Note: This resource is for SharePoint Online which will become available starting Fall/Winter 2024.
OVERVIEW
This article lists the frequently asked questions for SharePoint Online.
General FAQs
What are the features and benefits on SharePoint Online?
SharePoint Online offers a secure place to store, organize, share and access internal content. Such content can be internal documents, images, videos, lists, links and web pages (ie. information or news).
This tool is designed to increase efficiency, improve communication and protect sensitive information.
What is the difference between Teams Sites and SharePoint Sites?
SharePoint Online is a file management application that is also the underlying technology operating on many of Microsoft's products, including OneDrive and MS Teams.
On Microsoft Teams, whenever a new team is created, an underlying SharePoint "Team Site" is created to facilitate the file management component on Teams.
| |
Teams Sites |
SharePoint Sites |
| Microsoft product |
Microsoft Teams |
SharePoint Online |
| Underlying technology |
SharePoint Online (channel/team file management) |
SharePoint Online |
| Purpose |
Collaboration, document and/or project management |
Internal websites to publish web content and documents |
| Audience |
SFU units, departments, project and collaboration teams |
Broader SFU audience (ie. university-wide) |
| Type of content |
Document, list and process-heavy |
Page-heavy |
| Permissions Model |
Lots of authors, few readers |
Lots of readers, few authors |
| Default external sharing |
Enabled |
Disabled |
| Productivity tools |
Yes |
No |
| URL / Link |
https://1sfu.sharepoint.com
/teams/<Team Name> |
https://1sfu.sharepoint.com
/sites/<Site Name> |
Looking for more details? See Choosing a Document and Content Management Tool at SFU - Comparison Chart.
What is the storage limit for SharePoint Online Sites?
Details coming soon.
Access and Sharing FAQs
I can't access my site. How do I gain access?
You will need to ask the site owner to give you access to the site or to investigate the issue. SharePoint Online sites hosted on SFU's Microsoft tenant doesn't allow access to external users (non-SFU individuals).
Note: IT Services can assist with identifying who is the site owner.
I can't access a document shared to me. What should I do?
You will need to ask the site owner to investigate the issue.
Note: IT Services can assist with identifying who is the site owner of the site that hosts your file.
My document is missing. How do I recover it?
Privacy and Compliance FAQs
What is a sensitivity label?
A sensitivity label is a classification method that implements defined boundaries on sharing permissions. The SFU community can apply these labels to files and documents to protect SFU content and data.
How do sensitivity labels affect my document / file?
Details coming soon.
Are there FIPPA considerations for SharePoint Online?
SFU's Microsoft environment, that includes SharePoint Online, has its data hosted on Microsoft's Canadian servers. Information stored on SFU's SharePoint Online are compliant with
FIPPA.
Migration FAQs
What is happening to sharepoint 2019?
In alignment with
What’s Next: The SFU Strategy and
SFU’s digital transformation goals, SFU IT Services is strengthening cybersecurity and protecting our research, academic and business data. As part of these changes, SharePoint 2019 (sharepoint.sfu.ca) will be retired by
July 2026. This service will be replaced by Microsoft Teams and SharePoint Online.
Who is affected and needs to take action?
Site owners will need to take action if they have content on sites or subsites in SharePoint 2019. All site content should be migrated before SharePoint 2019 is retired on July 2026.
How do I know if my content is on SharePoint 2019?
Site owners will receive an email from the SharePoint team (IT Services) with an attached Content Inventory Spreadsheet file. This spreadsheet will list all the owner's sites and subsites that are on SharePoint 2019.
Furthermore, if the weblink starts with https://sharepoint.sfu.ca, your content is on SharePoint 2019 and will need to be migrated.
If the weblink starts with https://1sfu.sharepoint.com, your content is on SharePoint Online and does not need to be migrated.
When do I have to migrate out of Sharepoint 2019?
Between November 2024 and January 2025, site owners will receive an email from the SharePoint team (IT Services). Site owners should move active content to another service when available. All content should be migrated before July 2026.
What are the differences between SharePoint 2019 and SharePoint Online?
Overall, there is a significant change to the user experience (modernized theme, new UI, SFU colours, etc.).
What can't be migrated by IT services?
Any content or settings that aren't migrated by IT Services will need to be manually replicated by site owners. This includes:
- Site access permissions
- File or folder shared permissions
- Workflows
- Some page webparts, layouts and styling
Need additional support?
For General Users:
- Reach out to your site owner if you need general support, including access/permissions troubleshooting.
For Site Owners: