# CloudFiles vs Files Connect

> CloudFiles delivers complete Salesforce to SharePoint document workflows, while Salesforce Files Connect focuses on read-only file linking with no folder automation.

*Compare · Document Management for Salesforce*

## CloudFiles vs Salesforce Files Connect

A comprehensive technical and feature breakdown of two approaches to connecting Salesforce with SharePoint: native simplicity vs. deep integration platform.

[Try CloudFiles for free](https://appexchange.salesforce.com/appxListingDetail?listingId=a0N4V00000Gh9uFUAR) · [Consult documents expert](https://meet.cloudfiles.io/salesforce?utm_content=sf-cloudfiles-vs-files-connect-hero)

## At a glance

- **CloudFiles** — CloudFiles offers advanced Salesforce-SharePoint integration built for structured document management, automation, and engagement analytics - native to Salesforce.
  - AppExchange rating: 4.99/5 (142 reviews)
  - Customers: 1,200+ Salesforce teams
  - Compliance: independently audited for SOC 2 Type II, certified to ISO 27001, and compliant with HIPAA and GDPR
  - Storage: deep SharePoint integration, with support for other platforms
  - Automation: native actions plus Flow support
  - Bulk file migration: supported
  - Extended capabilities: document generation, AI data extraction, engagement analytics
- **Salesforce Files Connect** — Salesforce Files Connect is Salesforce's built-in mechanism for surfacing files stored in external systems, including SharePoint, OneDrive, Google Drive, and Box, inside Salesforce. It is a reference layer: files stay in SharePoint and Salesforce displays a link to them.
  - Pricing: available with Professional, Enterprise, Performance, Unlimited, and Developer Editions.
  - Customers: widely used by Salesforce customers globally
  - Compliance: inherits security and compliance from connected storage, such as SharePoint or Google Drive
  - Automation: limited, with no native workflow automation or actions
  - Access type: primarily read-only, with limited write support depending on setup
  - Authentication: per-user authentication via OAuth or Azure AD
  - Capabilities: file access, preview, and basic linking within Salesforce

## CloudFiles vs Salesforce Files Connect comparison

Evaluate which Salesforce to SharePoint integration and document management solution best fits your enterprise requirements.

| Feature | Salesforce Files Connect | CloudFiles Document Management |
|---|---|---|
| Connect Salesforce to SharePoint | ✓ | ✓✓ |
| Integration architecture | ✓ | ✓✓ |
| Supported Salesforce objects | ✓ | ✓✓ |
| Multiple SharePoint sites & libraries | ✓ | ✓✓ |
| Preview files inside Salesforce | ✗ | ✓✓ |
| Global search across Salesforce + SharePoint | ✓ | ✓✓ |
| Automatic SharePoint folder creation | ✓ | ✓✓ |
| Upload files to SharePoint | ✓ | ✓✓ |
| Rename, move, delete SharePoint files | ✓ | ✓✓ |
| Salesforce Flow actions for file operations | ✓ | ✓✓ |
| Bulk migration of existing Salesforce files | ✗ | ✓✓ |
| Document generation from Salesforce data | ✗ | ✓✓ |
| AI-powered OCR data extraction | ✗ | ✓✓ |
| Tracked secure sharing links | ✓ | ✓✓ |
| Tracking & analytics | ✗ | ✓✓ |
| Experience Cloud / external portal users | ✓ | ✓✓ |
| Independent security certifications | ✓ | ✓✓ |
| Access & permissions model | ✓ | ✓✓ |
| Setup complexity | ✓ | ✓✓ |
| Cost | ✓ | ✓✓ |

## Which one is right for you?

CloudFiles streamlines and automates document workflows, boosting efficiency while saving time and money.

- **Choose CloudFiles when you need:**
  - Auto-created SharePoint folder structures tied to Salesforce records
  - Full file management, including upload, move, rename, and delete, from inside Salesforce
  - Automation without building Salesforce Flows from scratch
  - Bulk migration of existing Salesforce files to SharePoint
  - Document generation and AI-powered OCR data extraction (available as add-ons)
  - External portal users (Experience Cloud) accessing SharePoint without a Microsoft account
  - Tracked sharing links with engagement analytics
  - Independently verified enterprise compliance: SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, HIPAA, GDPR
- **Choose Salesforce Files Connect when you need:**
  - Existing SharePoint files surfaced inside Salesforce Global Search
  - Preview of Office documents without leaving a Salesforce record
  - Zero additional cost, already included in Salesforce Enterprise and above
  - No folder management, migration, automation, or generation requirements
  - Every user already has a valid Microsoft 365 or SharePoint licence
  - Simple read-and-reference access that is genuinely sufficient for your workflow
  - An IT team comfortable configuring Azure App Registration and OAuth 2.0

## Go beyond storage: act on your documents

Connecting Salesforce to SharePoint should do more than make files accessible. CloudFiles lets teams generate, process, share, and automate documents as part of their Salesforce workflows.

