Microsoft 365: OneDrive, Teams, Groups, & SharePoint Guide

When collaborating at the University, you have access to a variety of tools within Microsoft 365. It's easy to get confused by the different terms, so this guide will help clarify the purpose of Distribution Lists, Microsoft 365 Groups, Teams, SharePoint, and Channels. Each tool is designed for a specific type of collaboration. 

Distribution Lists 

A Distribution List (or Distribution Group) is an email-only contact group. It's the simplest way to send a single email to a predefined set of people without having to manually add each person to the "To" line. It should be used for one-way email communication and is not designed for sharing documents. 

How to Access and Manage: 

• Access: In Outlook, start a new email and search for the list's name in the "To" field. 

• Management: You can create and manage personal Distribution Lists directly within Outlook. For institutional lists, an IT administrator must make changes. 

How to access and create your Microsoft Distribution Lists/Groups?  

1. Go to Exchange Admin Center.  

2. From there, you will see a tab for Groups I Belong To and Groups I Own.  

3. As mentioned above, you can manage the groups you own from this site.  

4. For Groups I Belong To, you can select Join and search for Distribution Lists/Groups to join, or you can choose to remove yourself from most Distribution Lists where you are a member.  

NOTE: Some distribution lists are managed by ITS and populated by campus constituencies. For this reason, you will not be able to leave those lists.  

To Create a Distribution Group: 

1. Go to Exchange Admin Center.  

2. In the left pane, scroll to Groups and click New Group. 

3. Fill in: 

• Group name 

• Description 

• Privacy settings (Public or Private) 

• Email address 

4. Click Create. 

5. Add Members as needed. 

Microsoft 365 Groups 

A Microsoft 365 Group is a collaborative workspace that includes a shared mailbox, calendar, and a document-sharing space. It provides a central hub for a group of people to share conversations, files, and events. 

How to Access and Manage: 

• Access: Groups you are a member of appear in the navigation pane of Outlook, below your personal folders. 

• Management: ITS handles the creation of Microsoft 365 Groups. To request the creation, please submit a ticket by emailing help@fredonia.edu and give the justification for the Group. 

SharePoint 

SharePoint is a powerful platform primarily used for document management, file storage, and creating internal websites. It's the backend file storage for many Microsoft 365 tools, including Teams. SharePoint is ideal for creating an organized file repository, a knowledge base, or an internal intranet site for a department or team. 

How to Access and Manage: 

• Access: Log in to your university Microsoft 365 account and select SharePoint from the app launcher. 

• Management: ITS handles creation of SharePoint sites. To request the creation, please submit a ticket by emailing help@fredonia.edu and give the justification for the site. 

Microsoft Teams 

Microsoft Teams is a chat-based collaboration hub. It brings together conversations, meetings, files, and applications into one integrated platform. Teams is built on top of Microsoft 365 Groups and is the primary application for real-time collaboration. 

How to Access and Manage: 

• Access: Use the Teams desktop app, web browser (teams.microsoft.com), or mobile app. 

• Management: ITS handles creation of Microsoft Teams. To request the creation, please submit a ticket by emailing help@fredonia.edu and give the justification for the Team 

Teams Channels 

Within a Team, Channels are dedicated sections used to organize conversations and files by specific topics or projects. Files you share in a channel are stored in the Team's connected SharePoint site. 

How to Access and Manage: 

• Access: Within the Teams app, select a Team from the left-hand navigation pane to see its channels. 

• Management: Team owners have full control over creating, renaming, or deleting channels. 

Summary of Differences 

For more information, please consult the official Microsoft Support documentation: 

• Introduction to Microsoft Teams 

• Learn about Microsoft 365 Groups 

• Introduction to SharePoint 

• Create a Distribution Group in Outlook 

 How does Microsoft 365 address data retention policies? 

Microsoft 365 has robust data retention policies designed to ensure compliance, security, and efficient data management. Here are key aspects of how Microsoft 365 addresses data retention: 

1. Retention Policies: Microsoft 365 allows organizations to configure retention policies that automatically retain or delete content based on predefined criteria. These policies can be applied to various locations such as mailboxes, SharePoint sites, and Teams channels. 

2. Retention Labels: Organizations can use retention labels to classify and manage data. These labels can be applied manually by users or automatically based on specific conditions. Retention labels help ensure that important data is preserved for the required duration. 

3. Data Handling Standards: Microsoft 365 has a Data Handling Standard policy that specifies how long customer data is retained after deletion. For example, customer content is retained for up to 30 days after active deletion and up to 180 days after passive deletion. 

4. Subscription Retention: If a subscription ends or is terminated, Microsoft retains customer data in a limited-function account for 90 days to allow data extraction. After this period, the account is disabled and data is deleted within 180 days. 

5. Compliance and Security: Microsoft 365's retention policies and labels help organizations meet regulatory requirements and ensure data security. These tools enable proactive management of data, reducing the risk of non-compliance. 

Overall, Microsoft 365 provides comprehensive tools and policies to manage data retention effectively, ensuring that organizations can retain, delete, and manage their data in accordance with legal and regulatory requirements. 

How to Create a Teams Meeting? 

