Choosing the Right Tool: SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams, or Google Drive?
Most businesses are using SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams, or Google Drive—but not always in the right way, or for the right purpose. Some files live on employee devices, others are buried in shared folders no one checks, and it’s not always clear where things should go. This post breaks down what each tool is good at, where it fits best, and how to make them work together more effectively.
TL;DR
If your team is using a mix of SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams, and Google Drive, but people still struggle to find files or save them consistently, you’re not alone. Here are a few tips:
– SharePoint works best for shared, structured, and secure team files.
– OneDrive is suited for personal drafts or temporary storage.
– Teams is helpful when files are part of a real-time collaboration.
– Google Drive fits if you’re in a Google Workspace or need simple sharing with vendors.
You don’t need to overhaul everything. Just get clear on what each tool is for and make small adjustments so your team stops wasting time hunting for documents
Where We Are Today
Most companies we talk to are using a mix of SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams, and sometimes Google Drive. That mix usually grew organically. One department started using Teams to share files in chat, another created folders in SharePoint, and some individuals just saved things in OneDrive or on their desktop. Now you’ve got documents everywhere.
Here’s the challenge: All of these tools do similar things—but not quite the same. If you’re not using them in a consistent, structured way, you end up with:
- Duplicated files
- Confusion about which version is the latest
- Access issues across teams or locations
How These Tools Compare
| Best For | How It Works | Common Pitfalls | |
|---|---|---|---|
| SharePoint | Shared team folders, intranets, document libraries | Centralized and permission-based | Can feel complex if not well set up |
| OneDrive | Personal work files that may need to be shared | Tied to individual user accounts | Hard to manage access if someone leaves |
| Teams | Real-time collaboration tied to conversations | Files are stored in the background (in SharePoint) | Easy to lose track of where files live |
| Google Drive | Simple file storage and sharing, especially for teams already in Google Workspace | Browser-based | Doesn’t integrate well with Microsoft stack |
If You’re Already Using More Than One Tool
You’re not alone. The solution isn’t necessarily to take anything away – it’s to align how you use what you have.
Start with:
Training the team: Show people where to save, where to look, and how to share.e risk when people try to work around the system to get their job done.
Clarifying roles: Which platform is for what type of file?
Setting standards: Agree on naming conventions and folder structure.
How These Tools Can Work Together
The best file sharing setup depends on how your business operates, but here are some common ways companies successfully use each platform:
| Scenario | Tool to Use | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| A staff member is drafting a document | OneDrive | Ideal for personal work-in-progress files not yet ready to share |
| A final proposal needs to be shared with a team | SharePoint | Central place to store and manage shared documents with version control |
| A team is collaborating on a live project | Teams | Files are attached to conversation threads and tied to the project context |
| Files need to be accessed by multiple departments | SharePoint | Role-based access and shared libraries scale well for multiple users |
| Files need to be accessed remotely by staff in different locations or working from home | SharePoint | Enables remote access through company-managed accounts and secure permissions |
| Temporary sharing with an outside vendor | OneDrive or Google Drive | Easy to share a specific file or folder with external access |
| Company-wide resources (templates, policies, HR docs) | SharePoint | Acts as a centralized library that everyone can access as needed |
| A document contains sensitive financial or HR information | SharePoint | Granular permissions help restrict access to only the right individuals |
You don’t have to use every tool—but if you are, this kind of structure can help keep things findable and reduce duplicate storage.
Questions to Ask Before You Change Anything
- Are people using personal accounts or company-managed tools?
- Can new hires easily find the documents they need?
- Is there a standard way to save and share across departments?
- What happens to file access when someone leaves?
- Do we plan to use Copilot or other AI tools with our files?
These questions reveal where things are breaking down. From there, you can decide if it’s time to simplify, reorganize, or retrain.
Need a hand figuring out what tools make the most sense for your business? We help businesses across Western Canada—including Saskatoon, Regina, Winnipeg, Calgary, and Edmonton—get more value from the file sharing platforms they already use. Whether you’re looking for better structure or fully managed IT support, we’ll help you find the right fit.
