Jan 25, 2017 04:16 AM EST By Dan Archer, UniversityHerald Reporter

Microsoft this week announced some new amazing features for Microsoft OneDrive for Business. The software giant is bringing a dedicated Mac client along with a host of file collaboration features.

The Redmond-based software company has been working hard to pull together the OneDrive for Business and Microsoft SharePoint experience. The primary goal is to provide a full content management lifecycle for data that starts in Microsoft SharePoint Team Site files and ends with the transfer of files to Microsoft OneDrive for Business.

Microsoft is Upgrading OneDrive for Business
The latest upgrade, according to MS Power User, includes the ability to sync SharePoint Online Team Sites with the OneDrive for Business, enabling users to sync any file between OneDrive, SharePoint Team Sites, and other Office 365 apps.

Team Sites provides collaborative functionality to Microsoft teams involved in certain projects that span multiple locations and time zones. Team Sites enable communication and collaboration among workers in teams by providing an internal platform for doing real-time chat and collaborative work on documents from the SharePoint.

According to CIO, the latest SharePoint features are Microsoft's attempt to play catch up with increasing competition in the enterprise cloud storage market, which already offers file sync technology and mac clients feature in their service.

Microsoft is Adding Standalone Mac Client and Activity Center
Microsoft has introduced a new standalone client for Mac, which allows admins to control features like visual overlays in Finder, thus enabling sync status and Finder shortcuts.

With the standalone Mac client, users can now modify OneDrive sync to run on login. The Mac client also comes with multi-language support.

In addition to the standalone mac client, Microsoft is also introducing the Activity Center, providing users a more detailed sync activity and status.

Aside from Microsoft SharePoint sync feature, Microsoft has also improved the sharing experience. The new interface simplified the sharing experience, keeping users better informed on the scope of their sharing and issue a warning when sharing outside the organization.

Finally, Microsoft has also introduced a much-simplified account setup process for external users.

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