Microsoft 365 – Does it include OneDrive and SharePoint?

By | | Microsoft 365

Microsoft 365 often raises a simple question: does it include OneDrive and SharePoint? In most cases, yes. Most Microsoft 365 business subscriptions include OneDrive for Business and SharePoint Online. You get personal cloud storage for individuals alongside shared, team-based spaces for collaboration and document management.

The real value comes from knowing what each tool is designed for, how they fit together, and how to set them up in a way people will actually follow, instead of defaulting to desktops, email attachments, and a trail of confusingly named files.

 

OneDrive vs SharePoint: the simplest way to think about it

Microsoft 365 includes two closely connected services that solve two different storage problems:

  • OneDrive for Business is your personal work cloud drive. Each user gets their own space for drafts, working documents, and files that are private unless they choose to share them.
  • SharePoint Online is shared team storage and collaboration. It powers team sites, shared document libraries, intranets, knowledge bases, and structured document management.

 

OneDrive for Business: personal cloud storage for every user

With Microsoft 365 business plans, each licensed user typically gets 1 TB of cloud storage per user, which makes it practical to store day-to-day work in the cloud instead of on local devices.

This is where OneDrive shines:

  • Personal workspace: Store your own working files privately by default.
  • Simple sharing: Share a file or folder with colleagues (or external partners) without emailing attachments.
  • Anywhere access: Work from the office, at home, or while travelling, with the same files available.
  • Device syncing: OneDrive sync keeps files available across devices so staff can move between laptop and mobile without friction.

It’s also worth flagging a common confusion: Microsoft also sells personal plans like Microsoft 365 Basic, which includes OneDrive storage (100 GB) for one person, but that’s aimed at personal use, not business collaboration.

 

SharePoint Online: shared sites for teams, departments, and intranets

If OneDrive is your personal filing cabinet, SharePoint is the well-organised, shared office archive, except that it’s searchable, permission-controlled, and accessible from anywhere.

SharePoint enables:

  • Team sites and shared libraries for departments and project teams
  • Document collaboration (including co-authoring and version history)
  • Structured document management, where you can organise by metadata, approvals, and permissions
  • Intranets and knowledge hubs, giving staff a central place for policies, templates, and updates

Many organisations start with SharePoint simply as shared storage, then grow into proper intranet sites and workflow automation over time.

 

How OneDrive and SharePoint work together in Microsoft 365

As our Technical Architect, Michael Eastaugh, puts it, OneDrive for Business and SharePoint Online are a fundamental part of the Microsoft 365 suite.

Both services provide cloud storage that enables seamless collaboration across teams internally as well as with external partners and customers. As these are cloud-hosted services, they are accessible by in-office and remote workers alike.

OneDrive provides each user with an individual secure cloud storage space, where files remain private unless they are explicitly shared. SharePoint is a centralised platform for team-based collaboration, offering shared libraries and advanced document management. Teams can work together on documents simultaneously, track changes with version history, and automate workflows to reduce manual tasks. SharePoint also serves as the backbone for company intranets, knowledge bases, and project management sites, making it a versatile collaboration solution.

Both platforms offer enterprise-grade security, including data encryption, compliance controls, and granular permissions management.

 

How Syntax can help

If you want OneDrive and SharePoint to be simple to adopt and easy to use, rather than tools that only get used inconsistently, it helps to have a plan for structure, permissions, migration, and adoption. Explore Syntax’s Microsoft 365 consulting services, or learn more about our SharePoint consultancy services.

Next steps for businesses that want certainty

  • Confirm your Microsoft 365 licences and what’s included for your users.
  • Define where files should live (personal work in OneDrive, team content in SharePoint).
  • Set up sensible permissions and sharing rules, especially for external collaboration.
  • Map and migrate legacy file shares, then train teams on the new “way we work”.
  • Build a simple intranet or knowledge hub if you need a single source of truth for policies, templates, and updates.

If you’d like help getting this right the first time, contact Syntax and we’ll advise on the best approach for your team and your Microsoft 365 setup.