Files Tab and SharePoint Document Storage Architecture

[JB0502]

Hi all,

New to MS Teams, and struggling with how Teams stores file that gets uploaded within the channel. What I understand so far is that when a new Team or channel gets created, relevant website is created on SharePoint as well.

If a file gets uploaded onto a private channel/team, it gets stored in SP for that channel but it does not upload directly to the larger corporate or group level SP and I would have to duplicate the same task to upload it manually.

I've tried Document Library tab and few other things, but I could not find solution to this problem. Any suggestions on keeping SP and files tab unified? 

[#2 · Accepted solution]

@JB0502 

When a new Team or channel gets created, relevant website is created on SharePoint as well.

Half right, when a Team is created a SharePoint site collection is created, teams only used the default Documents library in the Site collection and for each standard channel that isn't private a folder gets created in the documents library with a corresponding name to the channel. For Private channels a new SharePoint site collection gets created.  Click open in SharePoint in the Files tab to see this in action. 

If a file gets uploaded onto a private channel/team, it gets stored in SP for that channel but it does not upload directly to the larger corporate or group level SP and I would have to duplicate the same task to upload it manually.

Files are only uploaded to channels, see previous answer as to where the files are get stored for standard and private channels. The file doesn't get uploaded anywhere else so if you need the file to exist anywhere else the users should upload it there. 

I've tried Document Library tab and few other things, but I could not find solution to this problem. Any suggestions on keeping SP and files tab unified

SharePoint and the files tab are unified as the Files tab is just a view into a particular folder in SharePoint. What you may find that the files tab is slightly awkward in the sense that all files current get dumped at the top level to create an awful mess. If you want formal document management tab in some document libraries that you create after the Team has been created

Hope that helps

Andy Hodges | ThinkShare | www.thinkshare.uk

[#3]

@Andrew Hodges 

Thanks you for clarifying! So long answers short, there isn't a way to unify private channel's files tab to the larger SP storage architecture?

[#4]

@JB0502 

Depends what you mean by "SP larger Storage Architecture" . The private channels are in there own SP site collections so they are in the overall architecture of SharePoint. 

[#5]

Hi @JB0502 

The replies to your request are right and there is no way to combine files across the site collections as I believe you are asking.

What you could potentially do is run a flow that copies or moves a document when one is added but I would suggest setting this up to run after hours, otherwise the instant move will mean any shared documents or links within a meeting will be missing almost instantly and may create more confusion. Another complication of creating a copy is the old ‘which version is the right one’ so there would need to be some education around how files are handled.

Good luck!