Timeline for M365 service accounts using the UW-Madison Google Workspace service

Date	Change
June 1, 2023	M365 service accounts are no longer eligible for Google cloud-based storage. M365 service accounts continue to have access to other Google Workspace services (ex: Groups, Calendar)  Storage allocated for M365 service accounts created before June 1, 2023 to provide a one-year period before M365 service accounts enter the deactivation lifecycle.   M365 service accounts created after June 1, 2023 will have a 0 GB storage limit.
June 1, 2024	My Drive files owned by the M365 service account will enter a deactivation lifecycle. This step will not affect the M365 service account's access to other services.  My Drive files become view-only and continue to be accessible–only for viewing–to the file owner and collaborators.
July 1, 2024	The service account's access to all Google Workspace services (ex: Groups, Calendar) is temporarily suspended** if no action is taken to remove all files from Google My Drive. This step will not affect the M365 service account's access to other services.  My Drive files continue to be view-only and viewable by collaborators only.
August 1, 2024	M365 service account's access to all Google Workspace services (ex: Groups, Calendar) continues to be temporarily suspended** if no action is taken to remove all files from Google My Drive. My Drive files owned by the suspended M365 service account will be moved to the trash for permanent deletion. M365 service accounts will no longer have access to Google storage. Unfortunately, no exceptions can be made.
August 31, 2024	Google will start to auto-delete trashed files.
September 5, 2024	Last day to request potential file recovery. File recovery is not guaranteed.
September 6, 2024	Trashed files are irrecoverable. There is no method to “undelete” or recover these files. M365 service account access* to the Google Workspace service is restored only if Google Photos usage is 0 GB.   M365 service accounts using Google Photos will continue to be suspended until usage is reduced to 0 GB**.

* Access to the UW-Madison Google Workspace service is subject to change in response to campus needs and/or vendor-driven changes.

** Contact the DoIT Help Desk for file or account recovery options. File recovery is not guaranteed.

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What will happen to M365 service account access to Google Workspace if no action is taken by June 1, 2024?

The table below describes the My Drive deactivation lifecycle for:

• M365 service accounts that have not reduced My Drive usage to 0 GB and continues to own files
• Received an email notification to take action on the account

Note: This does not apply to M365 service accounts that:

• Eliminated My Drive usage to 0 GB
• Does not own files

			My Drive User Experience
Date	Communication	What is changing?	My Drive File Owner M365 Service Account	My Drive File Collaborator UW-Madison and External Accounts
May 28, 2024*	First communication will be sent to the affected M365 service account. (Sent)	No change.	Individuals linked to the M365 service account will receive the first notification**.  The M365 service account can continue to create and access files in My Drive.	Collaborators will not receive any communication about the change.  They can continue to access My Drive files created by the M365 service account.
June 1, 2024	None.	Change: M365 service account My Drive max storage limit is set to 0 GB. My Drive files become view-only and are still viewable.	Change:  View-only access to My Drive files created by the M365 service account.  Users cannot upload new files. A full storage warning will appear upon login to Google Drive. This warning is only applicable to My Drive, not shared drive.	Change:  View-only access to My Drive files created by the M365 service account.  Cannot upload new files to the folder owned by the M365 service account. A full storage warning may appear on a file owned by the M365 service account. No impact to their account storage limit.
June 17, 2024*	Second communication will be sent to the affected M365 service account. (Sent)	No change.	No change.	No change.
July 1, 2024	None.	Change:  M365 service account access to all Google Workspace services is temporarily suspended until action is taken on the account.	Change: Temporarily lose access to: All Google Workspace services (ex: Groups, Calendar). My Drive files***.	No change.
July 15, 2024*	Final communication will be sent to the affected M365 service account. (Sent)	No change.	No change.	No change.
August 1, 2024	None.	Change:   My Drive files are moved to the trash..    Note: M365 service accounts will continue to be temporarily suspended until action is taken on the account.	Change: Files are no longer accessible. ***	Change: Files are no longer accessible. ***
August 15, 2024	Extra communication will be sent to domain admins as a last reminder.	No change.	No change.	No change.
August 20, 2024	Extra communication will be sent to the affected M365 service account.	No change.	No change.	No change.
August 31, 2024	None.	Change:  Google will start to auto-delete trashed files.  Files in trash are permanently deleted after 30 days.	Change:  Trashed files are no longer available in the account's Trash folder.	No change.
September 5, 2024	None.	Last day to request potential file recovery. File recovery is not guaranteed.
September 6, 2024	None.	Change: All trashed files are permanently deleted. There are no recovery options at this point.  No Google Photos: Access is restored for accounts with zero Google Photos usage. Google Photos: Accounts with Google Photos usage will continue to be temporarily suspended until they are deleted. Account access can be requested to delete photos.	Change: My Drive owns zero files. New files or folders cannot be created.	No change.

