1. Navigate the appropriate drive (T:, S:, P:) and locate the folder that the file you need to restore to a previous version was contained in (this applies to files that were deleted as well)
    
    
2. Right-Click on the folder and select Properties
    
    
3. On the folder’s properties dialog box, click the Previous Versions tab.
    
    
4. On the Previous Versions tab, select one of the snapshot dates and times that may contain the version of the document you desire (or the entire document if it was deleted) by clicking on it once.
    
    
5. Click the View button to view the folder’s contents from that date and time. Note: The folder window will open and show the name of the folder along with the date and time of that previous version.
    
    
6. Locate the file in question and open it by double-clicking on it.
   • If you are restoring a deleted file and the file is not shown in the chosen date and time, close this window and repeat steps 4 and 5, selecting a different date and time to view, until you locate the file.
      
7. Ensure that the previous version selected is the version you would like to restore.
   • If it is not the version you would like to restore, close the file and the folder window from the previous version selected, and repeat steps 4 through 7, choosing a different date and time to view until you locate the version desired.
      
8. Once you have the desired version, simply copy it to a location of your choice. Use one of the following methods to do this:
   • Select the file, head to the Edit menu, and choose Copy.
     
      
     Open the new location for the file, head to the Edit menu and select Paste.
     
   • Drag the file from the previous version folder to the location desired. Note: if you drag the previous version of the file to the current version of the folder and the file already exists there, you will be prompted to overwrite it. Only do so if you are certain you do not want the current version of the file.
   • Open the previous version of the file to view it, and save the file to a new location from the application.
      
9. Close out of the previous version of the folder by clicking the X located on the top right corner of the window.
    
10. Click OK on the folder’s Properties Box to close it.

What are Snapshots and Previous Versions?

A Snapshot is a copy of a set of files and directories as they were at a particular point in the past (see Wikipedia article). Instead of backing up the files in a manner that is more secure and reliable but harder to access, Snapshots are readily available for your use. Previous Versions are versions of files and folders that are created when a snapshot is taken.

When are the Snapshots taken each day?

Our file server takes snapshots twice a day: Once at 9:00am, and once at 1:00pm. This means that throughout your workday, changes to your files are being captured by our server twice. This gives you more versions of the file that can be restored if need be. Our backup system will then capture the final version of the file at the end of the day.

What file storage locations have Previous Versions enabled?

• Your Personal Storage (My Documents, T: Drive)
• The Employee Shared Drive (S: Drive)
• The Student Shared Drive (P: Drive for Employees, S: Drive for Students)

When will Previous Versions help me?

Previous versions can come in handy in many situations, including but not limited to:

• Restoring files or folders that are accidentally deleted
• Restoring files or folders that have unwanted changes saved to them (such as those that are unable to be undone within the program)

When will Previous Versions NOT help me?

Previous Versions does have its limitations. If a file or folder is created after a snapshot and then altered or deleted before the next snapshot, then the changes cannot be undone (nor can the file be undeleted). This is because the file or folder never had a snapshot taken of it, and unless it was on the server overnight for normal backups, there is no other record of it according to the server.

Previous Versions are also not available for laptop users when they are off campus. If you delete a file while off campus, you can restore the file the next time you are on campus and synchronized to the server. Just make sure you remember where the file was stored so you can easily restore it the next time you are on campus.

How long is a Previous Version kept by the server?

Previous Versions are not kept for a specific amount of time. The server makes room for new versions of files as need be, meaning that versions may be available for weeks or months, or only a few days. This all depends on how often the file changes and how many changes the server is tracking for all employees and students in a given share. Generally, most files should be available for up to 2 weeks.