MS Teams File Management vs Sharepoint

[FawadAli]

My organization is trying to simplify and standardize its Project Management processes and use MS Teams for collaboration and work in process (WIP) document control. We will move our final project files to a secure location when ready for client submission (Primavera Unifier). 

The challenges we are facing is that currently, there is no root level for a Team file folder, only corresponding channels have a folder. Also, the document management features are light in comparison with Sharepoint. I read in other posts that there were improvements coming to MS Teams document management but I cannot find any detailed information. 

1. Can someone share these details or link to the specific improvements?

2. Does anyone know if there is a way to setup a Team level root folder with all of the channels as folders in that root folder? 

3. I am also eager to hear from the community on best practices for document control in MS Teams and whether Teams is actually the best place for this?

[#2 · Accepted solution]

@FawadAli 

1. The first wave of improvements is already here, there has been suggesting that they are working on adding the ability to define metadata which is a bit of an omission at this point. More or less other SharePoint features are now available.

2. Why? There is something coming to give you a breadcrumb in the files view to get back up to the top level. You can use the Add Cloud Storage today to add a virtual directory to link to the root. I would generally just suggest using channels, and navigate there to find your conversations and files.

3. In general we are moving away from older concepts of document management, many things just happen automatically like versioning, automatic classifiers, and new Syntex for tagging and organisation. In general we just plan and configure then allow the platform to do the work.

[#3]

@Steven Collier 

Thank you for your input Steven.

Regarding your question around why, simply put, it is for organization. As a project manager that is responsible for overall scope, it is more efficient to be able to have a single point of entry into all documentation related to the project similar to an explorer/sharepoint root folder. 

Does anyone else have any best practices or process standardization for their respective organizations around Teams file management?

[#4]

Each Team creates a group, which I am sure you know, so bringing a root to all of those is pretty difficult. Not impossible, as you could use a flow to populate a central SP library somewhere. If it is only a Team, you could hack it with displaying the document library in a tab in a channel. Or using cloud storage, as was said before. But just as SP is going flat, Teams at the project level is pretty flat too. Document and metadata control is pretty difficult. Teams really is a collaboration space for conversations and collaborations. There isn't a root per se in available in Teams itself. My suggestion for your organizing/accessing all is to use the SP site to access files. Other people don't really need it, since they likely are working in channels.

[#5]

1. I can certainly understand your need for detailed information on the improvements to MS Teams document management. While I don't have access to real-time updates, Microsoft frequently rolls out enhancements to Teams based on user feedback and industry trends. I recommend keeping an eye on Microsoft's official announcements, blogs, or community forums where they often share updates and upcoming features. Additionally, reaching out to Microsoft support or consulting with an IT expert specializing in Microsoft technologies might provide you with the most accurate and up-to-date information on this topic. 2. As for setting up a Team level root folder with all channels as subfolders, Teams' file structure is primarily designed around channels rather than a centralized root folder. While this setup aligns well with the collaborative nature of Teams, it might not perfectly fit every organization's document management needs. One workaround could be to create a separate SharePoint site associated with your team, where you have more flexibility in organizing files and folders. You can then integrate this SharePoint site with your MS Teams channels to provide a more structured document management environment. 3. Document control in MS Teams can be effective, especially for real-time collaboration and communication within project teams. However, it's crucial to establish clear guidelines and best practices to ensure document security, version control, and accessibility. Here are some tips based on my experience: - Establish a clear folder structure within each channel to organize documents logically. Consider using naming conventions to easily identify and categorize file storage. - Leverage features like version history and file locking to prevent conflicts and ensure that team members are working on the latest version of documents. - Regularly review and archive outdated or redundant files to keep the workspace clutter-free and maintain efficient document management. - Educate team members on how to use Teams effectively for document collaboration, including features like @mentions, comments, and co-authoring. - Consider integrating third-party document management tools or extensions if Teams' native features don't fully meet your organization's requirements. Ultimately, whether Teams is the best place for document control depends on your organization's specific needs, workflows, and existing infrastructure. It's essential to evaluate the pros and cons of using Teams for document management and explore alternative solutions if necessary.