*Targeted send date.

** Note to IT departments: Individuals linked to the M365 service account may contact their IT department or the DoIT Help Desk for assistance in response to the communication they received.

*** Contact the DoIT Help Desk for assistance with file recovery. File recovery is not guaranteed.

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How do I know if I am using an M365 service account to log in to the UW-Madison Google Workspace service?

There are a couple of ways to learn if you are linked to an M365 service account that is accessing the Google Workspace service:

• When you log in to the UW-Madison Google Workspace service using your NetID credentials, you will be presented with multiple accounts to select from.
• Your IT department may have emailed you with information about the M365 service account and request that you take action on the account.

This list is not exhaustive but consists of the most common ways to learn about an M365 service account using Google Workspace. Please contact your IT department or the DoIT Help Desk if you have any questions.

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How can I see how much Google storage an M365 service account is using?

Learn how to view the M365 service account My Drive storage usage. These steps do not show how to view shared drive storage usage.

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• I am an IT administrator, how can I see what M365 service accounts are using Google storage for my domain?

Please email your request to google-workspace-project-feedback@g-groups.wisc.edu . Please note, we are experiencing a large volume of requests and will respond back as soon as possible. Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding.

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My access to Google Workspace was suspended. Why did this happen and what can I do?

Google Workspace access was removed for the service account on August 1, 2024 because the account continued to use My Drive storage and own files. To restore the service account's access to the Google Workspace service, please contact the DoIT Help Desk for further support.

Reminder: Starting August 1, Google files owned by a service account were moved from My Drive to the account's trash folder. The files have not been permanently deleted yet and may be recoverable. File recovery is not guaranteed. 

If access is restored, please determine if the trashed files are needed :

1. No, the trashed files are not needed. 
   • Empty the trash folder to permanently delete the files.
     • Note: Files in the trash folder still use storage.
   • If applicable, download and delete all files from the Google Photos app*. 
   • Done.
2. Yes, the trashed files are needed.
   1. Restore files from the trash folder before August 30. 
   2. Move (do not copy) important files to another location.
      • Move files from My Drive to a shared drive and view the move's limitations, or
      • Find alternative cloud storage providers.
   3. Transfer ownership, if needed.
   4. Delete all files from My Drive and remember to empty the trash folder.
   5. If applicable, download and delete all files from the Google Photos app*.
   6. Done.

*Google Photos app:

• A small percentage of affected accounts are using the Google Photos app.
• These accounts will be informed if they have usage if access is requested.
• Accounts with no Google Photos usage no longer have access to the app.  

The account will remain active and will not be suspended again if it meets the following criteria:

• Storage usage is 0 GB
• Owns zero files 
• If applicable, Google Photos app usage is 0 GB and owns 0 files

Note: The account will be suspended again starting September 2 if no action is taken after access is restored.

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I’m a collaborator and lost access to a file(s) in Google Drive that might be owned by an affected M365 service account. What should I do?

Starting August 1, 2024, Google My Drive files owned by an M365 service account will be moved from My Drive to the trash folder, the files will be trashed. The files are still recoverable; however, file recovery is not guaranteed

If you’re a collaborator on a file(s) that may have been owned by an affected M365 service account, please follow these steps:

1. Contact the DoIT Help Desk.
2. Please provide the following:
   
   1. Collaborator name and email address
   2. The file’s name and URL for each missing file
   3. Who shared the file(s) with you, if possible

The case will be escalated for further support.

