Microsoft SharePoint and Microsoft Teams are designed to work closely together to make team collaboration smooth and efficient.

Teams & SharePoint

Think of Teams as the go-to spot for all your team chats, meetings, and calls, while SharePoint is like a super library that keeps all your files and documents organized and secure.

How SharePoint and Teams are linked:

When you create a new team in Microsoft Teams, SharePoint automatically sets up a special site just for that team.

This site is directly linked to the team, acting as the central repository for all files shared within the team’s channels. This automatic linkage ensures that documents shared in Teams are easily accessible, searchable, and manageable from both Teams and SharePoint, leveraging SharePoint’s advanced document management features like version control, advanced search, and document lifecycle management.

Working Together on Documents:

The SharePoint site connected to a Microsoft Team includes a document library where all files shared across the team’s channels are stored. This arrangement not only provides a unified storage solution but also enhances document collaboration. Team members can co-author documents in real time, track version history, set up alerts for document changes, and apply sophisticated security measures to protect sensitive information.

Document Storage in Microsoft Teams

 

More Than Just Storage:

Beyond document storage, the Teams-SharePoint integration brings SharePoint’s rich feature set directly into the Teams interface.

For instance, SharePoint pages, lists, and web parts can be added as tabs in Teams channels, providing direct access to important resources, dashboards, or custom applications without leaving the Teams environment. This integration extends the functionality of Teams, enabling organizations to create a more comprehensive and interactive digital workspace.

Find What You Need Fast:

Finally, this duo makes it super easy to search for anything, whether it’s a document in SharePoint or a past conversation in Teams. It’s like having a personal assistant who can instantly find that needle in a haystack for you.

Understanding how Teams and SharePoint work together shows us how they’re not just two separate tools but a combined force that makes team collaboration much easier and more effective. By using both together, teams can communicate better, keep their files organized, and work together on documents without any hassle.

10 ways that SharePoint and Teams integrate

1 – Teams Sites

When you create a new team in Microsoft Teams, a SharePoint site is automatically created for that team. This site is used to store team files, folders, and documents accessible directly from Teams.

For project management, a new team in Teams for each project creates a dedicated SharePoint site, centralizing project documents, plans, and resources for easy access by team members.

2 – Files Tab

In each channel of a team, there’s a Files tab that displays the files stored in the SharePoint document library of the team’s site. Users can create, share, and collaborate on files directly from Teams.

In a sales team channel, the Files tab allows team members to access sales presentations, proposals, and contracts stored in the team’s SharePoint document library, facilitating real-time updates and collaboration.

3 – SharePoint Pages and Lists as Tabs

SharePoint pages and lists can be added as tabs in a Teams channel, allowing users to interact with SharePoint content without leaving Teams.

A SharePoint list tracking client feedback can be added as a tab in a customer service team’s channel, enabling team members to view and update feedback status directly within Teams.

4 – Collaboration on Documents

Teams allows for real-time collaboration on documents stored in SharePoint, with features such as co-authoring and automatic saving.

In preparing a quarterly report, team members simultaneously edit a document stored in SharePoint directly from Teams, with changes automatically saved and synced, ensuring version control and real-time progress.

5 – SharePoint News Integration

SharePoint news articles can be shared directly to Teams channels, ensuring that important information is easily accessible to all team members.

Company announcements or updates published on a SharePoint site as news articles are shared to a general channel in Teams, keeping all employees informed and engaged.

6 – Search Integration

Microsoft Teams search functionality includes content from SharePoint, making it easier to find documents and files across both platforms.

An HR team member searches in Teams for a specific policy document, and the integrated search returns results from both Teams messages and the HR SharePoint document library, streamlining information retrieval.

7 – Permissions and Security

SharePoint and Teams are integrated in terms of permissions and security, ensuring that sensitive information is protected. Permissions assigned in SharePoint are respected in Teams, and vice versa.

When a new member joins a project team, they are added to the Teams group, automatically granting them access to the associated SharePoint site and its resources, while ensuring compliance with security policies.

8 – OneDrive Integration

Since OneDrive for Business is built on SharePoint, files shared from OneDrive in Teams chats or channels are stored in SharePoint, providing a seamless file management experience.

A marketing team member shares a draft campaign brochure from their OneDrive in a Teams chat for feedback. The document, stored in SharePoint, is accessible for collaborative editing and review.

9 – Workflow Automation with Power Automate

SharePoint and Teams integration with Power Automate allows for the creation of automated workflows that trigger actions in either platform, enhancing productivity and efficiency.

Automate the process of approval for expense reports submitted in a SharePoint library; once approved, a notification and summary are automatically posted in the Finance Team’s Teams channel.

10 – Micro websites using Power Pages

You can integrate Power Pages with SharePoint to display and interact with data stored in Microsoft Dataverse or SharePoint lists. This can be useful for creating external or internal portals that require access to SharePoint data. Power Pages can be embedded in SharePoint sites, allowing you to create custom web parts or pages within your SharePoint environment that leverage the advanced capabilities of Power Pages, such as forms, views, and lists.

Create an onboarding portal in Power Pages for new employees, accessible both from a SharePoint site and as a tab within a dedicated Teams channel for new hires. This portal can provide access to training materials, onboarding documents, and company policies stored in SharePoint.

SharePoint & Teams Integration is just the start.

As the Microsoft Data Ecosystem continues to evolve, the ability to understand and present information within your organisation becomes more profound, and by using the Microsoft Power Platform alongside SharePoint and Teams, you can unlock new connections between people and information.

If you would like to learn more about how to unlock the potential of these tools, Blackbird Corporate Ltd. is here to help you. Our training and consultancy services can help you plan out and implement new ways of harnessing the data you use to accelerate your business. Contact us to find out more.