Work smarter to manage your storage

As we head into a new academic year it’s a great time to declutter your digital workspace.  

A tidy inbox isn’t just satisfying—it’s essential. Overflowing email accounts slow down search, increase the risk of missing key messages, and contribute to unnecessary data storage costs. 

But email isn’t the only area to review. Many staff rely heavily on OneDrive to store everything from meeting notes to outdated drafts. While OneDrive is convenient, it’s not designed for long-term archiving or collaborative document management. Overuse can lead to version confusion, access issues, and difficulty locating the most current files, and when a OneDrive user leaves, their OneDrive will be wound down and deleted, removing any shares or collaborative folders in the process (often irretrievably).  

Where to store your files 

Oxford offers other solutions. Microsoft Teams and SharePoint are purpose-built for structured storage, version control, and secure collaboration. These platforms ensure documents are accessible to the right people, at the right time—without clogging up personal storage. They are also ‘permanent’ and will be available even when their respective owners or admins leave the University.  

This short housekeeping guide provides useful tips for keeping your OneDrive tidy and your files secure and accessible to others. 

Actions for all University members 

Take 30 minutes this week to: 

• 

  Clear out your inbox: archive what you need, delete what you don’t. 

• Review your OneDrive: migrate key files to shared spaces. 
• Explore SharePoint and Teams sites for smarter storage options. 

Your future self—and your colleagues—will thank you. 

This content was generated with the help of Copilot and carefully reviewed and amended by our team for accuracy and appropriateness.