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Telegraph Lab

Files and documents

Find and export
your SharePoint data.

SharePoint stores team documents across sites and libraries. Tenant storage and site-usage reports help establish the size, while the export settings determine which file versions and attachments are collected.

Report in
GB
Category
Files and documents
Last checked

Find your SharePoint data size

  1. Sign in as a SharePoint Administrator or use a role permitted to read Microsoft 365 usage reports.
  2. In the SharePoint admin center → Active sites, review the tenant storage bar and the sites in scope.
  3. In Microsoft 365 admin center → Reports → Usage → SharePoint, review Storage and Site usage.
  4. Export the site table and sum Storage used (MB) for the selected sites. Divide by 1,024 for GB.
SharePoint storage can include version history and retained content. A library's visible current files can be smaller than the storage figure.

What to include in your data inventory

Report in GB with the sites included and any large version-history component. List site or file counts where available.

Report OneDrive separately. Give the earliest retained file date, mentioning imported history, and the number of staff who use the sites.

Add the dates covered and the people who use this software. Label estimates and describe how you calculated them.

Export your SharePoint history

  1. Have an administrator confirm the required Purview eDiscovery permissions and licenses.
  2. Create a case and search the agreed SharePoint sites and date ranges.
  3. Choose Export items with items report and set Select document versions to the history depth required.
  4. Review folder-path and list-attachment options, then download the completed packages from Process manager.
  5. For smaller current-file collections, download a library or synchronize it with the OneDrive desktop app.

Purview search packages expire after 14 days. Access restrictions can exclude files from a collection, so check the export reports.

Browser downloads and ordinary synchronization generally provide current files. Choose a suitable export route when earlier versions matter.

Why SharePoint data has value for AI training

SharePoint libraries can capture the documents used to carry out a business process. Site organization helps connect templates and procedures to the teams that use them.

Preserved versions can add context about how a document evolved during a project.

What stays private

Select the sites and libraries to include. Confidential departmental sites can be excluded from the search.

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.

Common questions about SharePoint data

Is OneDrive included in this inventory line?

Keep personal OneDrive storage on a separate line so the scope is clear.

Can we export earlier document versions?

Purview's export settings let you choose the version depth, subject to retention, permissions and licensing.

Why does the meter exceed the files we can see?

Older versions and retained content can use storage beyond the current documents visible in a library.

Can we just download a library?

That works for a smaller current-file set. Review version and attachment requirements before using it as the full collection.

Your data inventory

Add your numbers to the picture.

Enter the quantities and years covered in your data inventory, then share it with your Telegraph Lab contact. We’ll review the material and discuss the next step with you.

Discuss your data