File Sharing and Collaboration

When creating a new file/folder for team collaboration, the item must be created within a specific Team Channel.

1. Click Teams.
2. Select the appropriate team channel.
3. Select the Files tab toward the top.
   

    

4. Click New and select the type of item you wish to create from the menu.
5. Give the new item a name and click Create.

    

6. The new item will open and you can begin working on it.

When sharing an existing file with a Team, the file must be put in a Channel. You can put the file within the Channel’s Posts tab, in which case it will also automatically be listed in the Files tab. Or, if you prefer, you can upload the file directly into the Files tab for that Channel.

Sharing Files as a Post

1. Click Teams.
2. Select the appropriate team channel.
3. Compose a new post and click paperclip icon () to attach a file.
4. When you are ready, post the message.
5. The post will be added to the channel, with options to open and edit the file, download it, and more directly from the post.
   In addition to being included in your post, the uploaded file(s) will also automatically appear in the Channel’s Files tab.

Uploading a File directly to the Files Tab

1. Click Teams.
2.  Select the appropriate team channel.
3. Select the Files tab toward the top of the window.
4. Click Upload and make a selection - Files, Folder, or Template.
5. Select the item to upload. It will be added to the Channel’s Files tab, but will NOT appear as a post.

    

1. Click Teams.
2. Select the appropriate team channel.
3. Select the Files tab toward the top of the window.
4. Move your mouse over the item you’d like to manage and click the actions button (​).
5. From the menu that appears, select the desired action.
   Depending on the item, options may include:
   • Open – Select an application in which to open and edit the item.
   • Copy link – Provides a link to the item within MS Teams. Note: This link will only work for people who already have access to the item (i.e. Team members with access to the Channel).
   • Make this a tab – Creates a new tab within this Team Channel for this specific item.
   • Download – Download a copy of the item.
   • Delete – Delete the file.
   • Pin to top – Places a thumbnail link to the item at the top of the file list.
   • Rename – Change the file name.
   • Open in SharePoint – Opens the item in a new browser tab (e.g. Chrome, Firefox, etc.) so the item can be viewed in Microsoft SharePoint.
   • Move – Choose a new location for the item.
   • Copy – Create a duplicate of the item and place it somewhere.
   • More – Check a file out so that only you can work on it.

“Checking out” a file in MS Teams allows you to work on it without having to worry about someone else on your Team opening it and making changes to it simultaneously. This prevents people from accidentally overwriting each other’s work.

1. Click Teams.
2. Select the appropriate team channel.
3. Select the Files tab toward the top.
4. Move your mouse over the item you’d like to manage and click the actions button ().
5. From the menu that appears, select More > Check out.
6. An icon () will appear next to the file name to indicate to you and other team members that it has been checked out. You can now open the file and work on it as much as you’d like.
7. When you are done working with the file, find it again in the Files tab and click the actions button. 
8. Select More. You will be given two options:
   • Check in – Updates the file with all of the changes you’ve made since you checked it out. The file is now available for other people to use.
   • Discard check out – Discards any changes you’ve made to the document since checking it out and makes it available for other people to use in its original state.
9. If “Check in” is selected, a window will appear where you can leave comments. These comments are viewable to Team members in the file's version history. Type your comments in the text box and click Check in.

When files are deleted from a team, they go into the team’s “first-stage” Recycle Bin, which is accessible from the team’s SharePoint site. From here, they can be restored to their original location or deleted. When files in the first-stage Recycle Bin are deleted, they move to the “second-stage” Recycle Bin. From the second-stage Recycle Bin, they can be restored to their original location or deleted. Deleting a file from the second-stage Recycle Bin is permanent. Files that are deleted from a team are retained in the Recycling Bins (first- and second-stage) for a combined total of 93 days, then are automatically permanently deleted. Click here to learn more about the Recycle Bin.

Deleting an Item from a Team

1. Click Teams.
2. Select the appropriate team channel.
3. Select the Files tab toward the top.
4. Find the file, click the options button, and select Delete.
5. Confirm that you want to delete the item.

    

Managing Items in the Recycle Bin

1.  Click Teams.
2. Select the appropriate team channel.
3. Select the Files tab toward the top.
4. Click Open in SharePoint in the top menu.
5. In SharePoint, select Recycle bin in the left-hand menu. This will open the First-Stage Recycle Bin.
6. Click on a file to select it, then click Delete or Restore in the top menu.

    

7. Confirm that you want to delete the item. This will send it to the Second-Stage Recycle Bin.

    

8. Click on the Second-stage recycle bin link toward the bottom of the page.

    

9. Click on the item to select it, then click Delete or Restore in the top menu.

    

10. Confirm that you want to delete the item. This will permanently delete it.

1. Click OneDrive.
2. The OneDrive app will open, with options to:
   • Create or upload files
   • View content from your OneDrive
   • View content from your Teams
   • View recent files