1. Choose one place for shared business files and stop saving copies elsewhere.
2. Name the top-level folders after the work: clients, finance, marketing, and templates.
3. Give access by role instead of sharing single files with personal email addresses.
4. Keep approved templates in one place and mark old versions clearly.
5. Name one person to keep the structure tidy and review who has access.

In Google Workspace

1. Use shared drives for team files. Files in a shared drive belong to the business, so they stay when someone leaves.

In Microsoft 365

1. Keep team files in a SharePoint site or a Teams channel rather than in one person’s OneDrive, for the same reason.

• People keep asking where the latest version is.
• Files are shared with personal accounts or former staff.
• The team uses two or more storage services for the same work.

We look at where files live now, how people find them, and who can open what. We suggest a structure that fits your work, plan the move with you, tell you ahead of time which shared links will change, and send people the new ones. Then we review access. The business keeps ownership of the storage account.

Should we use Google Drive, OneDrive, or Dropbox?

Use the one that fits the tools you already pay for. Microsoft 365 Business Basic, Business Standard, and Business Premium include OneDrive, SharePoint, and Teams; Microsoft 365 Apps for business includes OneDrive but not SharePoint or Teams. Google Workspace includes Drive. Running two services for the same files usually causes confusion. Little Fight NYC helps small teams choose and set up shared files in Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace.

How do we stop people deleting shared files by mistake?

Limit who can delete in key folders. In a Google shared drive, give most people Contributor access: they can add and edit files but cannot move them to the trash. Deleted files can only be brought back for a limited time: 30 days from a shared drive’s trash, and up to 93 days from the SharePoint recycle bin. Ask people to report a missing file right away, practice restoring one so the team knows how, and keep a separate backup of files you cannot afford to lose. Little Fight NYC can set these permissions up for you.