Google Drive + Group Permissions + New Users = FAIL!

Below is a question and response from Google's Enterprise Support regarding bad behaviour with Groups and Google Drive permissions.  The long and short of it is that if you are newly added to an existing Group, you won't be able to find any of the documents that that Group's members have access to.

You need to be sent the exact link to each of the documents. Being unable to browse the items you have been given access to, is a complete fail when it comes to a system of files and group based permissions.

Imagine if you had permissions to all the files in an SMB (Windows) Share, but when you opened the share, you could see nothing. Bad and Wrong it seems: ( http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/B/Bad-and-Wrong.html )

Google Apps users Beware...

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Case: ########
Subject: Files shared to group don't appear

A series of folders/files were shared in Drive to a given group. I joined the organisation recently and was added to the group's membership.

The files do not appear in Drive, and nor can I search for them. If I am sent a link directly to the file, then I can work/access as normal. Even after accessing the file, it doesn't appear in my Drive.

If the group is removed from the file/folder and then readded, I can see the newly shared items. The issue it seems is that the enumeration is not taking place to members added to this group after it has been applied to an item previously.

Is this expected behaviour, or is something amiss?

Thanks,

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Thank you for your message and the information provided.
This is expected behavior for newly added users to a group.
However there are a few options I can offer you as a workaround.

1. You can search the file by opening advanced search and choose ‘Search domain.com’ at the bottom using the drop down arrow of the search box.
Once you find the file, it will appear under "All Items." Then you can simply move it to your Drive.
2. Access it by URL & the file/folder will appear under "All Items."
3. Change the sharing permission and then switch back to the original sharing permission.
4. And finally what you've already done - delete and re-add the group.

I hope this will be helpful. Please let me know if you have any other question and I'll be more than happy to answer.

Have a great day!

Kind regards,

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Google Enterprise Support