Historically, electronic files have been stored on drives, in a hierarchical folder structure. This may be on a local desktop or laptop for individuals, but organisations have tended to use network drives. With the rise of cloud storage, the traditional drive approach is being replaced with online document management systems. Many organisations are making this switch, and the pandemic and new hybrid working model has accelerated this change. It’s much easier to work remotely and collaborate on a modern, cloud-based document management platform. SharePoint, Microsoft’s flagship document

When unions first started using the web, documents such as magazines, newsletters and circulars were loaded onto union websites, usually on an ad hoc basis. In addition, there was a centralised system for storing items like publications, circulars and minutes. Intranets were yet another repository. This expansion has caused problems. Some collections would be the only store for certain documents, while other items were duplicated across all the collections. For Union staff, this has caused confusion, and members have found that the information available from the website is usually limited to a