OneDrive: Why Should You Use It?
September 10, 2019 Sarah SteinbergUMB’s secure and universally accessible storage location for all your work files provides great flexibility.
First, what is OneDrive? At its very simplest, OneDrive is UMB’s secure and universally accessible storage location for all your work files.
But what does this really mean? What does OneDrive really offer? In a word: FLEXIBILTY! By using OneDrive, it allows for:
- File storage: You can access your files from any computer or mobile device that has internet access. If you’re at a meeting across campus, at home, traveling for work — whatever the scenario — and you need to access your files, you can by using the Office 365 portal or the mobile app.
- Sharing files with others: If you need a colleague to review a file, by using the “Share” feature they can view and update the file that is in your OneDrive — meaning their changes will automatically appear in the file. There’s no need to email a file back and forth.
Specifically through the Office 365 Portal, OneDrive also allows for:
- Work on Office documents with others at the same time: Using Office Online, you can be in the same file as your colleague at the same time and you can both make real-time updates.
- View your shared files: OneDrive will show you which files you’ve shared with other people and what files have been shared with you. There’s no need to search through your files or emails to locate what’s been shared!
- Access to files that are stored in SharePoint and Teams: OneDrive also allows for “one-stop shopping.” If you use SharePoint and Teams, you also can access those files through OneDrive via the Office 365 portal. They are still stored in their respective locations, but you don’t have to go to a different app to view and access those files.
Also, OneDrive is HIPAA- and FERPA-compliant, so you can be assured that your files are safe and secure no matter where you’re accessing them from.
By using OneDrive to securely store your files, you gain so much flexibility and accessibility! To help you, the Enterprise Training Group provides training opportunities and resources. Please visit the Office 365 website for information.