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How to use SharePoint Groups in Team Sites
Utilizing SharePoint groups to secure content for a specific set of users on a site is a very common scenario. We use this as a best practice for keeping track of who has access to content that bre...
Eric Adler while it isn't shown in the Settings page anymore, you can still get to the People and Groups page of any site by appending "_layouts/15/groups.aspx" to its URL.
Example: https://sitename.sharepoint.com/sites/teamname/_layouts/15/groups.aspx
From here you can add/remove/modify SharePoint Security Groups like you are accustomed too.
Eric Adler I think the reason they have removed it from Settings is because of the way that the new Share functionality works in the background.
When users click the Share button in a list or library, it is creating a "SharePointLink....."-named SharePoint Security Group in the background and adding the shared-with users to it.
With the Share functionality front-and-center for users to access, there is less reason for them to go into People and Groups.
I don't necessarily like it either, as it is backwards from the best practices which have been established for years. However, I think it is an uphill battle to try and continue to use our old security practices and go against all of the Share functionality they are currently building and expanding. You would need to hide the Share and Copy Link buttons in all lists/libraries, and then create links for users to the old People and Groups page if you wanted to continue down the path of only using SharePoint Security Groups. It's not worth the effort to me.
I do think there are still scenarios where SharePoint or site admins who have the knowledge should use this now-hidden People and Groups page in order to utilize SharePoint Security Groups. But doing so would be done in addition to letting users use the new Share functionalities that Microsoft has built.
The file share model is ok. As long as you share every file, every time. For years I warned people against file level permissions as it so hard to keep track of what is shared with who. A key reason I drive users to use SharePoint rather than OneDrive.
You can also, of course, share at the folder and site level relatively easily and you can share to a securitiy group. Which are all improvements, IMHO, over single file sharing.
The groups come into play when making a list and allowing non-team members to submit info to a list without opening the site to editing.
This is a common scenario for SharePoint. I always create a group aligned to the list to provide the "edit" ability to so all users can submit items.
It was easy to hand this off to the business to manage who should be able to submit with the People and Groups.
I can teach them to use the List > List Permissions and access the group membership that way.
It is always challenging when you have to explain these nuances to end users. Their eyes get that dear in the headlights look and I know I have lost them.
You are correct, it is constantly evolving, so we'll see.
Thank you for your insights, very helpful!
You can also, of course, share at the folder and site level relatively easily and you can share to a securitiy group. Which are all improvements, IMHO, over single file sharing.
The groups come into play when making a list and allowing non-team members to submit info to a list without opening the site to editing.
This is a common scenario for SharePoint. I always create a group aligned to the list to provide the "edit" ability to so all users can submit items.
It was easy to hand this off to the business to manage who should be able to submit with the People and Groups.
I can teach them to use the List > List Permissions and access the group membership that way.
It is always challenging when you have to explain these nuances to end users. Their eyes get that dear in the headlights look and I know I have lost them.
You are correct, it is constantly evolving, so we'll see.
Thank you for your insights, very helpful!
