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SharePoint and MS Teams folder structure and document management - Best Practice

Anonymous
2024-11-26T08:08:46+00:00

Hi there,

I need some help. In our organization we use SharePoint and MS Teams. We havent done a great job of managing and governing the use of SharePoint and Teams, and now we're at a point where things are getting out of control. We have users creating multiple Teams, and abondoning them, creating duplicate Teams and all sorts of stuff. We're sitting with large number of Teams currently. We have since prevented them from creating Teams and everything now comes through Helpdesk.

I have since embarked on a project to clean up the data and to implement a SharePoint and Teams policy which will govern how we interact with the platforms. We're currently thinking of how best to design the folder structures for data in the platform, such as "do we create a Team for each project, do we create a team for each Division or business unit in the company and create a channel for each project undereath it, do we do something else, and how will it impact the archiving or backup of each workspace. We're also considering using Metadata to have a flat folder structure, or atleast have two parent folders to sort out the top-level structure and have a flat Metadata layer underneath this. What we also need to consider is external sharing for consultants and clients, and I understand we could manage this with channels?

What works well in your organization? What's considered best practice? Keen to hear your thoughts and appreciate your support.

Regards

Microsoft Teams | Microsoft Teams for business | Teams and channels | Manage a team or channel

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  1. Anonymous
    2024-11-26T10:19:08+00:00

    Hi Neil,

    Thank you for reaching out and sharing details about your project to establish governance and organization within SharePoint and Teams. It’s great to see your proactive approach to tackling these challenges. I'll provide some guidance based on best practices and considerations for your scenario.

    Governance Framework

    • Teams Creation Policies: You're already on the right track by centralizing the creation of Teams through Helpdesk. Consider defining clear criteria for when a new Team is necessary, ensuring alignment with business goals.
    • Ownership and Lifecycle Management: Assign at least two owners per Team and implement a lifecycle policy to archive or delete unused Teams. Use expiration policies to handle inactive groups automatically.

    Folder Structure and Organization

    • Teams for Divisions or Projects:
      • If your organization frequently collaborates across departments, creating Teams for each Division or Business Unit with dedicated channels for individual projects can centralize resources and minimize duplication.
      • For high-turnover or short-term projects, creating separate Teams per project may work better to maintain clarity and permissions.
    • Metadata and Flat Structures:
      • Using metadata instead of deeply nested folder structures is highly recommended for SharePoint. Metadata makes it easier to sort, filter, and search files while keeping the hierarchy shallow.
      • Consider having two parent folders for top-level segregation (e.g., Division/Department and Project/Client) and enforce consistent metadata tagging for categorization.

    External Sharing

    • Private Channels for External Sharing: Use private or shared channels to securely collaborate with external users, as they allow you to manage permissions at the channel level without exposing the entire Team.
    • Sharing Policies: Define clear guidelines for external sharing, including expiration dates for shared links and domain controlling for external sharing. This can be setup from SharePoint admin center > Policies > Sharing > More external sharing settings.

    Archiving and Backup

    • Leverage Microsoft 365’s built-in retention and backup features to ensure compliance and recoverability. For Teams, archiving inactive Teams retains all data but makes them read-only. Combine this with SharePoint retention policies to ensure long-term access to critical documents.

    Engagement and Training

    • Roll out these changes with clear documentation and user training sessions to ensure team members understand how to use the platforms effectively.
    • Regularly review and refine your policies based on user feedback and evolving business needs.

    Feel free to let me know if you’d like to dive deeper into any specific area or need assistance with implementing these strategies.

    Best regards,
    Community Moderator | Sophia

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