Microsoft’s Sharepoint product provides the ability to store files in the cloud. Think of it as a “document library” and collaboration system for your company in which you can establish permissions, on a person-by-person basis, to whatever level of granularity you wish.

OneDrive is a special case of Sharepoint: It is a preconfigured, individual library whose permissions are set so that only you have access to the documents on your computer. Many people are unaware of OneDrive, however the benefits are significant.

The primary benefit is that it provides a convenient means of securely accessing your files from any location and on any Internet-connected device. 

For example, I use a desktop computer in my office, and a laptop computer everywhere else. I can edit a file on my office computer, then when I go home, I simply open my laptop and have easy access to the most recent version of that file. I no longer need to do things as mundane and time-consuming as copying files to a USB flash drive. 

Further, because the files live primarily in the cloud, I don’t need to be concerned if any of my devices are broken, lost, or stolen. By the way, did I mention that I also have access to all of my files on my iPhone and iPad?!

Give it a try today.

(Note: Some organizations may prevent you from using OneDrive in this way, so check with your administrator to see if you have access.)