File management with OpenProject's OneDrive/SharePoint integration
Every project needs a supportive file management. Whether it’s just a quick screenshot or a 20-page presentation – people collaborating in projects always involves handling files. This is why project and file management must always go hand in hand. OpenProject, the leading open source project management, facilitates collaboration with OneDrive/SharePoint by offering an integration (Enterprise add-on) that is continuously updated.
Are you already using OneDrive/SharePoint and searching for a project management tool? Then you should definitely take a look at this article!
Use the file management of your choice with OpenProject: Nextcloud or OneDrive/SharePoint
If you - like us - are a fan of open source software, you might legitimately ask: Why does OpenProject offer an integration with a Microsoft tool? To answer this question transparently, I would like to briefly expand:
OpenProject already offers an integration with Nextcloud for several years now. Nextcloud is a highly respected open source colleague of ours, and we are keen to strengthen the connection between our two tools. Nevertheless, there are numerous companies and organizations that already work with Microsoft tools that are deeply established in the company. Understandably, they cannot and do not want to change their entire file management system overnight. This also means that they cannot use OpenProject effectively without the corresponding Microsoft file management integration. This would neither be in the interests of OpenProject as a profitable company nor in the spirit of the open source idea.
For this reason, we have been offering OneDrive/SharePoint integration in addition to Nextcloud since 2023. At this point, a big thank you to Deutsche Bahn, which faced precisely this described challenge and sponsored the development of the OneDrive/SharePoint integration.
In short: We at OpenProject believe that change is necessary - but also that it is only possible if we stop thinking in black and white and give organizations an actual opportunity to gradually convert their tools to open source alternatives.
Enterprise add-on: The OneDrive/SharePoint integration is an Enterprise add-on, which means it is not available in OpenProject’s free Community edition. If you are using the Community edition, you can use our Nextcloud integration for file management, which is just as advanced in features and continuously updated as the OneDrive/SharePoint integration.
What features does OpenProject’s OneDrive/SharePoint integration offer?
If you’re already using OneDrive/SharePoint, you’re probably interested in the exact feature set of the integration for OpenProject. Before I give you an overview of the current offerings, let me emphasize that OpenProject is continuously working on its features and additional features for the OneDrive/SharePoint integration might be released in the future. A blog article such as this one can become outdated quickly, but you can always find the current status of the integration in our documentation.
To be able to use the following features, you must use OpenProject’s Enterprise version and a system manager of your instance must have installed the OneDrive/SharePoint integration and a project administrator must then have activated the integration for the dedicated project.
Link files and folders in OpenProject that are stored on OneDrive/SharePoint
If you store files on OneDrive/SharePoint, you can link them to a work package with just a few clicks. Just open the work package you want the file to be linked with and navigate to the tab called ‘Files’. This is how it looks like in OpenProject:
Upload, display, download and delete files from OneDrive/SharePoint to OpenProject
Sometimes you don’t want to just link to the existing file, but upload it directly from OneDrive/SharePoint to OpenProject. This feature is also to be found on the Files tab on every work package (remember: If the OneDrive/SharePoint integration is installed on your instance and activated on the project).
Manage project folders (manually or automatically) through OpenProject
Apart from linking and uploading single files and folders from OneDrive/SharePoint, you can also create project folders. These folders increase your productivity by allowing you to specify which folders belong to which project. This way, they are selected by default during file management, eliminating the need to navigate through complex folder structures each time.
If you opt for the ‘Automatically Managed’ option, OpenProject will automatically create a folder for each project and manage user access. This further saves time by ensuring that every team member always has the correct access permissions.
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To dive deeper into the OneDrive/SharePoint integration of OpenProject, we recommend you to watch these videos:
