Attach documents from SharePoint

If your team keeps documents in SharePoint, you can attach them to a project’s document folders as links. SharePoint attachments are link-only: the file stays in SharePoint and Onplana stores just a reference, so the document is always current and nothing is copied or synced.

SharePoint rides your Microsoft connection. If you have already connected Microsoft for OneDrive or calendar, you only need to grant one extra permission (read access to your SharePoint sites) the first time.

Attach a SharePoint document

1. Open the project’s Documents tab under the project header, select Document Folders, and pick a folder.

2. Select Add from cloud, then choose the SharePoint tab.

3. The first time, select Grant SharePoint access (or Connect SharePoint if you have not connected Microsoft at all). You approve access in Microsoft’s own sign-in window, and when you come back you land right where you left off: the same folder, ready to browse.

4. Pick a site.

5. Pick a document library on that site. A site with only one library skips this step and opens its library straight away.

6. Browse or search the library’s documents. The breadcrumb takes you back: Sites returns to the site list, and on a site with several libraries the site’s name returns to its list of libraries.

7. Select the documents and select Attach.

Note

SharePoint documents attach as links only. There is no “copy to Onplana” option, the file always stays in SharePoint. Anyone who opens a linked document needs access to it in SharePoint.

When a connection expires

Microsoft periodically expires access. When that happens the picker shows Your session has expired with a Reconnect button. Select it, approve access again, and you return to the picker where you were. Existing links are unaffected; reconnecting just restores your ability to browse and attach.

You can also review and manage your connected accounts any time under Settings, on the Connections tab.

FAQs

Does connecting give Onplana access to all of SharePoint? Onplana requests read-only access so you can browse and attach documents. It never writes back, edits, or syncs anything, and it only ever follows the documents you attach.

I connected Microsoft for OneDrive but SharePoint asks me to grant access again. Why? SharePoint needs a separate read permission that the OneDrive connection does not include. Granting it adds the permission to your existing Microsoft connection without disturbing OneDrive.

A teammate cannot open a SharePoint document I attached. Why? SharePoint attachments are links. The document still lives in SharePoint, so your teammate needs access to it there. Share it with them in SharePoint, or attach a copy from another source if they need their own.

Can I copy a SharePoint file into Onplana instead of linking it? Not from the SharePoint picker, it is link-only by design. If you need a copy stored in Onplana, download the file and upload it directly to the folder (up to 100 MB per file).

My plan does not include SharePoint. What can I do? SharePoint attachment is included from the Pro plan up. On lower plans, download the document and upload it directly to the folder.

Best practices

1. Connect SharePoint at organization onboarding. If SharePoint is your primary doc store, connect it during onboarding so attaching feels seamless from day one.
2. Use SharePoint for org-wide policies + templates; project workspace for delivery docs. SharePoint links keep canonical policies current; project workspace owns project-specific deliverables.
3. Pin canonical sites for quick access. The picker remembers recently used sites. Use them consistently so the picker stays useful.
4. Reconnect proactively on expiry. Expired tokens silently break previews. Reconnect via Settings → Connections when the picker prompts.
5. Coordinate with IT on permission scope. SharePoint read scope is wide. IT may want to scope it to specific sites via Microsoft conditional access.

Troubleshooting / common pitfalls

• Grant SharePoint access does nothing. Pop-up blocker. Allow pop-ups for app.onplana.com.
• Site list empty. Two causes: (a) the user has no SharePoint sites; (b) conditional access blocked the consent. Check with IT.
• “Failed to load the document libraries on this site”. The site could not be read just then. Select the refresh button, or go back to Sites and open it again.
• “This site has no document libraries you can open”. The site has no document library you have access to. Ask the site owner, or pick another site.
• The file is in a different library. Go back to the site’s list of libraries by selecting the site’s name in the breadcrumb, and open the other one.
• Search returns nothing. Search matches title + content; ensure the doc is indexed in SharePoint.
• Preview broken. Microsoft token expired. Reconnect.
• Attached link 404 for a teammate. They don’t have access to the file in SharePoint. Share it in SharePoint.

How this combines with other features

• SharePoint + Document folders. Linked SharePoint files appear in folders like any other file. See Organize document folders.
• SharePoint + Office editor. Linked SharePoint files open in Microsoft’s editor, not Onplana’s.
• SharePoint + Cloud storage attach. Use SharePoint for org-shared docs; cloud storage attach for personal Drive/ Box/Dropbox. See Attach files from cloud storage.
• SharePoint + MS integration. Same Microsoft connection powers multiple integrations. See Connect Google and Microsoft.

Coming from another tool

Tool	Mapping
SharePoint Online	Direct concept; native linking
Confluence + SharePoint	Direct
Custom integration	Onplana’s is built-in
Manual SharePoint URL paste	Onplana’s picker is richer than URL paste
Microsoft Teams + SharePoint	Direct

Related

• Attach files from cloud storage, personal Drive/Box/Dropbox
• Organize document folders, where files land
• Connect Google and Microsoft, integration setup