• Files and folders on each computer need to be shared amongst the staff members within and between centres. Traditionally, file sharing from computers was used but that didn’t work when it came to sharing and collaborating with other centres.
• Folders must be structured based on roles for teachers, admin staff, managers and directors with hierarchical permissions. Each folder has to be secured to restrict access only to the members of the permitted group members.
• Staff must be able to work on the same file at the same time without data getting corrupted.
• All data on all machines needs to be synchronised.
• Any device, anywhere, should be able to access all files

Sharing information and collaboration between teams is the number one requirement for any business or organisation. Cloud-based file sharing tools like Microsoft OneDrive, Google Drive and Dropbox are gaining traction within businesses, both small and large. They can be helpful in motivating employees to get things done by eliminating basic frustrations like wasting time searching for files in a disorganised shared drive.

Cloud Storage makes it easier for staff to find and share documents between team members. It also can help audit and keep track of who’s working on what, and encourage collaboration among co-workers. Something these sharing tools have that traditional onsite file servers lack is the ability to access files remotely on mobile devices, which makes business on the go easier than ever.

The client tried a combination of Google Drive, Dropbox and OneDrive but achieving the outcome they wanted required proper consultation, planning and execution.

Using the latest Microsoft Team features we created teams based on business units. Microsoft Team allows all users to have online conversations. Add, edit and delete files to common team repositories to store files and folders. A Wiki section acts as a knowledge base- you can even chat or make voice and video calls. We’ve implemented cloud storage solutions using a combination of Microsoft OneDrive and SharePoint technology features, which is part of Microsoft Office 365 software. We sat down with client liaisons to jot down the list of the business units, departments, functional units and tried to understand their business process. Our consultation process helped clients create folder structures and access rules that were right for their business.

Based on our planning, we created personal folders for each staff member and several company folders for everyone to share amongst different business units with permissions as requested by the client.

• Staff can now access their company files from any device: computers, tablets mobile phones and more
• Any update synchronises to all computers automatically
• Users can have one on one chat sessions or make voice and video calls
• Files and folders are secured depending on permissions granted
• Users have Wiki pages for common knowledge bases and more