OneDrive and SharePoint Best Practices

What is OneDrive? 

OneDrive for business is a cloud storage service provided by Microsoft for your personal work files. OneDrive serves as individual storage space. It is valuable to use for documents the only involve you or are only meant for you, such as: 

• Documents that you are in the process of creating before sharing 
• Records sent to you for review 
• Personal records such as a resumé 

This is similar to a home (F:) drive. Unlike a home drive, however, end-users are able to grant access to their OneDrive to others. 

Anybody granted access to a file in OneDrive with editing privileges can share that file with others. If you anticipate a file needing to be accessed by a large group of people, move it to your Teams site or other shared repository instead of keeping it in your OneDrive.

Advantages 

• OneDrive reduces the reliance on email and therefore reduces email overload. 
• By allowing web-based access, OneDrive eliminates the need to email files to yourself or download copies. 
• Multiple people can edit a document remotely. 
• Users can access their personal OneDrive accounts via the web without having to use a VPN to log into their desktop.  

OneDrive, MS Teams, and SharePoint 

OneDrive, MS Teams, and SharePoint form a network of functionality within the Office 365 ecosystem. It is important to use the appropriate platform when working on, sharing, and storing university records.

OneDrive 

Acts as cloud storage for: 

• Documents requiring collaboration but not other functionality associated with a Teams site. 
• University documents not ready to be shared. 
• Copies of university records whose originals are stored elsewhere (for example, unit to unit sharing as a better alternative to email). 

Records shared via OneDrive remain connected to their original owner. If you leave UFV and your account is removed, the original files will be difficult to recover if they had not already been stored elsewhere. Additionally, extensive sharing through OneDrive will create a complicated network of permissions since unique permissions will be set for each individual file and/or folder that is shared. 

MS Teams 

MS Teams is a collaborative tool that uses Channels, posts, and tags to enhance its functionality. The files uploaded within a Teams Channel are stored in an associated SharePoint site which can be accessed through the Teams page. 

Chats (Instant Messaging) 

Files shared in private chats (one-to-one or one-to-many) in Teams are subject to a 180-day destruction schedule. This does not include official Channels!

SharePoint Teams Sites

SharePoint acts as the storage location for anything uploaded to Teams channels or channel posts. All members of a Teams site have access to these document libraries. 

SharePoint Online Communication Sites or UFV Network Drive

Communication sites, when deployed and properly configured, are cloud-based repositories intended for storage and sharing of university records and information. Communication sites are intended to be accessed by a group of people who require access to a unit’s documents where rapid, remote or simultaneous access is beneficial. Communication sites can act as a unit’s long-term records repository for digital files because they are not subject to the same expiration rules as Team sites or OneDrive for Business document libraries, and avoid creating silos of university information and records. 

UFV's Records Management Office recommends that UFV's (G:) Drive is still the appropriate place to store your records long-term. While a well-managed SharePoint Online Communication site can act as a unit's long-term records storage, UFV has not fully moved to using SharePoint as a complete document management system. Our (G:) drives still serve as the primary storage tool for digital records. Whichever tool you choose, consistency is key. Managing records in multiple locations can become unruly!