SharePoint Tips/Tricks/Learning
What is SharePoint
SharePoint is a web-based platform developed by Microsoft. In simple terms, it is used for creating websites that allow people to share information, manage documents, and collaborate on projects within an organization. Here are the key aspects of SharePoint:
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Document Management: It helps store, organize, and manage documents and files in a central location.
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Collaboration: Teams can work together on documents, share ideas, and manage projects.
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Intranet: Organizations can create an internal website to share news, resources, and information with employees.
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Customization: Users can create custom sites, lists, and workflows to fit their specific business needs.
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Integration: SharePoint integrates with other Microsoft Office tools, like Word, Excel, and Outlook, enhancing productivity and seamless workflow.
In essence, SharePoint is a versatile tool that helps organizations improve efficiency and collaboration by providing a unified platform for sharing and managing information.
Using Department Sections to search for your desired documents
Most people don't realise this but searching from the SharePoint homepage which search everywhere on SharePoint. This will then of course show every file which is named the same, which as you can imagine, there is a lot. Therefore the first tip, is to go into your related department and search for the file within there.
You can also use filtering when searching to sort by "Last Edited Date". Please see the "how-to" below:
Using the SharePoint Web Interface - Filtering
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Navigate to Your Document Library:
- Open your SharePoint site.
- Go to the document library where your files are stored.
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Access the Filter Pane:
- In the document library, you will see a list of files and folders. At the top right of the document library, you should see a filter icon (a funnel). Click on this icon to open the filter pane.
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Apply Filters:
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By File Type: Check or uncheck boxes next to file types (e.g., Word, Excel, PDF) to filter for specific types of documents.
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By Metadata: If your documents have metadata (such as author, modified date, or custom tags), you can use these fields to filter. For example, you can filter by a specific author or date range.
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By Search: You can also use the search bar at the top of the document library to search for files by name or keyword.
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Clear Filters:
- To clear a filter, simply click on the 'X' next to the applied filter in the filter pane, or click on "Clear filters" to remove all filters at once.
Granting permissions via SharePoint
There are several ways in which you can grant colleagues access to your folder/files. You are also able to manage the access and only allow certain people to edit/read. These type of user specific permissions are very important.
Difference between SharePoint Sync & Adding Shortcut to Onedrive
Believe it or not there is a big difference between "Sync" and "Add shortcut to OneDrive". They both pretty much do the same thing but how they do it is slightly different.
Sync:
Syncing a folder from SharePoint will map the drive into your "Brighter Places" section like the picture above. Syncing a folder is good because this allows you to work OFFLINE when you do not have internet connection. The only negative that comes with this is having too many drives synced will eat up a lot of space. Due to the working offline feature, it actually saves all the data to your laptop. Therefore only syncing 1 or 2 drives if you are going to work offline is a really good idea.
Shortcut:
Adding a shortcut to OneDrive will, as you guest it, add a shortcut to your OneDrive. It does not go into the "Brighter Places" section. This is because this is not an offline folder. This is just a shortcut pointing to SharePoint online. You will only be able to edit if you have an internet connection. This of course, is the only negative when adding shortcuts instead of syncing. The good thing about this though, is nothing is saved to your laptop locally. Everything is saved straight to online immediately.
Summary: It depends on what you are trying to get out of your day. If you are going to be on the move, travelling to a different site, or on a train, syncing a folder before you move is a fantastic idea. However, if you are going to be on-site with an internet connection, there really is no need to "Sync" your folders. You are just using up space this way.
What is Zee Drive and how does it work?
Zeedrive integrates with SharePoint to enhance the capabilities of file storage, management, and collaboration by providing a seamless connection between the two platforms. Zee Drive is a background application which runs on your machine. 95% of the time you will not see or hear about it unless it decides to break. Here’s how it typically works:
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Integration Setup:
- Users can connect their Zeedrive account with their SharePoint account. This usually involves setting up authentication and permissions to allow Zeedrive to access SharePoint sites and libraries.
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File Synchronization:
- Zeedrive synchronizes files between SharePoint and its own storage. This ensures that files uploaded to Zeedrive are available in SharePoint and vice versa.
- Users can work with SharePoint files directly from the Zeedrive interface, maintaining consistency and access across platforms.
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Enhanced Collaboration:
- Zeedrive provides additional collaboration tools and interfaces that might be more user-friendly or feature-rich than the native SharePoint interface.
- Real-time collaboration features in Zeedrive can complement SharePoint's document management capabilities, making it easier for teams to work together on projects.
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Unified Access:
- Users can access and manage their SharePoint files through Zeedrive, creating a unified workspace for all their documents.
- This integration allows for easier file management and reduces the need to switch between different platforms.
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Security and Compliance:
- Zeedrive ensures that security protocols are maintained when accessing SharePoint files, including data encryption and compliance with organizational policies.
- Permissions and access controls from SharePoint are typically respected and enforced within Zeedrive.
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Search and Organization:
- Zeedrive can enhance search capabilities, allowing users to find files stored in SharePoint more easily.
- It can also provide better organizational tools for categorizing and managing files.