Microsoft Teams makes collaboration easy, but provides little structure. As a result, a situation quickly arises where everyone develops their own way of working. Files are shared via chat or email, documents are stored in different locations, and multiple versions end up coexisting.
What many teams don’t realize is that Microsoft SharePoint powers Teams. That’s where documents are actually stored and managed. Without a clear structure and established guidelines, you won’t be able to leverage that power, and Teams will remain primarily a gathering place.
Without a clear structure, this fragmentation will grow unnoticed alongside your projects. That’s why it’s important to set up Teams properly and establish clear guidelines. Curious about how to do that? Follow the steps below.
The foundation starts with structure. Create a single team in Microsoft Teams for each project, such as “Project Client X.” This prevents information from being scattered across multiple locations and ensures that everyone knows where to go. In practice, you often see projects overlapping or, conversely, too many teams being created. Both make it harder to maintain an overview.
Within a project, channels provide clarity. Here, you decide where information belongs and how you collaborate. It’s important that each channel has a clear purpose and fits logically within your project.
Example of a strong channel structure:
- General – fixed info, links, and templates
- Planning – progress and schedules
- Execution – substantive documents
- Decisions – final documents
- Finance – budgets and costs
- Communication (optional) – external coordination
Some teams work by discipline, such as engineering or implementation. In that case, you can adapt your channels accordingly. More important than the choice itself is that you select a single clear structure and use it consistently.
Note! A “Documents” channel may seem logical, but it often backfires. Everything ends up there, which means you still have to search for things. By linking documents to content or process steps, it becomes clear where something belongs.
Within each channel, save related files under the “Files” tab (sometimes called “Shared,” depending on your setup). Folders can be helpful, but keep it simple. Use them only to group documents by topic or type. Limit it to one or two levels so you don’t have to search.
In addition, file naming conventions are just as important as structure. Use a consistent format:
[project name] – [topic] – [type] – [year or date]
Examples:
• Project X – Budget – 2026
• Project X – Planning – Phase 1 – 2026
• Project X – Report – March 2026
By doing this consistently, you can identify and locate documents more quickly.
Many versioning issues arise when documents are downloaded, edited, and re-uploaded. In Teams, you work directly in the same document. Multiple people can work on it at the same time, add comments, and tag each other. The version history lets you see what has been changed and by whom. Plus, you have access to your documents anytime, anywhere—even on your phone. This makes collaboration faster and more organized.
Note! There is always only one version of a document. Do not make copies or save documents in multiple locations. If necessary, you can use a “working documents” folder and a “final” folder. In that case, move the document to the “final” folder as soon as it is ready. Avoid file names such as “version 2” or “final new.”
It may seem convenient to quickly share a document via chat, but in practice, this causes problems. Files disappear from view and are difficult to find later. Therefore, always use the appropriate channel. Upload the document to the place where it belongs, and then share the link in the chat. This way, everything stays in one place and you avoid fragmentation.
Email is another source of confusion. Documents are sent as attachments, edited, and shared again. Before you know it, there are multiple versions, and no one knows which one is the correct one. Therefore, don’t share documents as attachments; instead, use links to documents in Teams. Use email primarily for communicating with external parties and for formal occasions. Use Teams for collaboration and documents.
You can set up Teams perfectly, but if everyone uses it differently, chaos will still ensue. So make sure you establish clear guidelines and provide concrete examples. Show where documents belong and how to collaborate. Keep reinforcing the process.
Bonus tip: Limit who can create teams and channels, and designate one or two people to keep an eye on things.
Answer these questions and you'll immediately see where there's room for improvement:
Do any of these points sound familiar? If so, making changes to your structure and approach is often the key to success.
For small project teams, these steps are often enough to maintain an overview. But as projects become more complex, the requirements change.
You'll notice this, for example, when:
At that point, document management becomes more than just collaboration.
Teams remains the central hub from which you work, but you need more structure beneath it. In practice, this means scaling up to a dedicated document management solution in Microsoft SharePoint.
When you want more control over document status, version control, and accountability, you need more than just the standard workflow in Teams. Setting up a system in Microsoft SharePoint is the next logical step.
For example, you can record the following there:
This way, your workflow evolves along with the complexity of your project, without having to switch teams.
Are you stuck, or do you want to get things right from the start? The right support can make all the difference. A partner like Ditio helps project teams set up a logical Teams structure, scale up to a well-organized document management system in Microsoft SharePoint, and guide users toward a standardized workflow. Want to learn more? Feel free to contact us with no obligation.