File storage for your business

As you continue to set up your business on Microsoft 365, it's important to understand the options you have for where to store your files.

One of the best ways to set up file storage and sharing for your business is to use OneDrive for personal files you want to control sharing with, and SharePoint and Teams for the files everyone or most should have access to.

OneDrive is a cloud-storage platform where you can store your individual or personal files. OneDrive is tightly integrated with apps like Word, Excel and PowerPoint which makes it a convenient place to store and access your sensitive documents securely.

Use OneDrive when you want to create a document that is only yours, for example, when working on highly sensitive or private information.

To get started with OneDrive, sign-in to download and install the OneDrive desktop app, then follow the prompts to sign in and select the folders you want to sync to the cloud. 

• To create a new file in OneDrive, simply click on the New button and select the file type you want to create, such as a Word document or Excel spreadsheet.

• To manage files in OneDrive, right-click on a file and select Rename to give it a more descriptive name or drag and drop files to different folders for better organization.

• To share files with OneDrive - click on the Share button and enter the email addresses of the people you want to share the file with. Learn more about how to manage files in OneDrive.

SharePoint is a collaboration tool used to manage and share files and information across an organization. SharePoint allows multiple users to collaborate in one central location.

Use SharePoint when you need to create a document that will be written and managed by a team of people or when it needs to be shared broadly. For example, use it as a centralized location for team members to view project timelines, tasks, and milestones. This allows teams to track progress, stay on schedule, and collaborate more efficiently.

• To create a new file in SharePoint, navigate to the document library where you want to create the file and click on the New button.

• To manage files, check out a file to make changes to it, and then check the file back in when you're done.

• To share files, click on the file and select Share. You can also collaborate in real-time by opening the file in the appropriate application, such as Word or Excel, and enabling co-authoring. To view previous versions of a file, click on the file and select Version History. Learn more about how to manage files in SharePoint.