Google Departmental Shared Drives Help Teams Manage Storage

March 20, 2026

As the University of Alaska prepares for new storage limits in Google Workspace and Microsoft 365, departments are encouraged to review how their files are stored and shared. One of the most effective ways to manage storage and reduce duplication is by using departmental shared drives.

Departments are encouraged to organize shared work more efficiently. Shared drives provide a central place for teams to store documents, collaborate on projects, and manage files collectively. Unlike files stored in an individual’s personal drive, files in a shared drive belong to the team rather than a single user, ensuring continued access even when staff roles change. Additionally, files stored in a department’s Shared Drive do not count toward any individual’s storage allotment.

Why Shared Drives Matter for Departments

Departments often rely on shared documents for collaboration—such as reports, project files, and operational documents. When these files are stored in personal drives and simply shared with colleagues, they contribute to storage duplication, take up space in an individual user’s storage allotment, and can create access issues if the owner of the document is unavailable.

Moving commonly used files into a departmental shared drive can help:

• Keep files accessible to teams rather than tied to an individual account
• Reduce duplication by maintaining a single shared copy of documents
• Improve continuity when staff members transition, are unavailable, or leave the university
• Support responsible storage use as UA moves to a limited storage model

It is recommended that whenever possible, documents stored in an individual’s drive but shared with an entire department be moved to the department’s shared drive.

Department Heads: Request a Storage Usage Report

Department leaders can play an important role in helping their teams prepare for storage limits. Supervisors and managers who want a clearer picture of their unit’s storage usage can request a departmental storage usage report from IT for either Google Workspace or Microsoft 365. 

These reports provide an overview of storage consumption across a department’s Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 accounts, helping leaders identify areas where cleanup or consolidation may be needed. To request a report, department heads will be asked to provide the first name, last name, and UA username for each member of the department.

Steps Departments Can Take Now

Departments can begin preparing by reviewing their existing shared drives and storage practices. A few simple steps can make a significant difference:

1. Review existing shared drives

• Identify shared drives that are no longer active or needed.
• Consolidate or remove redundant drives to simplify file management.

2. Move team files out of personal drives

• Files owned by individuals but used by a group should be relocated to the department’s shared drive.
• This prevents files from becoming inaccessible if the owner leaves the university.

3. Clean up outdated or duplicate files

• Delete outdated drafts, duplicate copies, and unnecessary large files.
• Organize folders so team members can quickly find current versions of documents.

4. Audit access and permissions

• Periodically review shared drive members and remove access for users who no longer need it.
• Ensure permissions match current roles and responsibilities.

A Shared Responsibility

Managing digital storage is becoming increasingly important across higher education. Google’s shift away from unlimited storage means universities must be more intentional about how they store and maintain data. By organizing files in shared drives and regularly reviewing storage usage, departments can help ensure that the university’s storage resources are used efficiently and sustainably.

Department heads and staff who need help reviewing their shared drives, requesting storage reports, or reorganizing files can contact their campus IT help desk (UAA Information Technology Services | UA/UAF Nooktech | UAS IT Services) for assistance.