Choosing between a Microsoft 365 Group, a Team, or a SharePoint site

Choosing between a Microsoft 365 Group, a Team, or a SharePoint site depends on whether you need a full chat-based workspace, structured document management, or simply a shared mailbox and calendar. These entities are tightly integrated; creating a Team automatically creates a Group and a SharePoint site, whereas creating a SharePoint team site does not automatically create a Team. 

When to Choose Microsoft Teams (Group + SharePoint + Chat)

Choose this option if your primary goal is real-time collaboration, chat-based conversations, and agile project management. 

• Best for: Active projects, daily team communication, and immediate document sharing.
• What you get: A persistent chat interface, shared SharePoint document library, Planner (tasks), and OneNote.
• Considerations:
  • Structure: Each channel in Teams gets a folder in the SharePoint site.
  • Visibility: Team conversations are designed for immediate interaction.
  • Lifecycle: If the team is temporary, ensure you have a plan to archive it. 

When to Choose a SharePoint Team Site (Group + SharePoint)

Choose this if you need a structured place for document management, lists, and pages, but do not need real-time chat. 

• Best for: Storing formal documents, tracking structured data in lists, and collaborating with a smaller group, or when "social" tools are not required.
• What you get: A modern SharePoint site, shared Outlook inbox/calendar, and Planner.
• Considerations:
  • Structure: Offers better document organization (metadata, content types) than Teams' file storage.
  • Permissions: Easily managed via the associated Group, but SharePoint allows for more granular control if needed (e.g., read-only visitors).
  • Flexibility: You can add Microsoft Teams to this site later if the collaboration needs change. 

When to Choose Just an M365 Group (Email + Calendar)

Choose this for lightweight, email-centric collaboration without a dedicated document repository or team chat. 

• Best for: Distribution lists, shared scheduling (calendar), and simple, low-overhead communication.
• What you get: A shared inbox and a shared calendar.
• Considerations:
  • Simplicity: Best when you don't need SharePoint libraries or chat.
  • Upgradability: Can be converted to a Team later. 

When to Choose a SharePoint Communication Site

Choose this if you need to broadcast information to a large audience.

• Best for: Intranet homepages, HR policies, company news, or public-facing content.
• What you get: A visually engaging site, but generally without the backend group, inbox, or team chat capabilities. 

Summary Checklist for Decision Making

If you are unsure, create a Team. It provides the most comprehensive, modern workspace (Groups + SharePoint + Chat). If you need something with less clutter that focuses strictly on document management, use a SharePoint Team Site.