1. In the Calendar: 

2. Outlook Desktop/Web: Click New Event, toggle Teams Meeting, and invite attendees. 

3. Outside the Calendar: 

4. Teams App: Click Meet Now or schedule a meeting directly. 

How do I access Teams? 

1. Campus Machine: Open the Teams app or access via https://teams.microsoft.com/v2/ 

2. Home Machine: Same as above. 

3. Mobile Device: Download the Teams app from the App Store or Google Play Store. 

Where is my Teams Meeting Recording stored? 

Recordings are saved in OneDrive or SharePoint, depending on the meeting settings. 

How do I access Microsoft 365 documents offline? 

You can access Microsoft 365 documents offline by following these steps: 

• Download Documents: Before going offline, download the documents you need from OneDrive, SharePoint, or Teams to your device. 

• Open Documents: Open the downloaded documents in your Microsoft 365 apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) while you still have internet access. 

• Work Offline: Once the documents are opened, you can continue to work on them offline. Any changes you make will be saved locally. 

• Sync Changes: When you reconnect to the internet, your changes will automatically sync to the cloud. 

• Extended Offline Access: For enterprise users, Microsoft 365 Apps can stay activated for up to six months without needing to connect to the internet to validate the license and install updates. This is useful for users in secure environments or remote locations. 

When sharing files or folders from Microsoft 365 (e.g. OneDrive) what process should guests expect to go through to set up MFA? 

When you share files or folders from Microsoft 365 (e.g., OneDrive or SharePoint) with external guests, and Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is required by your organization, here's what guests can expect during the setup process: 

1. Invitation and Access Attempt 

• The guest receives a sharing invitation via email. 

• They click the link to access the shared content. 

2. Identity Verification 

Depending on their email type: 

• Microsoft Account (e.g., Outlook, Hotmail): 

• They are prompted to sign in with their Microsoft credentials. 

• If MFA is required, they will be guided through the MFA enrollment process (e.g., phone number, authenticator app). 

• Non-Microsoft Account (e.g., Gmail, Yahoo): 

• They may be prompted to create a Microsoft account using their email address. 

• After account creation, they will be required to register for MFA if your organization enforces it via Microsoft Entra Conditional Access [1]. 

3. MFA Enrollment 

• Guests will be prompted to: 

• Choose an MFA method (e.g., phone call, SMS, Microsoft Authenticator). 

• Complete the verification process. 

• Once enrolled, they must use MFA each time they access shared content. 

4. Access Granted 

• After successful MFA, the guest gains access to the shared file or folder. 

• Future access will require MFA unless the session is still valid. 

 If we are using Microsoft 365 Web version, will tracked changes and comments in MS Word 97 be retained if I upload them? 

If you're using Microsoft 365 Web (Word Online) and you upload a document originally created in Microsoft Word 97 (.doc format), here's what happens with tracked changes and comments: 

 What is preserved 

• Tracked changes and comments from Word 97 documents are generally retained when: 

• The .doc file is uploaded to OneDrive. 

• You open it in Word Online or Word desktop app. 

• You do not convert the file format during upload. 

What to watch out for 

• Compatibility mode: Word 97 files open in Compatibility Mode in newer versions of Word (including Word Online), which may limit some editing features. 

• Conversion to .docx: 

• If you convert the file to .docx, tracked changes and comments are usually preserved. 

• However, some formatting or metadata might be altered slightly during conversion. 

Best practice 

To ensure full compatibility and editing capabilities: 

1. Upload the .doc file to OneDrive. 

2. Open it in Word Online. 

3. Use “Convert to .docx” (you’ll be prompted or can do this manually). 

4. Save the new version — tracked changes and comments should remain intact. 

What will happen with accessibility scores for tracked changes and comments in MS Word documents? 

Tracked Changes and Comments & Accessibility 

• Tracked changes and comments are retained when you upload and edit Word documents in Microsoft 365 Web. 

• However, tracked changes and comments themselves are not inherently accessible unless: 

• The document is structured with accessibility best practices (e.g., proper headings, alt text, readable fonts). 

• The Accessibility Checker in Word is used to identify and fix issues. 

Accessibility Scores in Microsoft Word 

• Microsoft Word (including Word Online) includes a built-in Accessibility Checker that: 

• Flags issues like missing alt text, poor contrast, or improper heading structure. 

• Does not directly score tracked changes or comments, but it may flag them if they interfere with readability (e.g., overlapping text or unclear markup). 

• You can access the checker via: 

• Review > Check Accessibility in the ribbon (desktop and web versions). 

Linking to Google Docs for Accessibility 

• In the past, linking to Google Docs allowed users to: 

• Use screen readers more effectively. 

• Collaborate in real time with accessible commenting tools. 

Microsoft 365 Equivalent 

Microsoft has introduced enhanced accessibility features in Word Online and across Microsoft 365, including: 

• Real-time collaboration with accessible comments. 

• Copilot integration to help rewrite or summarize content in more accessible formats. 

• Improved screen reader support and keyboard navigation. 

• Accessibility Conformance Reports aligned with WCAG, Section 508, and EN 301 549 standards. 

Best Practices 

To ensure accessibility with tracked changes and comments: 

1. Use .docx format. 

2. Run the Accessibility Checker before sharing. 

3. Use clear, concise comments and avoid overlapping markup. 

4. Consider converting final versions to PDF with accessibility tags if needed.