--- title: Copy Externally Owned Folders and its Content to Your Google Drive (while retaining folders’ structure) description: "GAT+ provides an extensive and detailed view of the entire Google Drive of your domain. The Admin can view all the **Internal and External** shared into the domain files and every detail about them. With Unlock functionality within GAT+, the…" url: "https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/tech-tips/copy-externally-owned-folders-and-its-content-to-your-google-drive-while-retaining-folders-structure/" updated: "2022-08-12" category: "Drive Audit & Management" tags: - GAT Unlock --- # Copy Externally Owned Folders and its Content to Your Google Drive (while retaining folders’ structure) GAT+ provides an extensive and detailed view of the entire Google Drive of your domain. The Admin can view all the **Internal and External** shared into the domain files and every detail about them. With Unlock functionality within GAT+, the Admin can change ownership of **internal** files from one user to another. However, this is not possible for**external** files. Google simply does not allow to change ownership of files from **external** domains, as you are **not the owner** of the [Google Drive files](https://www.google.com/drive/), you cannot perform an action such as taking ownership. An Admin cannot change the externally owned file and transfer the ownership to a user from the local domain. [https://www.youtube.com/embed/LrqyBAkmDZo?feature=oembed&color=red&rel=0&controls=1&start=&end=&fs=0&iv_load_policy=0&autoplay=0&mute=0&modestbranding=0&cc_load_policy=1&playsinline=1](https://www.youtube.com/embed/LrqyBAkmDZo?feature=oembed&color=red&rel=0&controls=1&start=&end=&fs=0&iv_load_policy=0&autoplay=0&mute=0&modestbranding=0&cc_load_policy=1&playsinline=1) However, GAT+ allows an Admin to copy the **Externally owned Folder and its content** and place it into the User's drive from your domain. ### How to copy an externally owned file Open GAT+ navigate to[Drive audit.](https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/tech-tips/audit-google-drive/) ![](https://gatlabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/screenshot-gs.generalaudittool.com-2020.02.28-12_50_17.png) ### Find file **Apply custom filter** and search for the Folders needed. ![](https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/2021-12-03-11_24_04-GAT.png) In the filter option, you can apply any filter to find the result you want. For example: - **Type equal Folder** - **Title equal Folder name** ![](https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/2021-12-03-13_00_24-GAT.png) The result will show the Folder itself. For the **Copy folder** functionality on Externally owned files, a**local** user **MUST** be an **editor** - Title - matches the Title - Owner - is external (owners/users with orange background ) - Contributor/editor **must be a local user ** ![](https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/2021-12-03-13_05_39-GAT.png) ### Copy an external folder When the result is found as above, proceed with the steps to Copy the folder. - **Click on the "arrow"** beside the Title of the Folder. - From the pop-up menu click on **Copy this folder** ![](https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/2021-12-03-13_16_32-GAT.png) A new window will be displayed with additional information #### Folder copy wizard - step 1 of 2 View additional details for the Folder copy - Title - view the title of the Folder - ID - view the FolderID - Destination - where the folder will be copied into - Owner - view who owns the folder - Sharing flags - view sharing flags of the folder - Flags - view any existing flags for the folder - **Preserve original create date** - enable or disable the checkmark to preserve the original create date when the copy is added to the destination user. - **Copy trashed files** - enable or disable checkmark to copy trashed files. Trashed files are not visible in the origin folder (they are not detected as well)- but may be copied and be visible in the destination folder - **Externally owned files can ONLY be copied if a local user has EDIT rights to the file. Files shared 'Read Only' can not be copied. This is a Google restriction** ![](https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/2021-12-03-13_28_45-GAT.png) Click **Next **to proceed #### Folder Copy wizard - step 2 of 2 Fill in the required details - **Select user** - enter the user**whom the Folder will be copied into** - **User Drive** - (chosen user) - A folder tree of the selected user will be displayed. - Select the Folder where the "Folder copy" will be added. - Advanced mode - Select if you want to manually set Parent Folder ID (not to use the tree below) Select User Drive - root MyDrive (1) of the user or specific Folder (2) from the Folder tree. ![](https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/2021-12-03-13_38_38-GAT.png) Click on **Send request **for Security officer approval The Security officer will receive an email with the request to be approved. Go to **GAT+** to approve or deny the request. Clicking on this will lead to the **Copy Management section in GAT+** ![](https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/2021-12-03-13_41_16-GAT-new-Folder-Copy-Request-alex.bell@gedudemobsn.com-BSN-Edu-Domain-Mail.png) Under **Actions **select approve or deny action. ![](https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/2021-12-03-13_47_08-GAT.png) Check the progress of the request in the **Admin log **or the **eye icon **under the **Folder copy request** ![](https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/2021-12-03-13_50_34-.png) When the request has finished, the **Folder** with **its content** will be copied over to the selected user in the domain. The **original owner - (external user) ** ![](https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/2021-12-03-13_56_32-marketing-report-2021-Google-Drive.png) The **new owner of the COPIED folder** The copied folder will be located in the drive of the local user selected. ![](https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/2021-12-03-13_58_46-marketing-report-2021-Google-Drive.png) > Note: When copy is completed, the **comments** added in the original documents will be deleted,**but the content** of the files themselves **will be the same**