Manage files and documents in Microsoft 365 - securely and efficiently

A lot has happened in a short time in the digitalization of organizations and companies. Many have moved all or part of their file management to the cloud and Microsoft 365. We know that many users lack knowledge and understanding of how to work optimally with files and document management. Perhaps they are stuck in old footsteps instead of adapting to all the new opportunities and tools offered.

Don't let old habits get in the way of the transition to smoother document management in Microsoft 365

Simply transferring your files and documents to Microsoft 365, without setting new routines and processes, means that gains are lost. Old routines remain in the backbone and it can take time to get into new ways of working. Based on our experience of moving 15,000 users in 300 organizations to Microsoft 365, we have listed a few steps that we hope will inspire you to move on and start working smarter and smoother. For those who have been up and running for a while, it can be good to check which functions you already use and which ones may be worth delving into a little more.

Check that you use the following features in Microsoft 365 for your file and document management:

Access to files everywhere

Onedrive, Sharepoint and Teams are new terms to many and it can be unclear what is what. In general, it can be said that Onedrive is My Documents in the Cloud, and thanks to the "backup of important folders" function, you can continue to work in your folders on the computer, desktop documents and images. The difference is that when your computer gives up or is stolen, you will always lose important data/documents/files. It replaces the desktop and by saving/syncing to OneDrive you avoid the risk of "losing documents" if you, for example, accidentally delete or lose your computer. You can share documents via OneDrive with others, but we recommend that you move to Sharepoint and Teams, which are the common workspace for the company and where you share and work with documents together with your colleagues. You choose whether to work online or locally - everything is synced in the cloud.

Save space on your hard drive

Because your files and documents are in the cloud, you can choose to store them there since you have 1 TB of space, but you can also choose which files you also want to store temporarily locally on your computer to work offline. When you enable files on demand, you will see all files in Windows Explorer and get new information about each file. New files created online or on another device are shown as online-only files that do not take up space on your device. When you are connected to the internet, you can use the files as all files on your device.

Share files as a link

To avoid multiple versions of the same file, save time, work more productively and control who actually has access to the file, we can now share a link to the file. You decide who can view, edit and download files. This gives you full control over your documents and avoids all the different versions that may need to be compiled.

Version management saves you

The documents and files saved in MS365/OneDrive/Teams can easily be restored to a previous version. Compare different versions and get back exactly what you want. Every time you save the document, a new version is saved in the background. You may be working today with Budget - version 1, Budget - version 2... Instead, work with version management via the web or directly in the document in the Office package. You can access previous versions via the version history function and restore a document to a previous version, or compare different versions in the same window to see what should be kept or deleted.

Working with files and documents in the explorer

Whether you're someone who loves to work on the web or locally, the tools are there. Move seamlessly between Teams, explorer, desktop or OneDrive on the web. All to keep productivity high.

If you delete by mistake

The files saved on OneDrive or in Teams get an extra recycle bin. This provides protection when documents are accidentally deleted. Recycle bins on your desktop and on the web are not the same. If you accidentally delete a file or if you can't find a document, it's a good idea to look in the recycle bin on the web, office.com, where files remain for 90 days and can be restored. A great security feature that provides peace of mind.

If you are curious about exactly how to use the above features or maybe also get tips on how to use labels, how to work on different mobile devices, the most important apps and more, we recommend you take a look at our free webinar File and document management in Microsoft 365.

Do you have full control of your files and documents in the cloud? Do you know how your organization can best take advantage of all the possibilities in OneDrive, SharePoint and Teams? Feel free to contact us at Upheads to book a review of your use.