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Introduction to SharePoint and OneDrive

Introduction

To support Dean Yocom’s initiative to standardize on SharePoint for document storage, CBE-IT has created a series of guides to assist with the installation, configuration, and usage of the service, with special attention paid towards how individuals and departments may migrate content.

SharePoint and OneDrive use familiar concepts such as folder creation, live editing of documents, and sharing with other users, but under a different interface. If you are familiar with Google Drive, then this guide will assist you to transition between the two services. CBE-IT is available to consult with CBE affiliates on any questions surrounding this migration. Please consult the pages listed on the Google Drive to SharePoint Migration landing page which provides installation and configuration instructions for Mac and Windows, and a tutorial on the use of SharePoint and OneDrive.

 

Definitions

Microsoft has created three intertwined services, OneDrive, SharePoint, and Teams. At a basic level, these are the same type of service but with different use cases:

  • OneDrive refers to the personal document storage service offered by Microsoft and is analogous to the “My Drive” in Google Drive. The contents of your OneDrive are attached to your UW NetID and eligibility for the service is dependent upon your continued affiliation with the UW.
  • SharePoint is like OneDrive but is more analogous to a Shared Google Drive. These are not attached to individuals, but rather to departments and therefore do not cause the same ownership concerns caused by Google Drive vis-à-vis employee departures.
  • Microsoft Teams sits on top of its own special version of SharePoint. Microsoft Teams usage does not form part of these guides.

OneDrive also refers to the app that Microsoft has designed to allow for file synchronization between your device, and will be used to migrate into both OneDrive and SharePoint.

 

Advantages of OneDrive and SharePoint

Google has severely limited UW’s usage of Google Drive by imposing low storage quotas and restricting shared drive usage. Microsoft has provided its clients with a more generous quota and a service dedicated to shared use cases, which will give CBE departments space to grow their digital footprints. The table below demonstrates the differences between these offerings.

 

Service Quota Use Eligibility Shared NetIDs allowed FERPA-Compliant HIPAA-Compliant
Google Drive 500GB Personal Individual No Yes No
Google Shared Drive 500GB Personal Individual, shared accounts not permitted No Yes No
Microsoft OneDrive 5TB (5,000GB) Personal Dependent on continued affiliation with the UW Yes Yes Yes
Microsoft SharePoint 25TB (25,000GB) Departmental Not tied to individual affiliation Yes Yes Yes

 

Questions to consider before starting

  1. What files and folders do I wish to transfer from my computer or personal Google Drive into OneDrive?
  2. What files and folders should be migrated into my department’s SharePoint site?
  3. Does my department have a storage strategy in place? Who can I contact to learn more?
  4. Should some data from Solo be migrated in to SharePoint?

 

Prerequisites

  1. Access to your CBE-assigned computer
  2. Access to your DUO device for authentication purposes
  3. 15 minutes to complete configuration of OneDrive on your device

 

Next: Mac Configuration instructions; or
Next: Windows Configuration instructions