  And I am certain they are bloated to enormous proportions.
If I could reconcile the reason for the extra click working I might get a "pass" from the owner.
But I am certain it is more that Outlook has to file that tiny single email somewhere in the GIGANTIC LOCKER of her 13GB PST file.
13GB is not even unusual.  I  have seen 17GB.  I have also seen a 15GB PST that just completely blew up.  I have warned them repeatedly but they want results, not warnings.

Yet they refuse to change for POP/SMTP for reasons of...
Call it Techno-Fear.  They don't Understand IMAP even though their cellphones and IPAD's all use it.

The thing is, they want to be able to "look back' at every single email hey sent or received for over 3 years and they want it all right at hand.

At one point, I did experiment with creating additional PST data files that outlook is Very happy to open and list in the Navigation panel.  But the one time I did that, it worked until she got a new laptop.  That one had Office 365.  The only way to get her email Into it (and not worry about problems) was to IMPORT and that screwed up my nice organized 15 PST files of 1GB each instead of one 15GB pst file.

It took me the better part of a day to do it once.  I don't want to try again and not even sure Outlook 2013/365 would work that way.

(It also creates a bunch of unnecessary folders in each PST by default which I had a heckuva time getting "hidden" as they cannot be deleted apparently.  Like extra Sent and extra "deleted" etc.   an extra set of default folders for each pst.  The PST's were just the places she files all of her email and it worked out much better.  A filing cabinet that WORKED like a filing cabinet and No Problems with Bloated PST files.
Just Too Much work to set it all up.

.