Everyone needs file storage, whether that’s on a local server hidden in a cupboard at the back of your office, or via a cloud service like Google Drive, Dropbox or OneDrive – no matter what your current setup looks like, here’s why we think you should make the switch to Microsoft SharePoint:

But First – What Is SharePoint?

Before we get into the benefits of SharePoint, I can already hear the keyboard clacking as you (yes, you) get ready to type out “But isn’t SharePoint just a fancy Intranet?”. To which I’d say you’re right! SharePoint is a fancy Intranet, but it’s also so much more…

SharePoint acts as the backbone for Microsoft 365 storage, including storing data from OneDrive, Teams, Loop, and more recently, Microsoft Copilot (that’s my obligatory AI mention done for the day). SharePoint is so adept at handling storage, that a lot of businesses (including us!) are using it as a replacement for expensive traditional file servers.

That is to say, of course, that SharePoint can still be used as your company Intranet, and a hub for your Organisation’s members to access new items, policy documents and general company information. The limit is your imagination.

The best part? If you’re a Microsoft 365 user then you probably already pay for SharePoint, and all you need is a little help to get it up and running.

Why Should You Use SharePoint?

Aside from the aforementioned fact that you’re probably already paying for it so may as well get your money’s worth – SharePoint comes with a bundle of benefits.

  • It’s far cheaper to run than a physical file server: SharePoint stores data in the cloud, meaning that there’s no need to have big physical servers that need constant power and take up space in your office, which might just reduce your operating costs by a hefty chunk.
  • It’s quick and easy to replicate your old file structure – or start fresh! Don’t worry, we’ve seen our fair share of messy file spaces, whether it’s a file called “Client Proposal 2.0 Final Finished For Real This Time.docx” or a folder called “sdssjdkdlfkdldks” that you swore was only temporary. Switching to SharePoint provides a great opportunity to start fresh with a neat and tidy file structure – or to stick with your current structure if that’s what works for your business
  • Work collaboratively, and securely: With SharePoint, multiple people can work on a file at the same time, leading to easier collaboration, even with those who are working from home. Additionally, access to files can be restricted using security groups, as well as via the security settings deployed as part of your Microsoft 365 tenancy, including controls like Multi-Factor-Authentication.
  • Work from any device, even offline: SharePoint works with practically any device, including Windows, MacOS, Android and iOS. On Windows and Mac, you can even work offline at the press of a button, by syncing your SharePoint files with OneDrive.
  • Consistent new features and updates: Microsoft is committed to innovation and improvement of the SharePoint platform – in fact, just recently Microsoft announced Copilot integration with SharePoint, bringing the power of AI to your files.
  • Customisable Looks: Out of the box, SharePoint may seem a little limited in how far you can customise it’s looks. However, there’s a bunch of different templates available to quickly and easily improve SharePoint’s looks. Additionally, you can add your company’s logo and brand colours to make SharePoint feel more like your own system.

You might be thinking that some of these points sound similar to OneDrive – and you’d be right again (look at you go!). But there’s some key differences that are important to know. If only someone had put together an article detailing the differences between SharePoint and OneDrive… Oh wait! We did. Take a look at the button below.

How Do I Get Started With SharePoint?

We can help get you started with migrating your data over to SharePoint – get in contact here if you’d like some more info. Before you undergo a migration to SharePoint, there’s some things to consider which can make a migration smoother.

Like mentioned before, a good question to ask is whether or not your current file structure is meeting the requirements of the business, and whether now would be a good time to reorganise and start a fresh, neat, new structure.

Another good question is whether your security policies would allow staff to synchronise company data with their machine, or whether it would be better to force people to use the web version of SharePoint instead – it may also affect the data, as features like metadata tagging aren’t available for data synchronised via OneDrive, but are supported in the web version.

Additionally, data retention may be a factor in some use-cases. As standard, when a file is deleted from SharePoint it is retained in the “trash” for just over 90 days, and then is lost forever. There are 3rd party services, as well as an official Microsoft backup tool which can alleviate this, but they may come at an extra cost.

Finally, it’s a good idea to check definitively whether or not you’re already paying for SharePoint, and how much storage you have – SharePoint is included in Microsoft 365 Basic, Standard and Premium packages, so chances are it’s already included in what you pay for, but it’s worth a check just in case. Out of the box, SharePoint comes with 1TB of storage available, plus an extra 10GB per user licence you purchase as part of your tenancy. If you need more than this, it can be increased with the purchase of bolt-on licences. Get in contact with us to chat to an expert on this.

Basic

£460per month / annual subscription
  • 50GB Email Account
  • Teams
  • SharePoint
  • Web Versions of Word, Excel & PowerPoint

Standard

£960per month / annual subscription
  • Everything In Basic, Plus
  • Desktop Versions Of Word, Excel & PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Loop
  • Multi-Factor Authentication

Premium

£1690per month / annual subscription
  • Everything In Standard, Plus
  • Endpoint Protection (Anti-Virus)
  • Mobile Device Management
  • Access And Data Controls
  • Improved Multi-Factor Authentication

I’ve Got SharePoint, Now What?

Congratulations! Now you’ve got your shiny new file storage system up and running, and full to the brim with data, what are your next steps?

Well aside from the blunt “Get to work!” email your boss probably sent you when the system was handed over – now’s a good time to look at SharePoint’s compliance with your security policies and accreditations.

This is where Microsoft Purview comes in, which is a comprehensive toolkit which helps your business manage and protect its data. Purview has tools which help you manage, monitor and protect the data in your system. For example, you can create sensitivity labels for your SharePoint data and create controls for them, which can then be used to restrict people’s ability to do things like print or download sensitive documents. Purview also offers secure encryption of your documents. SharePoint keeps your documents tidy, Purview keeps them safe.

Finally, if you need a little more oomph from your new file storage system, for a small extra fee you can get SharePoint Premium, which provides AI-driven solutions that are designed to give admins a new range of powerful tools to manage company data. This add-on is primarily aimed at companies who are struggling to make sense of their data by automating the process of extracting important info from various documents.

Well there you have it! We believe SharePoint is the best fit solution for most businesses’ file storage needs – “but what about OneDrive? What about Azure?” I hear you cry – well, take a look at the buttons below to find some comprehensive comparisons to help satisfy your concerns. Or more simply, get in touch with us to hear it straight from the horses mouth!