I work for a small company with around 40 employees and we've been using Microsoft 365 services. Over the years, we've accumulated roughly 11TB of data on SharePoint, which continues to grow. The data includes large reports in PDF format and scattered research data in JPEG and PDF formats, but not much in terms of working documents like Excel or Word files. Currently, we're trying to maintain the structure from our old file share within SharePoint, and it's turned into a huge project. Our team is facing challenges finding information, dealing with duplicate files, and handling metadata, which has caused confusion on our end. We're also looking into project management software and starting to explore AI applications. I have two main questions: Is SharePoint suitable for our situation? And how do we tackle a large-scale revision of our systems when significant parts need to be completely overhauled?
4 Answers
From my experience, a lot of companies struggle when they shift to a new tech stack without adjusting their workflows. You can’t just dump all your files in the cloud and expect it to work the same way as when they were on a server. It’s crucial to rethink how you manage data and train your staff on these new systems. But change can be a tough sell, and that’s where the real challenge lies.
I don’t think there's a one-size-fits-all solution for keeping your team organized. SharePoint can work, but it really depends on how committed your team is to using it effectively. If people aren’t putting in the effort to organize and label things properly, it can quickly become chaos. Focusing on using the tool correctly takes a lot of ongoing work, but it can pay off if managed well.
I’m not an expert, but have you looked into Azure Files? It might offer some solutions more suited to your needs.
I’d actually recommend checking out Egnyte instead of Azure Files; it might fit your requirements better.
With 11TB of data, implementing a retention policy is key. Keeping data just because it’s there can lead to liability and cost issues. Make sure your reorganization efforts create logical areas and consider using scripts to find and eliminate duplicates. Plus, don't underestimate the importance of training staff on metadata usage; it can really streamline everything if set up right.
I totally get that! It’s hard to stay on top of things when you’re just trying to keep your head above water. It sounds like having someone dedicated to focusing on these organizational issues is a great step in the right direction.