New Laptop Preparation Checklist
Please take about 30 minutes prior to your appointment with ITS to get your new laptop and review these five items. This will help the process go much smoother and quicker.
1. Where are your files?
Start by verifying that the files you need are backed up to OneDrive. A look at Finder or Windows Explorer will reveal if this is the case. OneDrive files will have a Status column with various icons. Please see the table below to see what each icon means. This is not a complete list, so more information can be found in Microsoft's article.
What do the OneDrive Sync icons mean?
Mac
Windows
There’s a sync problem, open OneDrive for more information. This may appear for several hours after an issue is resolved.
This is a placeholder for a file that is synced. This item is not available offline.
This item is marked as “Always keep on this device” and is available offline.
This item has been downloaded to your computer and is available offline. The Files on Demand feature may release this file to save space, changing the icon to a cloud.
This item has recently been updated and changes are being synchronized with the cloud.
Certain folders are backed up by default for certain operating systems:
Windows
- Desktop
- Documents
- Pictures
- Videos
- Music
Mac
Note that this does not include the Downloads folder.
2. Is your Outlook Signature in the Cloud?
While each department typically has a preferred email signature based on Marketing's branded email template, it can be frustrating to recreate this from scratch. These new devices will only have the new version of Microsoft Outlook installed. This latest version will pull your signature from the cloud, so you can avoid re-adding it the next time you change devices.
If you are currently using the classic version of Outlook, you can still transfer your signature to the cloud from your current device. Please follow these instructions: Move your signature from Classic Outlook to Outlook for the Web.
3. Do you use a browser profile?
One thing that is helpful is to have browser bookmarks/favorites on the new device. Each browser has a way to set up a profile to save these in the cloud and make them available across multiple computers. So long as you have your login information for the profile, you simply use that information on the new laptop to transfer your bookmarks/favorites.
Pro-tip: Edge users can create a profile using their CUNE Microsoft account, so no extra passwords need maintained.
If you are not comfortable setting up a profile, each browser has steps to export your bookmarks/favorites to a file which can then be imported into the new system - make sure you save the exported file to your OneDrive!
4. Which printers do you use?
When setting up a new laptop, the Helpdesk will ask you which printers you use. It's a good idea to make note of those already added to your current device, so you can remember the names during your appointment. To find these, open your Settings app and type "Printers" in the search box (this should work for both Windows and Mac). Select "Printers & scanners". You should see a list of printers you've used.
Pro-tip: Take a screen shot of the list and save it to a folder in OneDrive. This way you can find it on your new computer.
5. Do you use special software?
If you need access to special tools, such as VPN, PyraMed, Dorico, etc., these will be addressed at the end of your appointment. Most standard applications should be offered as a download from a program called Software Center for Windows machines or Company Portal for Macs.