Summary
This article helps faculty, staff, and students understand when to use OneDrive, SharePoint, or Microsoft Teams for storing and sharing files. It includes updated guidance based on USNH governance standards, supported platforms, and data ownership expectations.
General Considerations for File Storage
Before deciding where to store or share files, consider the following:
- Who owns the data?
Institutional data should be stored in SharePoint or Teams.
- Who needs access?
SharePoint and Teams are better for broad or long-term access.
- How long should it be retained?
OneDrive accounts are deleted 270 days after an individual leaves USNH.
- What kind of data is it?
Use a Sensitivity Label for FERPA, HIPAA, or PII. Request through USNH SharePoint Admin team.
Questions
What's the difference between OneDrive and SharePoint?
When do I use OneDrive?
When do I use SharePoint?
When do I use Teams?
Answers
What's the difference between OneDrive and SharePoint?
OneDrive is your individual workspace that is best used for drafts, notes, and documents you’re working on alone or sharing temporarily with a few people. It’s tied to your USNH account and is deleted 270 days after your affiliation ends, making it unsuitable for storing departmental or institutional data long-term.
SharePoint is built for shared work. It’s the right place for team or department-owned files, long-term projects, and collaborative content that needs to remain accessible even if someone leaves the university. SharePoint supports shared ownership, structured permissions, and long-term storage, making it the preferred platform for storing and managing official university content.
Important: USNH SharePoint sites are part of the university’s internal intranet. While it’s possible to share content with specific external collaborators, SharePoint sites cannot be made publicly accessible for anonymous viewing (i.e., they cannot function as a public-facing website). For files and folders, anonymous sharing links can be configured for the site and then posted publicly.
With both OneDrive and SharePoint in Microsoft 365, your files are stored in the cloud. You can sync either OneDrive or SharePoint files to your computer.
Back to Questions
When do I use OneDrive?
Your USNH OneDrive account is intended for personal work, draft documents, and temporary collaboration. It is not a long-term storage solution for institutional data. Content is deleted 270 days after your affiliation with USNH ends. See OneDrive for work or school: Information for details.
Use OneDrive when:
- You are the sole editor of a document (private)
- You want to share a file temporarily with a few people
- You’re working on a file that doesn’t belong to a broader project or department
- You’re posting a file to a Teams chat
Avoid storing department files or collaborative content that must persist beyond your association with the university. Please note that sharing files has risks. Make sure you comply with USNH CyberSecurity Policies.
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When do I use SharePoint?
SharePoint is the primary platform for storing institutional data, team collaboration, and project documentation. Files in SharePoint are accessible via Teams, structured with metadata, and governed by policies.
Use SharePoint when:
- Files should be co-owned by a department, team, or committee
- Multiple users need to maintain access over time
- Sensitive data must be managed securely using Sensitivity Labels
- Long-term retention and compliance is desired or required
- You need formal site structure (pages, document libraries, web parts)
Important: USNH SharePoint sites are part of the university’s internal intranet. While it’s possible to share content with specific external collaborators, SharePoint sites cannot be made publicly accessible for anonymous viewing (i.e., they cannot function as a public-facing website). For files and folders, anonymous sharing links can be configured for the site and then posted publicly.
See also: USNH SharePoint Usage Guidelines and Governance.
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When do I use Teams?
Microsoft Teams is the collaboration hub for chat, meetings, and file sharing. It integrates with SharePoint (document storage) and OneDrive (chat file storage). Whenever you create a Microsoft Team, a corresponding SharePoint Team site is also created for file storage, along with an M365 Group, which includes shared resources such as shared email, calendar, OneNote notebook, and Planner.
Use Teams when:
- You need to collaborate in real-time with chat, video, and co-authoring
- You want shared M365 resources for the group
- You are part of a standing team, project, or committee
- You need shared calendars, task tracking, and persistent discussion
- You want to centralize file access with related conversation threads
Teams channels store files in SharePoint Team sites. Private chats store files in the sender’s OneDrive. See also: USNH Teams Usage Guidelines and Governance.
Note: Teams can be public, or private. Always default to Private. Public teams are available to all faculty, students and staff at USNH (including recordings).
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Need additional help?
For assistance concerning site creation, content sharing, file synchronization, or other common SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams, or Office app activities, we recommend our Microsoft 365 Learning sites:
Learn more about the great tools our Microsoft 365 Learning sites offer!
Visit the Technology Help Desk Support page to locate your local campus contact information or to submit an online technology support request. For password issues you must call or visit the Help Desk in person.