8 tips for using Microsoft OneDrive for Business like a pro

A cloud storage platform designed especially for businesses, Microsoft’s OneDrive for Business is ideal for organizations that already have a Microsoft ecosystem with Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft Office 365, and Microsoft Teams. It is also known to be agile and adaptive and works well as a standalone storage platform.

Microsoft OneDrive for Business is similar to Google Drive Enterprise, Amazon Web Services, Dropbox Business, etc., and competes with them in the enterprise cloud storage space. It typically provides 1 TB of storage space per user (this limit can be greater depending on license type) and enables seamless sharing, syncing, and offline working. While there was a file size limit of 100 GB, Microsoft has now increased that limit to as high as 250 GB. This was done to cater to the increasing number of users working from home during the pandemic.

One of the most significant advantages of using Microsoft OneDrive for Business is that organizations can realize massive savings by replacing physical hardware with cloud storage. An enterprise can totally do away with storage devices like USB flash drives, memory cards, and external hard drives.

Some of its new features also include Artificial Intelligence (AI) functionality to store, organize and retrieve files and folders, as well as enhanced security measures.

Understanding OneDrive limitations

It is ideal for small and medium business use. However, there are certain OneDrive for Business limitations you should be aware of. The yearly plan for OneDrive for Business starts at US$5 per month and provides 1 TB of storage to users. While this is a lot of storage space, it can get cluttered and fill up quickly if users are not careful.

It is important to keep in mind that Microsoft OneDrive for Business is mainly a storage repository, and while it does boast some collaboration capabilities – it may not be the best collaboration tool. Sharing too many files for team projects can just fill up space without serving any purpose. It is also not an effective project management tool.  Microsoft SharePoint, on the other hand, is better suited for collaboration.

OneDrive also cannot be used for record management. It is not ideal for creating a repository of important documents. As it can be synced and accessed from multiple devices, there is some risk that, without the right security controls, business-critical data can be lost or stolen. It also does not allow users to sync all their files, restricting the sync functionality only to specific folders on the user device.  There is also a 300,000 file limit, a folder size limit of 5,000 files, and a file size limit of 2GB for sync.  OneDrive also cannot handle the sync of locked files that are in use.

 8 tips to learning how to use OneDrive for Business like a pro

1. Access OneDrive for Business from your mobile device. The storage platform is not just limited to desktops. You can access it from your iOS, Android, and Windows devices.

2. You can work offline when you do not have internet access with OneDrive for Business Sync app. Use this to sync up to 20,000 files and work anytime, anywhere.

3. Leverage the ‘Files on Demand’ feature which downloads copies of files to your device only when you need them. You can still browse your files on the cloud using File Explorer – this works even if files are not synced to the desktop. It will also help you save storage space on your devices.

4. Sync your key folders such as Desktop, Documents, and Pictures with OneDrive cloud storage with just a few clicks. This will help you work from anywhere.
   You can also use Parablu’s backup solution, BluVault Backup to OneDrive, for ensuring safe and end-to-end backup of all your data to the cloud. It is supported by BluKrypt, Parablu’s proprietary privacy gateway solution, to safeguard the data even during the transit to and from the cloud.

5. Use the IFTTT (If This Then That) tool to automate simple tasks. This will help you store your files and folders effortlessly. You can leave simple instructions to archive your emails or upload Android pictures.

6. Regular rules apply to protect your cloud storage as well. To safeguard your files, use strong encryption protected with passphrases that are a combination of alphabets (upper and lower case), numbers, and symbols.

7. Choose the right file-sharing permissions to ensure your business data does not fall in the wrong hands.

8. While sharing links, protect them with a password and share the password separately with the recipient. Make use of permissions such as not allowing editing of your files or ensuring links expire after a certain time frame.

Summing Up 

Microsoft’s OneDrive for Business allows you to save a backup of your files, access them from anywhere and share them with team members easily and quickly. Parablu’s solution further provides a safe and reliable endpoint data backup process across the organization.

Exciting new features are continually being added to Microsoft’s OneDrive for Business, enhancing its capabilities and appeal for the end-user. For instance, integration with Microsoft Teams and features like audio transcription promise to make it a more robust and versatile business solution.

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