SharePoint

Microsoft SharePoint is a web-based platform used by organisations to create websites for various purposes. At the University of Worcester, we’re using SharePoint to create cloud storage sites that help centralise our business-critical data.

These SharePoint sites provide a secure and collaborative environment for storing, organising, sharing, and accessing information from any internet-connected device.

While we’re not mandating that users make the switch to SharePoint, it is a great way to centralise business-critical data and replace the need for network-attached-storage using the O: Drive.

For information about our other file storage platforms, please visit our File Storage page.

Collaboration and Productivity

• Share and co-author files in real-time with colleagues and external partners
• Integrates with Microsoft 365 apps such as Office, Forms, Teams, Planner

Accessibility and Convenience

• Access data from any device/anywhere (without remote access tools)
• Easily search and find files with advanced search capabilities
• Simplified and standardised file organisation with metadata and version control
• OneDrive integration for easy access to personal files

Security and Control

• SharePoint is safe and secure
• Granular permission controls to limit access to specific files and folders
• Robust data recovery options are available
• View site analytics and file activity

What should I store on my SharePoint site?

SharePoint sites provide a secure and collaborative environment for storing and sharing your department’s, school’s or area’s business-critical data. With SharePoint, you can easily access and work on files from any device. That’s why most of the files you would have stored in the O: Drive are now best stored on a SharePoint site.

For more information about the appropriate storage and retention of data, please visit the Information Assurance website.

Visit the Information Assurance website

What are site owners’ responsibilities?

Nominated SharePoint site owners assume a level of responsibility:

• Ensure data is stored safely and in line with Information Assurance’s guidance and the University’s information security policy
• Add & remove site members, visitors and owners
• Nominate new site owners (where required)
• Report site ownership changes to the IT Service Desk
• Support site member queries
• Run usage reports to audit site, library and sharing link permissions

For more information, please see the SharePoint policy.

IT Policies

Site Roles / Permission groups

SharePoint sites feature permission groups that allow the site to be administered by site owners and shared with team members or visitors. Depending on their role, users may have full control over the site, edit access to certain libraries, or read-only access.

If you require help setting up your SharePoint site permissions, please contact the IT Service Desk. If you have complex site permission requirements your ticket will be escalated to a relevant colleague.

Document libraries

Document libraries provide a secure place to store files where you and your co-workers can find them easily, work on them together, and access them from any device at any time.

Our standard templated SharePoint site features three document libraries:

• Departmental – for sharing information within the department, school or area
• ​​​​​​​Shared – for sharing information externally with sharing links
• Managers – Restricted to site owners by default – for sharing SMT data

Site owners can create additional document libraries and manage their permissions.

Site Pages

Our standard templated SharePoint site features a homepage which can be edited by site owners. Site Owners can create additional pages via New button on the site homepage.

Additional features

Other features, such as Lists and Spaces, can be added to SharePoint sites as needed to provide additional functionality and customisation.

Site owners

• How do I add or remove a site visitor? (read only)
• How do I add or remove site members?
• How do I add or remove site owners?
• How do I restrict or change access to the Managers document library?
• How can I modify the SharePoint homepage?
• How can I group several SharePoint sites together?

Site members

• How do I upload files and folder in SharePoint?
• How do I create files and folders in SharePoint?
• How do I move items to document libraries in SharePoint?
• How do I search for items in SharePoint?
• How do I share files and folders in SharePoint?
• How do I remove or change sharing permissions in SharePoint?

SharePoint training

We offer instructor-led training workshops for SharePoint. As part of the training, access to an example site is provided.

Learn more about SharePoint training

SharePoint Policy

The SharePoint policy can be found on the IT Service policies page.

Read our SharePoint policy