Environment
U-M Google, Drive
Issue
- Is there any way to transfer ownership of Google files/folders from an individual who is no longer with the university to an actively affiliated individual?
- Some of my Google Drive files were owned by another individual who left the university. I need them transferred to me/another individual at U-M. What should I do?
Resolution
It is critical that your department/unit works with the departing individual as part of offboarding to have ownership of university business-related files/folders transferred to another individual at U-M or, preferably, a Google shared drive owned by your unit before they leave. If this has not happened and ownership still needs to be transferred even though the individual has already departed, follow the suggestions below based on the specific situation.
Important: The following suggestions require you to know whether the departed individual still has access to their U-M Google account or not. You can check their affiliations by searching for their name or uniqname in the MCommunity Directory and viewing their profile. If they still have affiliations, such as alum, retiree, or a remaining role in a different unit, then follow the suggestions in the “has access” section below. Otherwise, follow the suggestions in the “doesn't have access” section.
The individual still has access to their Google account
The departing individual may still have access to their Google account if they are a U-M alum or retiree (who keep their Google accounts when they leave) or have other remaining roles which grant them access to their account (such as a sponsorship in a different unit).
If this is the case, the best course of action is to ask your department/unit to reach out to the individual who owns the files and request that they transfer ownership themselves.
Follow the steps in Article ID: 9248 for instructions on gathering a list of links to files (and folders) that need to be transferred to then share it with the departed individual. Ask them to refer to Transfer Ownership of Files and Folders in Google Drive for instructions on how to transfer ownership of files (and folders) to another individual within your team and/or to a Google shared drive owned by your team.
Remember: Ownership is not cascading in Google. If the individual only transfers ownership of a folder that contains files you need, the ownership of all files/folders within that folder does not change. The individual will need to transfer ownership of every file and folder within the folder structure.
The above reminder is just one of many reasons that ITS recommends using Google shared drives for storage of university data (specifically Google file types, like Docs, Sheets, and Slides) to ensure your department/unit does not lose access to or ownership of important files/folders when an employee leaves. Instructions for transferring ownership of data to a shared drive are provided in the documentation referenced above.
The individual doesn’t have access to their Google account (i.e., suspended)
Refer to Claim Data Owned By Non-Affiliated Google Accounts for more information.
If the individual no longer has access to their Google account because they left and are no longer affiliated with U-M, there is a 90-day period beginning on the day they lose all affiliations before the account and its associated data are deleted.
Request Assistance from ITS
If none of the above resolve your issue, work with your unit HR representative to have them complete the Access to Employee-Held Data for U-M Units form, and an ITS staff member will assist you.
Additional Information
Review Leaving U-M for additional information on processes that occur when someone leaves the university.
Need additional information or assistance? Contact the ITS Service Center.