Note: After the case is escalated, the M365 service account manager will need to do the following before we can fulfill a collaborator’s file recovery request:

1. Approve the collaborator’s request.
2. Request access to the temporarily suspended M365 service account (see above).
3. Restore files from the trash.

Advance support will help identify the file owner and coordinate the approval process between the M365 service account manager and collaborators.

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Are there exceptions?

No, not at this time. If you have questions, please contact google-workspace-project-feedback@g-groups.wisc.edu

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

• How can I move My Drive files from an M365 service account when access to Google Workspace is suspended?

  • Files cannot be moved while the account's access to Google Workspace is suspended. 
  • Access needs to be restored before files can be moved and before they are permanently deleted.
  • Starting 09/06, all trashed files will be permanently deleted. 

• How can the M365 service account regain access to the Google Workspace service?

  • Contact the DoIT Help Desk to request access.
  • Once the M365 service account's access is restored, please eliminate all files from My Drive. 
  • The M365 service account will not be suspended again after Google storage is reduced to 0 GB and does not own files.

• I removed all files from My Drive but the M365 service account is still reporting Google storage usage. Why?

  • Below are some common reasons why Google storage usage did not change:
    • Trash folder was not emptied
      • Files moved to a trash folder continue to use storage.
      • Please empty the trash folder to reduce storage usage - https://drive.google.com/drive/trash
      • Please note: If a large number of files are deleted at the same time, My Drive may take a while to update storage usage. 
    • Files are misplaced and/or hidden
      • Files created by the M365 service account and saved in another user's folder may disappear when the folder is deleted. 
      • Google folders do not own files saved inside of it. 
      • Displaced files are known as "orphaned files" or unorganized files.
      • Search for files in Google Drive using these search words: is:unorganized owner:me and owner:me 
        • All files listed need to be:
          • moved (not copied) to a Google shared drive or another location,
          • transferred to another account, and/or
          • deleted (remember to empty the trash folder too).
      • Learn more about unorganized files here: https://kb.wisc.edu/138027  . 
  • If you followed the steps above and continue to see no change to the account's Google storage usage, please contact the DoIT Help Desk for further support.

• I removed all files from My Drive after access to the Google Workspace service was restored. How can I prevent the M365 service account from being suspended again?

  • If the M365 service account's storage usage is 0 GB and owns zero files, the account will not be suspended again due to continued storage usage and file ownership. 
  • Contact the DoIT Help Desk for further support. 

• I created a Google shared drive using the M365 service account but now I can't access the shared drive. Why?

  • If a Google shared drive was created using the M365 service account and no additional accounts were added to the shared drive, the only member of the shared drive is the M365 service account. In this scenario, when the M365 service account loses access to Google Workspace, the shared drive will also become inaccessible because the only member of the newly created shared drive is the M365 service account. 
  • To prevent losing access to a Google shared drive that was created by an M365 service account, please add multiple members to the shared drive such as your netid@wisc.edu account. 
  • Learn more about Google shared drive membership: https://support.google.com/a/users/answer/9310249?hl=en#shared_drive_create .

• How can I transfer ownership of files from the M365 service account My Drive to my netid@wisc.edu My Drive?

  • Learn how to transfer file ownership here: https://support.google.com/drive/answer/2494892?sjid=405638392218993263-NC .
  • We are unable to recommend third-party file transfer apps.
  • Google Admins cannot transfer file ownership. 

• How can I tell if the M365 service account is using Google Photos?

  • Access to the Google Photos app is gradually being phased out due to no vendor protection or support.
  • If the M365 service account is using Google Photos, the account will be able to access https://photos.google.com/login and delete all files from the app. Learn more: https://kb.wisc.edu/137569 .
  • If the M365 service account cannot log in to the Google Photos app and receives an error message, no action is required. The account is not storing files in the Google Photos app and access to the app has been removed. 

• Why did the M365 service account lose access to Google Calendar?

  • Starting July 1, M365 service accounts temporarily lose access to all Google Workspace services (ex: Calendar, YouTube, Slides, Sheets) due to continued My Drive storage usage and file ownership. 
  • Please note: Google Calendar is not the recommended campus calendaring service. For calendaring needs, please use the Microsoft 365 calendar service.

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