Find and export
your OneDrive data.

1. 1Use an administrator account allowed to read Microsoft 365 usage reports.
2. 2Open Reports → Usage → OneDrive → Usage.
3. 3Choose Export and sum Storage used (MB) for the accounts in scope, then divide by 1,024 for GB.
4. 4Ask the SharePoint administrator which former-employee or unlicensed drives still exist and can be collected.

Report in GB, with the account count and file count where available. Identify current staff drives and retained former-employee drives separately.

Use the oldest retained files for the history start date. Keep SharePoint site storage on its own inventory line.

1. 1Have an administrator check access and retention for the OneDrive accounts you want to include.
2. 2For an organization collection, create a Purview eDiscovery case and search the selected OneDrive locations.
3. 3Choose the required document versions and departed-user options, then export the files with their item reports.
4. 4Download packages from Process manager before expiry. For a single accessible drive, use browser downloads or synchronize and copy the files locally.

Purview search export packages remain available for 14 days. Synchronization and browser downloads ordinarily collect current versions.

Former-employee availability depends on your retention and licensing arrangements. Confirm it before scheduling an export.

OneDrive files can preserve the working documents behind individual roles, including spreadsheets, proposals and project notes.

Retained folder paths and timestamps help relate those files to the work they supported.

Choose the staff accounts and business folders in scope. Personal or confidential documents can be excluded.

Telegraph Lab reviews the proposed material with you and agrees how sensitive information will be handled. Preparation can include excluding material, redacting details and replacing personal identifiers. Your company keeps ownership; the licensing agreement defines the material, permitted uses and authorized recipients.