4.3OneDrive, SharePoint & Teams (admin side)
The essentials in 30 seconds
- OneDrive = personal space; SharePoint = team space; Teams = collaboration (chat, meetings, channels).
- Files shared in a Teams channel are actually stored in SharePoint: managing a channel's rights means managing a SharePoint site.
- Permissions, backup and retention are driven on the SharePoint/OneDrive side; external sharing must be framed by a policy.
Running mini-case — Sofiane answers "where are our Teams files?"
Sofiane, a systems administrator in a distribution SME in Algiers, gets a recurring question: "where are the documents of the Projet Livraisons channel really?". He explains that Teams is the collaboration interface, but the files live in the library of the associated SharePoint site. When asked to set the channel's rights, he therefore acts on the SharePoint site; when management talks about backing up team data, he thinks SharePoint and OneDrive. He also notes governance: external sharing (guests) must follow a policy, and "everyone creates their own site on the side" quickly makes the tenant unmanageable.
Standalone case for this section: it returns in the course, the diagram, the script and the 48h challenge of section 4.3.
1. Three tools, one common foundation
OneDrive is each user's personal file space. SharePoint is the team file space (sites, shared libraries). Teams is the collaboration tool (discussions, meetings, channels). A key point often ignored: when a team shares files in Teams, they are actually stored in SharePoint. The foundation is common.
2. What that changes on the admin side
Understanding this foundation avoids mistakes: managing the permissions of a Teams channel means managing a SharePoint site; backing up "Teams" mostly means backing up SharePoint and OneDrive behind it. You therefore administer access, external sharing (whether to allow guests) and data retention in the right place.
3. Sharing and governance
Easy sharing is a strength… and a risk: a "anyone with the link" link can expose sensitive data. The administrator sets a sharing policy (internal by default, external framed), organises team spaces and avoids "everyone creates their own site on the side", which quickly makes the tenant unmanageable.
🔎 Concrete example — 🔎 Concrete example — "Where are our Teams files really?"
A team shares documents in a Teams channel; Sofiane follows the real path:
Teams channel « Projet Livraisons »
-> Files tab
-> in reality: SharePoint library of the associated site
Manage the channel's rights = manage the SharePoint site
Reading : Teams is the interface; SharePoint is the storage.
Lesson : rights, backup and retention are driven on the SharePoint/OneDrive side.Reading: Teams is the interface; SharePoint is the real storage of the files.
Lesson: permissions, backup and retention are managed on the SharePoint/OneDrive side, not "in Teams".
Section vocabulary
- OneDrive
- The user's personal file space in M365.
Simple example: Every employee at the SME stores their personal documents there.
What it is not: the shared team library of a SharePoint site.
Reflex: personal files → OneDrive.
- SharePoint
- File space and team sites; the storage behind Teams.
Simple example: Sofiane sets the rights on the channel's SharePoint site.
What it is not: a user's strictly personal space.
Reflex: team space / storage → SharePoint.
- Teams
- M365 collaboration tool (chat, meetings, channels).
Simple example: Teams discuss and share in a Teams channel.
What it is not: a simple folder of files with no discussion.
Reflex: collaborate → Teams.
- External sharing
- The framed possibility of sharing files with guests outside the organisation.
Simple example: Sofiane allows a guest on a specific site, not a public link.
What it is not: a link open to anyone, with no control.
Reflex: guests outside the SME → framed external sharing.
- Retention
- Rules determining how long data is kept.
Simple example: Sofiane sets the retention period for team data.
What it is not: an immediate, permanent deletion of the documents.
Reflex: how long you keep → retention.
In practice — In practice — Mapping a collaborative space
- For a project, decide what goes to OneDrive (personal) and to SharePoint (team), like Sofiane.
- Link a Teams channel to the SharePoint site that stores its files.
- Define an external sharing policy (allowed? framed?).
- Note how you would manage permissions and retention.
Step-by-step script — locating data and governing like Sofiane (4 min)
1) For a given document, ask yourself: personal (OneDrive) or team (SharePoint)? 2) If the document is shared in a Teams channel, locate the associated SharePoint site. 3) Set the rights and retention on that site, not "in Teams". 4) Set the external sharing policy: internal by default, controlled guests. 5) Check that no team site is created without governance.
The reflex to keep: Teams is the interface, SharePoint is the storage — you always administer the foundation.
Copy-paste template — my OneDrive / SharePoint / Teams map
OneDrive : the user's PERSONAL files
SharePoint : TEAM files (sites, libraries) — storage behind Teams
Teams : collaboration INTERFACE (chat, meetings, channels)
Key point : files of a Teams channel = stored in SharePoint
To drive : rights + external sharing (policy) + retention, on the foundation side.A personal file
A work document in progress stays in OneDrive, the user's personal space.
A team file
The document shared by the department is published in SharePoint, the team space.
A Teams channel
Sofiane sets the channel's rights by acting on the associated SharePoint site.
A share to frame
Sofiane frames external sharing: internal by default, guests allowed case by case.
✓ Best practices
- Remember that Teams stores in SharePoint.
- Define a clear external sharing policy.
- Organise the team spaces (avoid sprawl).
✗ Common pitfalls
- Believing that Teams contains the files.
- Leaving "everyone" links on sensitive data.
- Letting everyone create sites without governance.
Key takeaways
- OneDrive = personal, SharePoint = team, Teams = collaboration.
- Teams files are stored in SharePoint.
- Permissions, backup and retention are managed on the SharePoint/OneDrive side.
- External sharing must be framed by a policy.
48h challenge — apply it tomorrow
Like Sofiane, map a collaborative space: decide what goes to OneDrive (personal) and to SharePoint (team), link a Teams channel to its SharePoint site, and write one sentence of external sharing policy. State where rights and retention are driven.
- I tell OneDrive, SharePoint and Teams apart and know their role.
- I know that Teams files live in SharePoint.
- I drive rights, external sharing and retention at the right level.
Frequently asked questions
Should Teams be backed up separately?
To a large extent, backing up Teams means backing up SharePoint and OneDrive, where the files live; messages have their own retention rules. Understanding the foundation avoids believing you protect data you do not really touch.
Is external sharing dangerous?
It is useful but must be framed: an overly open link can expose sensitive data. You define a policy (internal by default, controlled guests) rather than banning it or allowing everything.
Where are files shared in a Teams channel actually stored?