Syncing Laptops and Desktops: How to Keep Your Files Updated

Synchronizing files between multiple computers isn't a new problem. However, the tools available to help the process have become easier to use in the past several years. Many web applications offer simple interfaces so that you can access a document no matter where you are as long as you have an Internet connection.

Trying to update files on a computer without Internet access can be tricky. A simple method, such as copying new versions of files onto a USB drive, is often the best option if you're working on a laptop somewhere that you don't have WiFi.

With an Internet connection, however, matters are much simpler. In fact, with some tools, accessing your documents can be as easy as dragging and dropping them into a new folder. Dropbox is one of the most reliable syncing tools currently online. To use it, you download an application which acts essentially like a folder on your hard drive and set up an account for the online service. If you're accessing files from multiple computers, you'll need to download the application on both of your computers but you'll only need the one account. You drop your files into the folder and Dropbox uploads them to the Web. As long as you always open the copy of your file in the Dropbox folder on your computer, all of your changes will be synced across the different copies of your document. Dropbox offers a free plan with 2 gigs of space, as well as other plans with up to 100 gigs of space.

Another option is to use online applications to manage your documents. Tools like Google Docs let you edit and save documents, spreadsheets and even presentations online. You can also make them available to anyone else who needs to edit a specific file (without making all of your files available to that individual). Google Docs is free to use, although you may need to explore other applications if you need to edit unusual types of documents or add another layer of security.

For syncing data in programs beyond word processing or spreadsheet files, you may want to explore which Web applications offer tools that handle such tasks. Software like QuickBooks can be synced through a number of different tools, although it can be a more difficult process than updating a Word document or other file. In some cases, the tools necessary to synchronize more complicated data have a higher price tag associated with them. However, in some cases, those files can also be synced through Dropbox and similar applications. Such an approach requires determining which file actually contains your data, as opposed to those files that are part of the software, which can be difficult to determine. Once you have that file, it's just a matter of uploading it and then opening it with the appropriate software on another computer.

If you have an IT staff available in your office, it is possible to set up a central server where you can access your documents without relying on external tools. However, in smaller offices, such options may be harder to pull together and the online alternatives provide similar tools at a minimal cost. Even if you need high levels of storage, going online is typically less expensive than creating a server of your own.