You see the saving before anything moves.
ArchiveBridge is deliberately boring where it matters: read-only first, verify before delete, a link left behind for every file, and an audit trail for all of it.
SharePoint archiving, step by step.
Scan — free, read-only
The Australian service starts in Sydney. Send your Global Admin one consent link to approve the read-only app on Microsoft's own screen. The instant assessment uses Microsoft-reported usage; a separate detailed scan measures eligible files in the scope you select. Scan time depends on that scope. You can close the browser and receive an email when the scan finishes.
Decide what counts as old
You set the policy: files untouched for six months (the scan's default), two years, or whatever fits. Add a size floor so tiny files stay put, limit it to certain file types, or certain sites. Anything under a Purview retention label or legal hold is excluded automatically — every run, on the record.
Copy, hash, verify — then move
Every file is copied to object storage, re-hashed there with SHA-256, and compared byte-for-byte with the source. Only on an exact match does the original leave SharePoint — replaced by a small link file that opens in a browser and says exactly where the file went and how to get it back. One mismatch halts the job with the original untouched.
Or just back up — touch nothing
Backup mode protects verified copies of selected SharePoint and OneDrive content and leaves the source exactly as it is. Changed revisions can be retained up to the configured version limit. SharePoint archiving stays separate: back up what matters, then archive only the cold SharePoint files you choose.
Restore in one click, free, forever
Any file, any version, back to its original location — the link file is cleaned up automatically. Files someone deleted straight from SharePoint restore the same way. Routine restores are included. Full-tenant exit exports and any chargeable bulk transfer are quoted for approval first.
Then it just runs
Backup runs daily by default and, after the first full pass, normally reads only what changed since the last run. Reclaiming space is a separate SharePoint pass, monthly by default, because it removes aged originals. Paid accounts using ArchiveBridge-managed, Object-Lock-capable storage can enable a 1–90 day compliance-retention period.
Watch both scans happen.
Two minutes, start to finish: the three-field signup, the read-only consent your Global Admin approves, the instant assessment built from Microsoft’s own usage reports — then the optional detailed scan that measures real file ages, and the business-case PDF for each, ready to hand to your CEO or finance team.
Recorded against a demonstration tenant — all names and figures are fictional.
The short answers.
What do my users see?
The same folders, in the same place. A backed-up file doesn't change at all; an archived file is replaced by a small link — its name with .html added — that explains where it went and restores in one click. Nobody needs training, a plugin, or a new place to look.
What does the admin consent actually grant?
The scan app holds six read-only Microsoft Graph application permissions: Sites.Read.All, Files.Read.All, User.Read.All, Group.Read.All, Reports.Read.All and Organization.Read.All. It cannot write or delete. A second app adds Sites.ReadWrite.All and Files.ReadWrite.All only when you choose protection or SharePoint archiving. Both apps are visible in your Entra admin centre and revocable at any time.
Where does the data go?
For the Australian service, processing is in Sydney and managed storage defaults to Sydney. You review the destination during setup, or choose your own S3-compatible bucket. Files move over encrypted connections and are verified at the destination before originals are removed. Contact us before connecting if you need a service outside Australia.
How long does setup take?
The scan takes minutes. A full setup — consent, storage, policy, first backup running — is comfortably inside an afternoon, most of which is waiting for the first run to chew through your data.
Does it cover OneDrive and Teams too?
ArchiveBridge covers SharePoint Online archiving and backup, plus OneDrive backup. Teams channel files stored in SharePoint follow the SharePoint path; remaining Teams surfaces are on the roadmap. See the OneDrive backup page for the leaver workflow and its recovery boundary.
What does it cost?
Per terabyte under management, metered daily — you pay only for the days data is actually protected. No per-seat licences; routine restores are included. See pricing for the numbers.
Weighing the field? Read our honest comparison of SharePoint archiving solutions — M365 Archive, ShareArchiver, Squirrel, ShArc, AvePoint Opus and where each one fits.
The scan is the proof.
Read-only, minutes to run, and you keep the report either way.