Google: Permission to Move Files Request Process

As of January 28, 2025, the Office of Information Technology (OIT) Google team will offer a Permission to Move Files (PMF) request process. This process enables faculty, staff, and student employees to recover files stored in closed accounts that are scheduled to be deleted, but are still needed for research, teaching, outreach, or business continuity.

File Retention After Accounts Close

Google Workspace accounts close after people leave the University. The account closure timeline is determined by one's role (non-emeritus faculty, staff, student) and affiliation with the Health Care Component. After an account closes, the files are automatically marked as "Deletion Pending," but remain available to collaborators for another 120 days. After 180 days, the account and the files stored within it will be permanently deleted. See the Leaving the University self-help guide for details about account closure and deletion timelines.

While it is strongly recommended that files that should remain at the University be moved to Shared Drives before one leaves the University, there are circumstances where this does not occur, and the Google Permission to Move Files request process becomes necessary.

Requester Eligibility

Systemwide faculty, staff and student employees (including those in the Health Care Component) can use the Permission to Move Files request process. 

File Eligibility

If approved by one's manager, this process gives requesters permission to move Google files with the deletion pending label for which they have edit permissions to a Shared Drive. Compare Google Shared Drive to My Drive. 

After a manager approves the request, it is technically possible to move files that do not have the “deletion pending” label, however, as part of the request process, requesters agree that they will only move files with the label applied to a Shared Drive. Google files that are shared by currently employed faculty, staff, or students, are not subject to this process.

  IMPORTANT NOTE: Moving files or folders from a closed account's My Drive to one's own My Drive will NOT change ownership of the file or folder and will therefore will still be scheduled to be deleted. To retain access, one must move files from a My Drive to Shared Drive. See: Google Workspace: Compare Shared Drive to My Drive to learn more about the purpose and function of each of these options.

Submit a Request for Permission to Move Files Form

The request process is initiated when you submit the Permission to Move Files request form.

Request Form Details

The request form contains the following;

• Auto-filled fields for your name, email address, and department
• A field where you must indicate your manager's name (selected from a drop-down list)
• A field to provide a brief description of why you want to retain the files (e.g., These are files required to continue x research project, teaching x class, conducting x outreach, continuing x business processes, etc.
• A field where, if you are submitting the request for a departmental account, you can enter the departmental account email address
• An attestation that you understand and agree to terms and conditions
  • You will only move files that have a "Deletion Pending" label
  • You will not move files owned by anyone that is still employed or enrolled at the University
  • You will consult with your manager and others with access to the files before moving them
  • Google Workspace is not approved for storage of private restricted data. If you need to retain any files with private restricted data stored in an individual's My Drive, the files should be moved to a Shared Drive, and then immediately moved to an appropriate storage solution
  • The Office of Information Technology will capture logs of all files moved via this process to ensure compliance.

Files Moved In Error

People who request permission to move files agree not to move files owned by current faculty, staff, or students. However, it is technically possible for them to do so. If files are moved in error, the person who moved the files is responsible for addressing the issue. Their managers, who approve the Permission to Move Files requests, are accountable for ensuring the issue is resolved.

Resolving the issue may involve coordinating with file collaborators to restore the files to their original location or informing collaborators of the files' new location. The Office of Information Technology will not return files to their original location or manually adjust the ownership of individual documents moved through this process.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Moving files or folders from a closed account's My Drive to one's own My Drive will NOT change ownership of the file or folder and therefore the file or folder will still be scheduled to be deleted. To retain access, one must move files from a My Drive to Shared Drive. See: Google Workspace: Compare Shared Drive to My Drive.

Manager Approval

After submission, your request will be routed for approval to the person who you designated as your manager. After manager approval, you will be notified that you can begin moving "Deletion Pending" files for which you have editor access.

If your manager does not immediately respond to the request, they will receive reminders after three days and again after seven days. After 14 days, the request will be closed. You may submit a new request as appropriate.

If your manager denies your request, you will not be granted the ability to move files. If you need to retain the files, you can make a copy. 

Access to Move Files is Time Constrained

Your ability to move files will last 14 days from the delivery of the approval email. After 14 days, your ability to move files will automatically be removed. If you need to move files after your permission has been revoked, you can submit another form.

Collaborator Access to Files

After a file is moved to a Shared Drive

• People with whom the file was shared retain the same access as before it was moved, even if they don't have access to the Shared Drive location.
• Anyone with access to the Shared Drive location will have access to the file.

Copying Files Vs. Moving Files

People can also retain files for which they have access by making a copy. However, when one makes a copy of a Google file, any comments and the version history does not carry forward.

In addition, if a document has multiple collaborators and each collaborator makes copies of the document, version consistency issues and other data management problems can occur.

Lastly, digital storage has real costs. Google charges the University by the Terabyte. If each collaborator makes a copy of the same document rather than making a single copy that is shared, it creates digital storage waste and expense.

Data Limitations

• Google places limits of 750GB on the amount of data you can upload, move, or copy in a 24 hour period. Once you reach this limit, you won't be able to upload or move more files until the limit resets after 24 hours.
• UMN Google Shared Drives have a storage allocation of 100GB. If you need additional storage allocated to your Shared Drive, submit a request to via the Technology Help support form.
  • When moving a folder, Google will allow you to exceed the storage quota of the target Shared Drive if the Shared Drive is currently under quota. If when you transfer data into a Shared Drive the storage allocation quota is exceeded:
    • subsequent transfers will fail
    • files will become read only
    • you cannot create new documents in the Shared Drive.
  • When moving an individual file, Google will not allow you to exceed the storage quota of the target Shared Drive
• Google limits the number of items (files, folders, etc.) stored in a Shared Drive to 500,000 items.  

Create a Shared Drive

Google shared drives are a shared space where teams can easily share, store, search, and access their files anywhere, from any device.

Files in shared drives belong to the team instead of an individual. Even if members leave, the files stay exactly where they are so your team can continue to share information and get work done. Each shared drive is allocated 100GB of storage. Request a Shared Drive.

Questions and Support

If you have questions about this process or need technical assistance, please complete the Technology Help support form. The form helps us route you to the team best equipped to support you.