Sharepoint for beginners

What is SharePoint?

SharePoint is a software program created by Microsoft for use in companies to share files and information. We use it on campus for many things including the Portal.

What’s the difference between iShare and SharePoint?

All three use the same software (Sharepoint) but the distinct differences are that iShare was built in 2010 on a very old (and now very insecure) version of SharePoint, SharePoint is Microsoft’s newest version and is housed out in the cloud. Both are meant to be a shared space to save files that multiple people can see and edit from.

Where does OneDrive fit in?

OneDrive utilizes the same file sharing software of Sharepoint with one major exception. Where Sharepoint is built as file storage to be shared, Onedrive is built as file storage for personal use. In the old iShare we had a section called “My Sharepoint files” which was the predecessor of OneDrive and should be moved from iShare to OneDrive.

Where do I get started?

• First, follow the directions above for “OneDrive Setup” to get your OneDrive folder set up and accessible on your computer.

• From there navigate to the “Moving “My SharePoint Files” to Onedrive” Article and follow the directions to transition your files out to OneDrive.

• Finally, this is a great opportunity for you to ensure that any files you access normally on your computer are backed up. Follow the instructions in “OneDrive PC Backup” to set your computer’s files to automatically get backed up to OneDrive so that if your computer fails and needs replaced you don’t have to worry about the files being missing.

What about moving the Shared files from Restricted, Read Only, and Shared in iShare?

Due to the complexities of these files being accessed by so many people in each department, ITS is currently working on a way to mass-transfer all the files from iShare to SPO and then working with each department to un-map the iShare path on your computer and replace it with the new SPO sync instead.