- **Document AI** — Turn your SharePoint files into structured Salesforce data. Extract key information from documents like invoices, KYC forms, contracts, and IDs using OCR and AI, and automatically populate Salesforce fields. Your SharePoint integration becomes bi-directional: not just storing files, but reading and using them inside your CRM. [Explore CloudFiles Document AI](https://appexchange.salesforce.com/appxListingDetail?listingId=94ed2229-b5d5-4ec7-b42f-734e4999eabc)
- **Document Generation** — Create documents from Salesforce data, and store them back in SharePoint. Generate contracts, quotes, proposals, and invoices using reusable templates, all the way to e-signature. Every document is automatically saved to the right SharePoint folder and linked to the Salesforce record. No manual uploads. No broken workflows. Just a seamless loop between Salesforce and SharePoint. [Explore CloudFiles Document Generation](https://appexchange.salesforce.com/appxListingDetail?listingId=de62e2e1-191d-4aa2-a73e-237b426b4675)
- **Entire CloudFiles Suite** — Explore the entire document stack, from management to generation to AI. [Explore the CloudFiles suite](/salesforce/)

## Why Salesforce teams choose CloudFiles

- **Real folder automation, not just links** — Automatically creates SharePoint folder structures tied to Salesforce records, a capability Files Connect's own documentation confirms it does not have.
- **Automation without heavy Flow work** — Ships prebuilt Salesforce Flow actions for folders, files, and generated documents. Files Connect supports no custom automations or workflows at all.
- **SharePoint becomes a data source, not just a link** — AI-powered OCR reads contracts and invoices sitting in SharePoint and writes the data back into Salesforce fields. Files Connect only stores a URL pointer.
- **One platform for the whole document lifecycle** — Manage, generate, process, share, and track SharePoint documents in one place, instead of a passive reference layer with no automation, generation, or migration.

*Security & compliance*

## Enterprise-grade security and compliance

CloudFiles is independently audited for SOC 2 Type II, certified to ISO 27001, and compliant with HIPAA and GDPR. Data residency is available in the US, EU, UK, and AU. Your files stay in your own storage - we never re-host them or use them to train our AI models.

Certifications: SOC 2 (Type II), HIPAA (Compliant), ISO 27001 (Certified), GDPR (Compliant)

[Security overview](/security)

## Frequently asked questions

**Q: What is the best Salesforce SharePoint integration tool?**
CloudFiles provides the most advanced Salesforce SharePoint integration on AppExchange: automatic folder creation tied to Salesforce record structure, bulk migration, document generation saved to SharePoint, AI data extraction from SharePoint files back into Salesforce, and engagement tracking. It is SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 certified, with a 4.9-star rating and 1,200+ customers.

**Q: How does CloudFiles connect SharePoint to Salesforce?**
CloudFiles connects Salesforce to SharePoint by automatically creating SharePoint folder structures when Salesforce records are created, linking files and folders to those records, supporting bulk migration of existing files, enabling document generation from Salesforce data saved to SharePoint, and extracting data from SharePoint files back into Salesforce fields, all without switching between tabs or apps.

**Q: How does Salesforce Files Connect connect SharePoint to Salesforce?**
Files Connect uses Salesforce Connect to establish a live connection with SharePoint. Files remain stored in SharePoint, and Salesforce displays them as external references, allowing users to search, preview, and access them.

**Q: Does CloudFiles support bulk migration of Salesforce files to SharePoint?**
Yes. CloudFiles supports bulk migration of your entire existing Salesforce file library to SharePoint in a single operation, freeing Salesforce storage immediately without losing access to any file. Bulk migration is not listed among Files Connect's documented features.

**Q: Can CloudFiles generate documents and save them directly to SharePoint?**
Yes. CloudFiles generates contracts, quotes, proposals, and other documents from Salesforce field data and saves them automatically to the linked SharePoint folder, with the document linked back to the originating Salesforce record. Files Connect has no document generation capability.

**Q: Can Salesforce Files Connect upload and manage SharePoint files from Salesforce?**
Files Connect supports basic file access and preview. Limited upload or edit capability may be possible depending on configuration, but full file management, including move, rename, and delete, is not natively supported within Salesforce.

**Q: How much does CloudFiles cost?**
CloudFiles uses per-user pricing with volume discounts for large teams; org-based pricing is also available for large teams. A 14-day free trial is available. Document Generation and Document AI are priced separately.

Disclaimer:This comparison was prepared by the CloudFiles team, based on publicly available information at the time of writing. Product features, pricing, and capabilities may change. If you notice anything out of date, let us know at [marketing@cloudfiles.io](mailto:marketing@cloudfiles.io) and we'll review it.

## Is CloudFiles the right fit for your team?

Don't spend weeks evaluating document tools on your own. In a 30-minute consultation, the CloudFiles team will review your workflow, flag automation gaps, and map out your Salesforce-to-SharePoint roadmap. No credit card required.

[Book a demo](https://meet.cloudfiles.io/salesforce?utm_content=sf-cloudfiles-vs-files-connect-footer) · [Try CloudFiles for free](https://appexchange.salesforce.com/appxListingDetail?listingId=a0N4V00000Gh9uFUAR)