Client briefing
Capacity is generous. Unfiltered views are not. Trustholm walks this with IM and ICT before bulk load.
Soundbite: SharePoint Online can store up to 30 million items in a library. A view or query that tries to process more than 5,000 items at once hits the list view threshold — and in Online you cannot raise that threshold.
| Topic | Value | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Items / files per list or library | 30 million | TRIM-scale corpora usually fit |
| List view threshold | 5,000 | Design views with indexed filters |
| List settings warning | ~3,000 | Finish indexing before you grow |
| Decoded path + file name | 400 characters | Deep classification trees break migrations |
| Unique permissions (recommended) | ~5,000 | Per-record TRIM ACLs do not scale |
| Break inheritance on container | Blocked above 100,000 items | Plan security model early |
| Max storage per site | 25 TB | Split by function if approaching |
| Max file size | 250 GB | Rarely the TRIM constraint |
Every default view ships with a selective filter (year, status, record type, business unit). “Show all” is not the operating model. Search becomes a primary discovery tool for large sets. Folders are used sparingly and never as a 12-level clone of TRIM classification.
Proposal annexures include the detailed limits brief, discovery questionnaire, IA patterns, and engagement model. Ask Trustholm for the commercial pack PDF set.
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Figures align with Microsoft SharePoint Online service limits guidance. Confirm against current Microsoft Learn before locking architecture.