Find out how to manage your files securely and efficiently with OneDrive for Business.
OneDrive for Business offers 5TB of cloud-based storage and is the recommended storage solution for saving personal work files.
With OneDrive for business, you can:
- Access files from the web, your desktop and mobile device as long as you have an internet connection
- Share and collaborate on documents together
- Files-on-demand saves storage space on your device
- 5TB of storage space
Additional training and support can be found on Microsoft's support pages.
Using OneDrive for Business to share large files
We recommend staff and students use OneDrive for Business to save their files. Not only does this mean files are available to you anywhere, but it also means files can be shared easily to those internal and external to the college. Any type of file can be shared, and users will be sent a link to the file to download on to their device.
The following short Microsoft video explains how to do this. Alternatively, follow these instructions:
- With a file open or a file or folder selected select Share.
- If you are working on your desktop and the file hasn’t been saved to OneDrive or SharePoint, select a location you want to upload your file.
- Select the down arrow to choose permissions for the link you will be sharing. Options include:
- People in your organisation
- Specific people
- Select Apply to save the permissions.
- Enter the name or email address of people you want to share with.
- Type a message.
- Select Send.
If OneDrive for Business is installed on your PC or Mac, you can also right-click the file, and share using OneDrive for Business.
For more information or view our Office 365 training videos.
OneDrive for Business FAQs
- Who can see my files?
- My files won't sync
- Can I access OneDrive from other devices?
- What happens when I leave the College?
- How can I save space on my device using OneDrive for Business?
- What is the single file limit?
- How secure is OneDrive for Business?
- How do I share files?
OneDrive is personal to you; only you will be able to view and edit your files unless you decide to share them with others.
The most likely reason for this will be that the file or folder name has unsupported character types. Microsoft has developed a quick fix tool to help you fix the naming of your files and folders prior to syncing. Find out more by visiting Microsoft's restrictions and limitations when you sync web page (instructions can be found at the bottom of the page).
For any other issues, please contact the ICT Service Desk.
OneDrive for Business can be accessed from the web, your desktop or from your mobile. Use the links below to find out how to install OneDrive for Business on your personal device.
Note: Do not sync Office for Business to a computer where you are not the primary user or if you are using a College cluster machine. If you require further information on this, please contact the ICT Service Desk.
Students
Students have three months of access to OneDrive to Business to move their files elsewhere.
Staff
When staff leave the College, they lose access to OneDrive to Business completely.
OneDrive for Business has a feature that allows you to save disk space on your device called 'Files On-Demand'
When you turn on Files On-Demand, you’ll see all your files as normal but new files created online or on another device appear as online-only files, which don’t take up space on your device. When you’re online, you’ll be able to use the files like every other file on your device. Files can easily be made accesible offline.
Find out how to enable Files On-Demand on your device:
Single files can be up to 250GB.
- Data is backed up, so you can restore previous versions of files. When a file is deleted it enters a recycle bin, so you can restore it if you wish.
- Encrypting data makes the information unreadable, it can only be read using a secret key to unlock it (the process of decryption). Data encryption can be applied to both stored data (on computer drives or removable media) and data shared via networks. Data stored in OneDrive for Business is encrypted both in storage and while being shared or sent, but this does not prevent access in the event that a device is compromised. So, it's important that you encrypt any sensitive information before storing or sharing.
- This cloud-based service is not like other external consumer cloud service providers (Dropbox, OneDrive etc.), which you can't be sure are secure. Most consumer, web-based cloud storage providers do not encrypt (protect) data adequately. This means data could be accessed, shared or lost and there have been a number of high profile cases of personal data infringements reported in the press due to storing data and photos on cloud platforms.
- The OneDrive for Business space, accessed using your College credentials, is authenticated to meet College's standards for data security and resilience ensuring compliance to ISO27001, HIPAA and FISMA, US-EU Safe Harbor framework, EU Data Protection Directive model clauses. Our contract with Microsoft ensures that data is only held in the EU. Your data can only be accessed or viewed by you as the owner of the file, those you choose to give permission to for collaboration and not by Microsoft or anybody else.
Visit the Be Secure web pages for more information on how to stay safe online and when using OneDrive for Business.
Visit the Microsoft OneDrive for Business: Share OneDrive files and folders web page for information on how to share and collaborate on documents with your peers.
When setting up Outlook Groups and sharing files, be sure to set appropriate access permissions to secure data. Consider setting up a private group that is visible and accessible to select members only, with appropriate and restricted access set by yourself.