Background:

  • At work we use MS Office, because who doesn’t. We used to have a central file server with lots of well sorted directories.
  • Then Corporate decided to ditch that, everything must move into OneDrive so there’s always a Data Owner.
  • The local boss had to move everything from the network share into his own OneDrive, and then share, with each of us, the folders that were relevant to each of us.
  • This sounds like distributed storage, which is probably smart in some way.

In reality, it’s shit. Everything is now a link to “corporateName.sharepoint.com” in the browser, and it’s a hassle to find that in the file explorer. SOmeone just shared a folder with me. I see it in my browser. How do I get it from the browser into a normal folder view? Should I forget about on-disk storage; is everything today just a browser bookmark?

Worse, I have no idea what’s where. Some people share some stuff and somehow it ends up in my OneDrive, but what’s the context of it?

This seems so wrong to me. Am I just not “getting” it??

  • SGG@lemmy.worldEnglish
    22·
    2 years ago

    Your boss did this not the best way*. They should have created a SharePoint site, maybe a few extra document libraries within that site, and have the files in there. Then added people as members to the site, maybe lock down a few of the document libraries/folders as required to specific people.

    Then for ease of use people can open the libraries and click the sync button. Although if you have too many it’ll slow down/break.

    OneDrive/SharePoint is not a drop in replacement for a file server, and those honestly still find their use, but a lot of places with a bit of re-structuring can work just as well if not better through SharePoint . Especially if they put in the effort to start using other SharePoint features.

      • SGG@lemmy.worldEnglish
        4·
        2 years ago

        The sharepoint itself - browser only

        The document libraries (the sections of a sharepoint site that store files)* - there is a “sync” button you can press to get them into the OneDrive client on your PC, and therefore into file explorer. (It’s also possible for admins to automate this)

      • fouloleron@lemmy.worldEnglish
        2·
        2 years ago

        SharePoint and OneDrive folders can be synced locally. You get a local copy of the folder in online mode, so files are only downloaded if you specify, or if you open them.

        Once you get that sorted out, you can stop worrying about where the file lives.

        • NeoNachtwaechter@lemmy.world
          1·
          2 years ago

          SharePoint and OneDrive folders can be synced locally.

          yea, right…have tried that and the next day all the coworkers complained why am I creating hundreds of duplicate files.

          After this has happened the second time (and ofc all the M$ experts had no clue, no, this can never happen…), I just won’t touch this Onedrive anymore. Ever.

    • Taigagaai@lemmy.world
      1·
      2 years ago

      Exactly! If it’s a small company, it may be an option to make a Teams everyone has access to and adapting the SharePoint behind it as the home page for the company, with different libraries depending on who needs access. At my company there is constant confusion between the SharePointsites the IT team set up for them and the SharePointsite behind their Teams, makes me think it is probably better to just use the SharePoint that’s forced on you by creating a Teams.