TL;DR
- OneDrive = your personal backpack (solo work, drafts, access anywhere).
- SharePoint = the team filing cabinet (collaboration, permissions, workflows).
- Teams = chat central with a SharePoint brain (real-time convos + file storage).
- Local Drive = the risky wild west (only for temporary or offline use).
Rule of thumb:
- Alone = OneDrive.
- Together = SharePoint.
- Chatting = Teams.
- Offline = Local (but sync later).
The Eternal File-Saving Dilemma
You’ve just hit save. Feeling productive. But then the creeping doubt sets in:
“Do I put this in OneDrive? Teams? SharePoint? Or… the good old desktop folder next to Final_v2_ReallyFinal.pptx?”
If that thought has ever crossed your mind, you’re in good company. Microsoft 365 gives us a smorgasbord of storage options but figuring out where things actually belong can feel like picking a seat in a high school canteen (aka cafeteria). One wrong move and suddenly you’re with the marching band when you wanted the art kids.
Let’s cut the jargon and break it down. Clear, simple, and maybe with a few off beat analogies.
OneDrive – Your Digital Backpack
What it is:
Your personal cloud stash. Great for solo work, drafts, and half-baked ideas.
When to use it:
You’re working alone
You want to grab it from anywhere
You’re not ready for group feedback
Where it lives:
In the cloud, tied to your Microsoft 365 account.
Access it:
Via your browser: https://onedrive.live.com
Via your Documents folder (if synced)
Via your File Explorer under “OneDrive – [Your Organisation]”
Use case:
Writing a proposal you’re not ready to share yet? Park it in OneDrive. Later, move it to SharePoint or Teams when you want the group to weigh in.
SharePoint – The Office Filing Cabinet Everyone Can Use
What it is:
The team’s organised, secure space. Like the office filing cabinet, but much better.
When to use it:
- Team collaboration
- Version control, permissions, workflows
- Dashboards, forms, automations
- Collaboration on working documents, drafts for approval and presentation of final documents
Where it lives:
In the cloud (SharePoint Online) or sometimes on-prem if your IT team is nostalgic (it’s time to migrate!).
Access it:
- Via your browser: https://sharepoint.com/sites
- Via Microsoft Teams (under the “Files” tab)
- Via File Explorer if synced (shows as a network location or shortcut)
Use case:
HR needs a home for onboarding docs and policies? Build a SharePoint site with libraries, approvals, and dashboards.
Microsoft Teams – The Chatty Hub with a Secret Filing System
What it is:
The place for convos, meetings, and file sharing. Behind the curtain? SharePoint’s doing all the heavy lifting.
When to use it:
- Real-time chat + file sharing
- Meetings, tasks, convos in one hub
Where it lives:
Files in Teams channels = SharePoint. Personal chat files = OneDrive.
Access it:
- Via the Teams app (desktop or browser)
- Via the “Files” tab in each channel
- Via SharePoint (linked behind the scenes)
Use case:
Project team chatting about a new campaign? Drop files in the channel. Teams makes it feel casual, SharePoint keeps it safe.
Local Drive – The Wild West of File Storage
What it is:
Your computer’s C: drive. Fast, familiar, and about as secure as leaving your diary at a bus stop.
When to use it:
- Offline work
- Temporary storage
- Living dangerously
Where it lives:
On your device. If your laptop dies, so does your file.
Access it:
- Via File Explorer (e.g., C:\Users\YourName\Documents)
- Via your desktop or downloads folder
- Via any app’s “Save As” dialog
Use case:
On a plane with no Wi-Fi? Save it locally. But please, sync it to OneDrive or SharePoint when you land, or risk your laptop becoming the world’s smallest graveyard for lost files.
How They Work Together
- Start in OneDrive (solo work).
- Move to SharePoint (teamwork).
- Chat about it in Teams (discussion).
- Save locally only when offline.
Cheat sheet:
- Solo = OneDrive
- Team = SharePoint
- Chat = Teams
- Offline = Local (but sync it later!)
Final Thoughts
Don’t overthink it. If you’re working alone, start with OneDrive. If you’re working together, use SharePoint. If you’re chatting, use Teams. And if you’re offline, use your local drive, but don’t let it be the final resting place of your masterpiece.
This is a handy starting point, but there's plenty of flexibility. Some people stick to SharePoint for files, others live in Teams. It’s all about what works best for how you want to work.
Need help setting this up for your team? We’ve got your back. We help organisations make sense of Microsoft 365, build smart intranets, and turn SharePoint into a productivity engine.