Windows Sync Center issue

[(((interference)))]

My boss uses a laptop as his PC with a dock for when he's in the office.
Now all the PCs in the office share a common documents folder on the server and for him to be able to access his documents even when he is offline, we have set up a sync partnership with the folder on the server.

Now this works fine for the most part but sometimes when he is in the office the sync fails as other users will have files open, preventing the sync from going through.

We've also had issues where he has modified documents only for the changes not to appear on the server (until later) and so others have worked off old versions of the doc.

Ideally, when his laptop is docked it should just allow direct access to the server documents
like the rest of the desktops in the office and so whatever he changes the rest of us can see immediately.

Is there any way of doing this, without turning off Sync?

 

[Davros]

so you have multiple people with the same document open ?

 

[(((interference)))]

so you have multiple people with the same document open ?

No, if anyone working off the documents server has any document open, there will be a sync error - the sync will only be successful if none of the desktops have any document open.

My real question though is, can't you temporarily disable sync when you don't need it. i.e when the machine is physically connected to the network and the server?

So you don't have to worry about syncing etc.

 

[Davros]

so you never have multiple people with the same document open
I take it the only person who needs sync is the boss
how about using briefcase instead ? or synctoy ? or livemesh

 

[(((interference)))]

so you never have multiple people with the same document open
I take it the only person who needs sync is the boss
how about using briefcase instead ? or synctoy ? or livemesh

Well no, as you get the "document already in use' message and can only open a read only copy.

The problem with Sync Center is that if anyone else (besides the boss) has any document open then his sync will fail as the document is in use, and the whole sync will fail not just that document will unable to be synced.

And as in an office people always have at least one document open, it is quite common.

And we'd prefer just sticking with Windows if possible. But surely there must be a setting that disables sync when a direct network connection is available and it is not needed.

 

[Davros]

are the people with the document open (apart from your boss) editing it or just reading it

ps:
http://www.vista4beginners.com/Disable-Sync-Center

 

[(((interference)))]

are the people with the document open (apart from your boss) editing it or just reading it

ps:
http://www.vista4beginners.com/Disable-Sync-Center

editing/reading but it's not the same document as my boss, it's any document on the server (even one that he or anyone else doesn't have opened) will stop the sync from completing.

And that link doesn't apply to us as we need Sync Center operating (so my boss can do work when he's offline outside the office), just not all the time.