SOLVED

Why is it so hard to save a file from Outlook to SharePoint?

Copper Contributor

This is one of the most basic tasks that even the most non-technical users expect: saving a file from (browser-based) Outlook to SharePoint. WHY do users have to download files or save it to their OneDrive first, instead of being able to just save it to SharePoint directly?

This question has been asked numerous times before. Since we haven't seen a response via Uservoice since 2016, could someone from Microsoft please respond here? I don't want to have to rely on an expensive third-party tool for something that should obviously be a standard feature. Thank you.

11 Replies
Hi Gina - I agree - this would be great - to have an option - right click on the attachment and save to SharePoint team site and you pick without having to open the file - much like you can upload to one drive. Even better would be to be able to save multiple attachments up to SharePoint in one swoop.

Note however you can open the attachment and then go to Save As and from in there you can save direct to SharePoint once you have it added as a place. I presume if you had your team sites loaded in One Drive for Business sync tool you might be able to save to SharePoint by saving into that folder.
Well, the fact here is that Microsoft does not provide this feature so you have to do it manually or use a third party tool

"Even better would be to be able to save multiple attachments up to SharePoint in one swoop. "

Yass I would love that too!

"Note however you can open the attachment and then go to Save As and from in there you can save direct to SharePoint once you have it added as a place."

This is still a cumbersome work-around, especially for non-technical users. I just don't get why Microsoft bothers with adding all these fancy webparts to SharePoint, while such a basic feature still isn't working.

If you have your Library Synced (as you do with OneDrive) then is easy to save all attachments to SharePoint

https://support.office.com/en-us/article/sync-sharepoint-files-with-the-new-onedrive-sync-client-6de...

"If you have your Library Synced (as you do with OneDrive) then is easy to save all attachments to SharePoint"

We have a few massive libraries which we hardly recommend syncing, plus a few users who solely work in the browser. Remembering site URL's also unfortunately isn't very convenient. I don't see why we should rely on expensive third parties for a feature that is often requested.

best response confirmed by Gina Plat (Copper Contributor)
Solution

So Why I agree there should be a SharePoint save inside of Outlook and I'm sure their will be soon since we've been seeing much more of that integration lately. In the meantime there is a free add-in you can download right form the Outlook Store that works great for moving files into SharePoint. OnePlaceMail. Give it a whirl, works via web mail since it's in the store and uses new Web add-in tech, so it's in client and web after you install. 

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"In the meantime there is a free add-in you can download right form the Outlook Store that works great for moving files into SharePoint. OnePlaceMail."

Amazing, thank you @Deleted!

Hi Gina,

 

It is also possible to use Flow for this. I agree that it should be a feature of outlook though, and I'm sure that it will be soon.

 

Flow can save all attachments to SP (triggered on any new mail) or you could setup multiple Flows for different key words in the From or Subject fields. It's not quite as good, but it is an option for now :)

It's beyond belief that this feature is not available over 15 years after Sharepoint was first released. I used iManage Work in my first job in 2002 and it had full email integration plus dozens of other useful (and obvious) features that Sharepoint STILL does not have. Worst MS software ever. 

Look into Mail2Share.com

 

Thank you...I have been asking this too and have gotten no where with any of the responses. The work around it time consuming and a pain.
1 best response

Accepted Solutions
best response confirmed by Gina Plat (Copper Contributor)
Solution

So Why I agree there should be a SharePoint save inside of Outlook and I'm sure their will be soon since we've been seeing much more of that integration lately. In the meantime there is a free add-in you can download right form the Outlook Store that works great for moving files into SharePoint. OnePlaceMail. Give it a whirl, works via web mail since it's in the store and uses new Web add-in tech, so it's in client and web after you install. 

Capture.PNG

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