Your Staff Are Still Emailing Attachments… And You’re Paying for SharePoint
It might surprise you how often this happens. Businesses invest in Microsoft 365, which includes powerful tools such as SharePoint and OneDrive. Yet staff still send files back and forth through email as if nothing has changed since 2004.
On the surface, everything seems fine. Files are getting sent, people are responding, and work is getting done. But underneath it all, there's a mess quietly building. Changes get lost, versions get mixed up, and files are handled more than they need to be, and all of this is happening while you're already paying for a better solution that isn't being used.
Let's unpack what's going on and how to fix it.
The problem with emailing attachments
Emailing a document feels like the quickest way to get it to someone. It's familiar, and most people don't think twice about it, but it's also where problems begin.
Say you send a Word document to three people. One makes some changes and replies, then another makes different edits to the original and sends it back separately. Now, there are multiple versions floating around, and you have to work out which one is the "real" file.
It only takes one person using an old version to cause problems. Work gets duplicated, comments and updates get missed, and time gets wasted. It might not seem like a big deal at the time, but over days or weeks, these little issues stack up.
You're already paying for the better option
Here's the frustrating part. If you're using Microsoft 365, you already have access to SharePoint and OneDrive. These tools are built to handle exactly this kind of collaboration without the chaos.
Instead of emailing files around, documents can live in a central spot where everyone works on the same version: no duplicate files, and no lost updates. You can even open the same document at the same time and see changes in real time. And if someone does make a mistake, previous versions are automatically backed up and easy to recover.
The solution is sitting there, ready to go. It just needs to be set up and used properly.
SharePoint fixes version control problems
With SharePoint, your team no longer need to send files back and forth. Instead, they can:
Access shared files from anywhere.
Edit documents at the same time without conflict.
Leave comments and track changes.
Always know they're working on the latest version.
Stop cluttering inboxes with duplicate attachments.
It's a smarter and cleaner way to work together. Once people start using it, they often wonder why they ever did it the old way.
So why isn't it being used?
Most of the time, it comes down to habit. Staff are used to sending attachments, so they keep doing it. If SharePoint wasn't set up properly to begin with, or nobody showed them how to use it, then it's no surprise it's being ignored.
That's not the team's fault; they're sticking with what's familiar. But that familiar process is costing time, money, and productivity.
This is where we can help.
How we can help your team use SharePoint properly
As an IT provider, we don't just provide support when something breaks; we help you get more value out of the tools you already have.
Here's what we can do.
Set up SharePoint and OneDrive with organized folders and correct permissions.
Move your existing files into shared cloud locations.
Train your staff so that using it becomes second nature.
Add simple shortcuts or integrations to make daily work smoother.
Once it's all in place, your team doesn't need to think twice. They'll just use it because it's easier.
Don't pay for tools that aren't being used
Microsoft 365 is already part of your business costs. That includes SharePoint, which is meant to make file sharing easier and more reliable. But if staff are still stuck in old habits, it's like paying for a top-shelf tool and leaving it in the box.
And it's not just the subscription that costs you. There's the time spent fixing version mix-ups, the hours lost searching for the right file, and the confusion that slows down projects and causes delays.
These small frustrations chip away at productivity every day.
Let's fix it together
If your staff are still emailing attachments, and SharePoint is sitting unused, we can help. We'll take care of the setup, show your team how to use it, and give you back control of your files.
You've already paid for the right tools. Let's make sure they're actually working for you.
Need help getting SharePoint set up properly? Get in touch. We'll help your team move from attachment overload to smooth collaboration.
