Introduction to SharePoint and OneDrive in Microsoft 365 for administrators - SharePoint in Microsoft 365 (2024)

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SharePoint and OneDrive in Microsoft 365 are cloud-based services that help organizations share and manage content, knowledge, and applications to:

  • Empower teamwork
  • Quickly find information
  • Seamlessly collaborate across the organization

The resources on this page are designed to get you started. Depending on the needs of your organization, you may want to read about migration and governance options before you start rolling SharePoint and OneDrive out to your users.

If you're ready to get started with SharePoint and OneDrive, read Plan for SharePoint and OneDrive in Microsoft 365 and follow the planning and rollout articles that are listed in that article.

If you're just starting out with SharePoint and OneDrive, learn about the FastTrack onboarding and adoption services, find a SharePoint certified partner, or visit the SharePoint community.

Once you're using SharePoint and OneDrive, get the OneDrive sync app and the mobile app.

Migration

If you have files that you need to move to SharePoint and OneDrive, the resources in this section can help you get started.

If you're looking for this information:Go to this resource:
Learn how to include migration as part of your plan to roll out SharePoint and OneDriveMigration planning for SharePoint and OneDrive rollout
How to migrate content from file shares or other cloud providers using Migration ManagerMigrate your content to Microsoft 365
How to migrate SharePoint Server sites and contentOverview of the SharePoint Migration Tool (SPMT)

Governance

If your organization has legal or other requirements that govern the handling of data, or if you have sensitive or confidential information that you want to protect, these references can help you configure SharePoint for your governance standards and policies.

If you're looking for this information:Go to this resource:
How to plan your compliance requirements for SharePoint and OneDrivePlan compliance requirements for SharePoint and OneDrive
How to ensure that you retain files for a specified period of time, or delete them on a specified scheduleOverview of retention policies

OneDrive retention and deletion

How to classify documents based on the sensitivity of the informationOverview of sensitivity labels

Enable sensitivity labels for Office files in SharePoint and OneDrive

How to prevent the loss or exfiltration of important data in documents emailsLearn data loss prevention
Search for in-place items such as email, documents, and instant messaging conversationsContent Search in Microsoft 365

If you use OneDrive in your organization and you want to protect important files by saving them to the cloud, govern how much storage space users get, or govern how users sync file, these references will help you configure your policies.

If you're looking for this information:Go to this resource:
Protect important files on users' desktops or in their Documents folderRedirect and move Windows known folders to OneDrive and Redirect and move macOS Desktop and Documents folders to OneDrive
Control how users sync files to their devicesUse Group Policy to control OneDrive sync settings and Deploy and configure the OneDrive sync app for Mac
Configure the amount of storage space users have in OneDriveSet the default storage space for OneDrive users

Microsoft Teams

SharePoint is deeply integrated into Teams. Files that are stored in Teams are stored in SharePoint sites. When you administer SharePoint sites in the SharePoint admin center, you may find that many of them are connected to teams. Use these resources to understand how SharePoint and Teams are integrated.

If you're looking for this information:Go to this resource:
Learn about how Teams and SharePoint work togetherOverview of Teams and SharePoint integration
Learn how to manage settings and permissions when Teams and SharePoint are integrated togetherManage settings and permissions when SharePoint and Teams are integrated

Collaboration

SharePoint and OneDrive provide a rich collaboration environment where people inside and outside your organization can work together, coauthoring documents. Microsoft 365 provides a variety of options to help you create a secure and productive file collaboration environment that meets the needs of your organization. Use these resources to get started.

If you're looking for this information:Go to this resource:
Learn about secure collaboration in Microsoft 365Set up secure collaboration with Microsoft 365
Learn about file collaboration and how to plan your implementationIntro to file collaboration in Microsoft 365

File collaboration in SharePoint with Microsoft 365

Learn about collaborating with people outside your organizationExternal sharing overview

Collaborate with guests

Use the security and compliance features in Microsoft 365 to help secure your guest sharing environmentCreate a secure guest sharing environment

Modern intranet

SharePoint provides a rich set of tools to help you create and maintain your organization's intranet. Use these resources to get started.

If you're looking for this information:Go to this resource:
Learn about the different types of SharePoint sitesPlan your SharePoint site
Select whether to allow users to create their own sitesManage site creation
Learn how to plan an intelligent intranet for your organizationPlan an intelligent SharePoint intranet

Planning your SharePoint hub sites

Training

Administrators are often called upon to teach others in the organization how to use new technologies. Use these resources to help your users be successful with SharePoint and OneDrive.

If you're looking for this information:Go to this resource:
Get a list of training resources for your usersTraining and change management for rolling out SharePoint and OneDrive
Set up a customizable training portal with Microsoft training content for your organizationMicrosoft 365 learning pathways
Show your users the basics of SharePointSharePoint help & learning
Show your users the basics of OneDriveOneDrive help & learning

Customization

SharePoint provides a wide range of options for customization. We recommend using the out-of-box features and functionality as much as possible to meet your organization's needs. If you do need to customize SharePoint, see these references.

If you're looking for this information:Go to this resource:
Understand how to customize SharePoint using modern tools and techniquesCustomizing SharePoint
Build SharePoint Framework solutions, apps, add-ins, and solutionsSharePoint development

SharePoint Limits

Getting started with the SharePoint Online Management Shell

Microsoft Partner Center

Tips and tricks for navigating Microsoft 365 technical documentation

Introduction to SharePoint and OneDrive in Microsoft 365 for administrators - SharePoint in Microsoft 365 (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between OneDrive and SharePoint 365? ›

OneDrive is used for personal storage: work-related files that you create and work on yourself and sometimes share with others. SharePoint is used for shared storage: work-related files that are meant to be collaborated on, or viewed, by your group upon the file's creation.

What is SharePoint in Microsoft 365? ›

SharePoint in Microsoft 365 A cloud-based service, hosted by Microsoft, for businesses of all sizes. Instead of installing and deploying SharePoint Server on-premises, any business can subscribe to a Microsoft 365 plan or to the standalone SharePoint Online service.

What is Office 365 or Microsoft 365 how SharePoint Online related to Office 365? ›

In a nutshell, Office 365 is the Microsoft Office suite hosted in the cloud + more. It's the umbrella that includes SharePoint Online, as well as Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Exchange, OneDrive and many other familiar Microsoft tools. Everything is accessed via an online portal.

How do OneDrive and SharePoint work together? ›

If you use SharePoint Server and want to take advantage of cloud storage for your users' business documents, you can set up OneDrive and have your users automatically redirected to Microsoft 365 when they select the OneDrive link in SharePoint Server.

What is the purpose of OneDrive and SharePoint? ›

OneDrive provides a consistent, intuitive files experience across all your devices, including web, mobile, and the desktop of your Windows PC or Mac. Behind the scenes, SharePoint in Microsoft 365 provides the content services for all files in Microsoft 365, including files you work with in Teams, Yammer, and Outlook.

What are the different types of SharePoint sites Office 365? ›

SharePoint Site Types
Site TypeCreated by
SharePoint Classic SiteN/A
SharePoint Team SiteSelf-Service
SharePoint Communication SiteSelf-Service
SharePoint Hub SiteSharePoint Solutions Team
May 29, 2024

What is the primary difference between Office 365 and Microsoft 365? ›

Office 365 is a suite of cloud-based productivity applications such as Microsoft Office, SharePoint, Teams, OneDrive, Yammer, OneNote, etc. Microsoft 365, however, is a combination of services that blends together Office 365, Windows 10 OS, and Enterprise Mobility + Security.

What is the difference between SharePoint and SharePoint? ›

SharePoint 2019 is an on-premises software, whereas SharePoint Online is a cloud service available in Microsoft 365 subscriptions. The two platforms differ in key areas, including system requirements, security and payment models.

Do you need Microsoft 365 for SharePoint? ›

No, you do not need a Microsoft 365 subscription to run SharePoint Online. Microsoft offers various SharePoint plans, starting with a standalone SharePoint Online subscription from $5/month per user that does not include access to Microsoft Office applications like Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

What are the benefits of sharing using SharePoint or OneDrive? ›

Individual vs group collaboration
  • Storage. Both OneDrive and SharePoint provide users with a large amount of storage. ...
  • Scalability. ...
  • Better security and permissions. ...
  • More efficient and effective collaboration. ...
  • Granular permission setting. ...
  • Easy customisation and integration.

Can SharePoint admin access OneDrive? ›

An administrator can use the SharePoint Online Admin Center to transfer ownership of a OneDrive or control user access to OneDrive, as follows: Open the “more features” page in the SharePoint Admin Center and sign in with an account that has admin permissions. Under User Profiles, select Open.

Has OneDrive replaced SharePoint? ›

Within Microsoft 365, OneDrive is built on top of the SharePoint file platform. In this article, only SharePoint is used to refer to both products.

Why use SharePoint instead of Shared Drive? ›

The biggest advantage of using SharePoint Document Libraries for storing your business documents, as opposed to storing them on a network drive, can be summed up in one word – metadata. What is metadata, you ask? Technically speaking, it means data about data.

Do I need OneDrive if I have Microsoft 365? ›

As per your description, No, you don't strictly need to have the OneDrive app installed if you have the Microsoft 365 app.

What is the difference between SharePoint Sync and add to OneDrive? ›

However, adding OneDrive shortcuts allows content to be accessed on all devices, whereas sync is related to a specific device. Additionally, OneDrive shortcuts offer improved performance versus using the sync button. We recommend using OneDrive shortcuts as the more versatile option.

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