Summary
OneDrive, SharePoint, and Microsoft Teams are core components of the Microsoft 365 suite, each designed to support collaboration, file sharing, and communication across North Island College. This article provides an overview of how these services relate to one another, their key benefits, and best practices for staff.
Introduction
At North Island College, OneDrive, SharePoint, and Teams are used together to streamline collaboration, file storage, and communication. These tools are deeply integrated:
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OneDrive is your personal file storage.
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SharePoint powers shared document libraries and intranet sites.
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Teams provides real-time chat, meetings, and collaboration and is built on top of SharePoint and OneDrive storage.
Understanding how these tools interact can help staff manage documents and collaborate more effectively.
Key Benefits
Centralized Storage: All files shared in Teams or department sites are stored in SharePoint, while individual files remain in OneDrive. You can and should sync your team documents from SharePoint to your OneDrive, keeping everything very accessible.
Seamless Collaboration: Real-time co-authoring and version history mean multiple staff can edit documents simultaneously with full visibility into changes.
Integrated Experience: Teams acts as a hub where chat, video calls, and file collaboration are unified, pulling files directly from SharePoint and OneDrive as needed.
Typical Use Cases
Personal Work Files (OneDrive):
Use OneDrive to store your own work files, drafts, and documents not yet ready for sharing. Files here are private.
Departmental Collaboration (SharePoint):
Each department or project team typically has a SharePoint site where shared documents are stored and organized. Use these sites for long-term, shared content.
Team Communication and Document Sharing (Teams):
When you share a file in a Teams channel, it's saved in the connected SharePoint site. Use Teams to collaborate in real time and keep conversations tied to documents and meetings.
Best Practices
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Save documents to OneDrive by default unless you're working on a shared project, then move them to SharePoint.
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Use Teams for active collaboration and file discussion. Avoid using email for document collaboration if possible.
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Avoid duplication: Don’t upload the same file to multiple locations. Use links instead of attachments when sharing files.
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Name files and folders clearly for easier searchability and navigation across OneDrive and SharePoint.
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Check permissions: When sharing files, be mindful of who has access, especially if moving content from OneDrive to SharePoint.
Getting Started
For more detail on each service, see the following resources:
Troubleshooting and Support
If you're experiencing issues or have questions about one of these services, consult the following resources:
FAQs
Q: When should I use OneDrive vs. SharePoint?
A: Use OneDrive for personal files or early drafts. Use SharePoint for team or department files that need to be accessed and edited by others.
Q: What happens to my OneDrive files if I leave the college?
A: Your OneDrive account will be deactivated. Ensure that important files are moved to SharePoint if they need to be retained by your team.
Q: Are files in Teams stored separately?
A: No. Files shared in Teams channels are stored in the connected SharePoint site; files shared in private chats are stored in OneDrive.