Best practices for using OneDrive, Teams, and SharePoint

File naming and folder directory structure

• Keep file and folder names short, descriptive, and consistent.
• Develop file and folder naming standards and review them as a team.
• Avoid creating duplicate subfolders under different main folders. This can cause confusion as to where things are stored.
• Structure your subfolders logically and consistently. Avoid making too many layers of subfolders, as this can get confusing.
• Microsoft has published a practical guide of ideas for how to organize digital files.  

Make Teams site access and training part of onboarding for staff

• Ensure that all staff are added to all relevant Teams and file shares.
• Review file directory structure and standards with new staff.  
• New Teams channels are often hidden by default. There are a couple of different ways that owners of the Team can ensure important channels are visible to everyone. This link reviews how to adjust channel visibility.

Develop processes for making any major changes to shared file directories

• Remember that when you move and rename files, this moves and renames them for everyone!
• Decide how to approach making changes. A couple of possibilities would be to require communication for major changes, or to only have designated people make changes.
• If you want to revise the current file structure, you could create a small working group to review possible changes and then discuss them as a group for implementation.

OneDrive Training and Resources:

• OneDrive for Business Essential Training from LinkedIn Learning
  • If you don't have access to LinkedIn Learning, you can request it from HR at this link.
• Job guides for OneDrive for Business and Teams from the OSU Administrative Resource Center