When managing permissions and collaboration in SharePoint, you have two primary options: SharePoint Groups and Microsoft 365 Groups. Understanding the differences and use cases of each helps in setting up a secure and efficient collaboration environment.
This guide compares SharePoint Groups and Microsoft 365 Groups, covering features, permissions, use cases, and best practices.
1. What Are SharePoint Groups?
🔹 SharePoint Groups are used to manage permissions within a SharePoint site.
🔹 They are site-specific, meaning they do not extend beyond SharePoint.
🔹 Users within a SharePoint Group inherit permissions based on the group settings.
Default SharePoint Groups:
✔ Owners – Full control of the site (manage settings, permissions).
✔ Members – Can edit content but not manage site settings.
✔ Visitors – Read-only access.
Key Features:
✔ Site-specific permission management.
✔ No integration with Outlook, Teams, or Planner.
✔ Users must be manually added to each SharePoint Group.
2. What Are Microsoft 365 Groups?
Microsoft 365 Groups (formerly Office 365 Groups) extend beyond SharePoint and integrate with various Microsoft 365 apps.
A Microsoft 365 Group creates a shared workspace with:
✔ A SharePoint site (for files and documents).
✔ A shared mailbox and calendar (Outlook).
✔ A Planner (task management).
✔ A Microsoft Teams workspace (for collaboration).
Key Features:
✔ Unified membership management across multiple Microsoft 365 services.
✔ Self-service creation (users can create groups if allowed).
✔ Integration with Teams, Outlook, Planner, and OneNote.
3. Key Differences Between SharePoint Groups and Microsoft 365 Groups
| Feature | SharePoint Groups | Microsoft 365 Groups |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Site-specific | Organization-wide collaboration |
| Integration | Only SharePoint | Teams, Outlook, Planner, OneDrive, etc. |
| Permission Management | Manual user assignment | Centralized group membership |
| Email & Calendar | Not available | Shared Outlook mailbox & calendar |
| Teams Integration | Not supported | Integrated with Teams for chat & collaboration |
| Security & Governance | Local site admins control | Managed in Microsoft 365 Admin Center |
| Best Use Case | Managing permissions within a SharePoint site | Cross-platform collaboration across Microsoft 365 |
4. When to Use SharePoint Groups
Best for managing site-specific permissions when you need fine-grained control over who can access documents and site content.
✔ Example Use Cases:
✔ Departmental Sites – HR, Finance, and IT teams need restricted access to specific content.
✔ Project Sites – Control who can edit or view documents on a project-by-project basis.
✔ Intranet or Public SharePoint Sites – Manage read-only access for employees.
Best Practice:
- Use SharePoint Groups for permission inheritance when you don’t need cross-platform collaboration.
5. When to Use Microsoft 365 Groups
Best for broader collaboration when multiple tools (Teams, Outlook, Planner) are required.
✔ Example Use Cases:
✔ Microsoft Teams Workspaces – Automatically creates a connected SharePoint site for file storage.
✔ Company-Wide Communication – Use Outlook groups for mailing lists and shared calendars.
✔ Cross-Department Collaboration – Marketing, Sales, and Product teams working together.
Best Practice:
- Use Microsoft 365 Groups if collaboration across multiple tools is required.
6. Can You Use Both Together?
✔ Yes! You can use SharePoint Groups within a Microsoft 365 Group’s SharePoint site.
✔ Microsoft 365 Groups automatically create a connected SharePoint site, but you can still use SharePoint Groups to manage permissions at the site level.
✔ Example: A Microsoft 365 Group for Marketing can use SharePoint Groups to restrict access to sensitive documents while allowing collaboration in Teams.
7. Best Practices for Managing Groups
✔ Use Microsoft 365 Groups for broad collaboration across multiple tools.
✔ Use SharePoint Groups for site-specific permissions where detailed access control is needed.
✔ Disable self-service group creation if you want IT to control Microsoft 365 Groups creation.
✔ Regularly audit group memberships to remove inactive users.
✔ Train users to understand which group type to use based on their needs.
8. Conclusion
Both SharePoint Groups and Microsoft 365 Groups serve important roles in managing permissions and collaboration. While SharePoint Groups are great for site-specific access control, Microsoft 365 Groups offer seamless integration with other Microsoft 365 tools. Choosing the right group type depends on your collaboration needs and security requirements.