What a SharePoint site actually is

A SharePoint site is a workspace where your team stores documents, shares information, and works together in one place. Think of it as a shared folder that lives online, but with more structure — you can organize files into different sections, set permissions so only certain people see certain things, and track changes to documents as people edit them.

SharePoint comes with Microsoft 365 (the subscription that includes Word, Excel, and Outlook). If your organization already pays for Microsoft 365, you likely already have access to create a SharePoint site. You do not need to buy anything extra or install software on your computer — you create and use it through your web browser.

The site itself is just a web address. When you create one, Microsoft gives you a URL like yourorganization.sharepoint.com/sites/projectname. You share that link with your team, and they can access it from anywhere they have internet.

Key Takeaways

  • You create a SharePoint site through the Microsoft 365 web interface by clicking "Create site" and choosing either a Team site (for ongoing collaboration) or a Communication site (for sharing information one direction).
  • Team sites connect to a Microsoft Teams channel automatically, so your team can chat and work on documents in the same place.
  • You control who can see and edit the site by adding people as members, owners, or visitors with different permission levels.
  • Documents stored in SharePoint are automatically backed up and versioned, so you can recover old versions if someone makes a mistake.

The difference between Team sites and Communication sites

SharePoint offers two main types of sites, and which one you create depends on how your team will use it. A Team site is for groups that work together — they edit documents together, comment on each other's work, and need to see what everyone else is doing. A Team site automatically connects to a Microsoft Teams channel, so your chat and your documents live in the same place.

A Communication site is for sharing information one direction, like an internal company newsletter or a department announcement board. One or two people post updates, and everyone else reads them. Communication sites do not connect to Teams, and they are designed to look polished and professional rather than collaborative.

Most teams start with a Team site. Choose a Communication site only if your group is mostly reading and not editing together.

How to create a Team site step by step

Open your web browser and go to office.com. Sign in with your work email and password. Click the app launcher (the grid of nine dots in the top left corner) and select SharePoint from the menu.

On the SharePoint home page, click the Create site button. Choose Team site from the options. Enter a name for your site — something clear like "Marketing 2024" or "Product Launch." Add a description so people know what the site is for. Choose a web address (SharePoint will suggest one based on your name, but you can change it). Click Next.

On the next screen, add the people who should be owners of the site. Owners can manage the site, add or remove people, and change settings. You can add more people later, so you do not need to add everyone now. Click Finish. SharePoint will create the site and a connected Teams channel — this usually takes less than a minute.

How to create a Communication site step by step

Follow the same first steps: go to office.com, sign in, click the app launcher, and select SharePoint. Click Create site and choose Communication site instead of Team site.

Enter a name and description. Choose a design template — SharePoint offers several layouts like "Topic," "Showcase," or "Blank." The template controls how the site looks, but you can change it later. Choose a web address and click Next. Add owners if you want, then click Finish. The site will be ready in under a minute.

Adding people and controlling who sees what

Once your site exists, you control who can access it and what they can do. Open your site and click the Share button in the top right corner. Type the email address or name of the person you want to add. Choose their permission level from the dropdown: Edit means they can create and change documents, Read means they can only view, and Owner means they can manage the site itself.

You can add people one at a time or paste a list of email addresses. Click Share and they will receive an email invitation. They can start using the site as soon as they accept.

If you created a Team site, people added to the site are also automatically added to the connected Teams channel. If you need to remove someone, go to the site settings and click Members — you can remove them from there, and they will lose access to both the site and the Teams channel.

Organizing documents and folders on your site

When you create a site, SharePoint automatically creates a folder called Documents. This is where your team stores files. Click on Documents to open it, then click New to create folders for different projects, clients, or topics.

You can upload files by dragging them into the browser window or by clicking Upload and selecting files from your computer. As people edit documents, SharePoint keeps a version history — if someone deletes something by mistake or you need to see what a document looked like last week, you can recover an old version. Right-click any file and select Version history to see all the changes.

You can also create new documents directly in SharePoint. Click New and choose Word document, Excel spreadsheet, or PowerPoint presentation. The document opens in the online version of that program, and everyone with access to the site can edit it at the same time.

What happens after you create the site

Your site is live when ready, but you will probably want to customize it. You can change the site name, description, and logo by clicking Settings in the top right. You can add a banner image, change the color scheme, and rearrange sections to match how your team works.

If you created a Team site, a Teams channel with the same name was created automatically. Your team can chat in Teams and work on documents in SharePoint without switching between two different places. If you created a Communication site, you manage it solo or with a small group of editors.

SharePoint sites are not deleted automatically, so once you create one, it stays there until you delete it. If a project ends, you can archive the site (which hides it but keeps the documents) or delete it entirely if you no longer need it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a Microsoft 365 subscription to create a SharePoint site?

Your organization needs a Microsoft 365 subscription that includes SharePoint. If your company uses Outlook email and Microsoft Teams, you almost certainly have it. Ask your IT department or manager if you are not sure whether your organization has it.

Can I create a SharePoint site if I work for a small business?

Yes, if your business has a Microsoft 365 subscription. Small businesses can buy Microsoft 365 Business Basic or Business Standard, which include SharePoint. Your IT person or whoever manages your company's Microsoft account can set up a site for you, or they can give you permission to create one yourself.

What is the difference between a SharePoint site and a Teams channel?

A Teams channel is where your team chats and has conversations. A SharePoint site is where you store and organize documents. When you create a Team site in SharePoint, it automatically connects to a Teams channel — so the channel and the site work together. You chat in Teams and access documents in SharePoint, but they are linked.

Can I delete a SharePoint site after I create it?

Yes. Open the site, click Settings, scroll down to Site information, and click Delete this site. You will be asked to confirm. Once deleted, the site and all its documents are gone, so only delete a site if you are certain you no longer need it. If you might need it later, archive it instead by clicking Archive this site in the same menu.

What if my organization does not have SharePoint?

Your organization would need to purchase a Microsoft 365 plan that includes SharePoint. Talk to whoever manages your company's software subscriptions or contact Microsoft directly. In the meantime, you can store documents in OneDrive (which comes with most Microsoft 365 plans) or use Teams to share files.