Storing files with OneDrive, Teams, and SharePoint.

Quick Links: | Decision Matrix | Sharing With Intent | Troubleshooting | Next Steps |

Deciding where to store files is a critical decision while trying to create a secure but easy to use environment.  The goal of this article is to help you understand where you should store files within the Microsoft and campus ecosystems.  To determine where to store files, we must first understand who the audience and users of the files will be, and what access they will need.  Ordered from the sharing with a small number of users to a large number of users, the locations are:

	Level 1 and Sensitive Files - Level 1 OneDrive Share OneDrive Level 1 shares are intended to share sensitive or level 1 data with a fixed group of on campus users.  These cannot be shared with users off campus, and a support request is required to add/remove users to the folder. https://support.csuchico.edu/TDClient/1984/Portal/Requests/ServiceDet?ID=45016
	My Content - OneDrive for Business This location is ideal for storing files for just yourself, or for sharing files with a ad-hoc selection of users.  You can create sharing links and delegate out view or contributor permissions.  You control the sharing of this information. IMPORTANT: Data stored here will be lost if the user hosting the data leaves the university.
	Department Files - Microsoft Teams This is the ideal location to share data with your department or team.  Files stored here can be configured for view or contributor and easily used for consistent collaboration
	SharePoint Intranet site This is intended to share files with all Faculty and Staff.  Only a select group of trained users can add files and information to the intranet.

Decision Matrix

Sharing with Intent

It is tempting to drag files into MS Teams chats, or into E-mails.  This does work, but often not in a desired way, especially if you intend to collaborate on the file. It is best practice to not drag your files, but instead to create sharing links and paste the links.

To demonstrate why this is not advisable, imagine this scenario:

1. I create a file called "Increasing Enrollment Ideas.docx" on my desktop.
2. I drag the file into a MS Teams chat to collaborate with a coworker.
3. Updates and changes are made to the file.
4. I then drag the file from my desktop to an email and send it to my boss.
5. My boss complains about an empty file.

What happened here?  In this scenario when I dragged the file from my desktop to my email, a copy of the file was created in a folder called "Microsoft Teams Chat Files".  You and your coworker updated the copy of the file, and not the file on your Desktop.  To make matters worse you may have had the option to "attach" the file to the e-mail or to "Upload to OneDrive and share a link."  If you chose that option, a third copy of your file was made in "Email attachments"

After this scenario, I have three copies of my file, and will have to struggle with reconciling changes across all three files.

So how should I share my files?

1. Use the decision matrix above to determine where to store your file
2. Right Click on your file, browse to OneDrive, then Select "Share"
3. Enter the names of the people that you would like to share the file with
4. Select the permission you would like them to have. (Can View, Can Edit, Can't Download, Can Review)
5. Select Copy link
6. Paste link into Chat or Email.

Training Video

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Next Steps (Optional)

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Still need help? If you run into problems or still need help, reach out to the ITSS Service Desk.