Set up cloud storage & scan your documents

Personal setupEmail & Workspace · about 15 min · Charity applicants and site owners

Setting this up for your organization?Set up shared cloud storage for your charity

Your charity will accumulate documents you reuse constantly — state formation/incorporation papers, the IRS determination letter, board documents. Keep them in one secure, backed-up place from day one.

You’ll use either Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive — whichever matches your email ecosystem.

One secure, backed-up home for every document

Every important charity document lives in one cloud folder, secured with MFA and backed up automatically — never only on a single laptop or in an email thread. Scan paper the day it arrives so nothing is ever lost, and share a link rather than passing files around.

  1. 1

    Pick Drive or OneDrive

    If your email is Gmail/Google, use Google Drive (drive.google.com). If it’s Microsoft/Outlook, use OneDrive (onedrive.com). Either is fine — pick the one that matches the account you already sign in to.

  2. 2

    Turn on multi-factor authentication (MFA)

    Make sure the Google or Microsoft account behind your storage has multi-factor authentication on (see the Multi-Factor Authentication guide) — these files matter.

    Open one of your authenticator apps — FFC has you install both Google Authenticator and Microsoft Authenticator (see the Multi-Factor Authentication guide). Use the one that matches the account where you can; for sites that aren’t Google or Microsoft, either app works.

    When the site shows a QR code, open your authenticator app, tap + / Add, and scan the QR code. The app starts showing a 6-digit code that changes every 30 seconds. Type the current code back into the website to confirm.

    Always save the backup / recovery codes the site gives you right after setup — store them in your password manager. They are how you get back in if you lose your phone.

  3. 3

    Make a “Charity core files” folder

    Create a top-level folder named for your charity, with sub-folders like Formation & IRS, Board, Finances, and Brand/Logos. A little structure now saves hours later.

  4. 4

    Scan a document with your phone

    Open the Google Drive app (+ → Scan) or the OneDrive app (camera/scan icon), photograph the document, and save it as a PDF straight into the right folder.

    Do this the moment a document arrives — for example, scan the IRS determination letter the day it comes in, so it’s never lost.

    Name files clearly, e.g. “IRS-determination-letter-2026.pdf”, so anyone can find them.

  5. 5

    Share with FFC when asked

    When FFC needs a document for validation, share the specific file or folder link rather than emailing attachments around.

Common questions

Google Drive or OneDrive — does it matter which?

Pick the one that matches the account you already sign in to: Google Drive if your email is Gmail/Google, OneDrive if it’s Microsoft/Outlook. Both store files securely and scan from your phone; using the one tied to your existing account means one less password and one less app.

Where should the IRS determination letter go?

In your “Formation & IRS” sub-folder, scanned to PDF the day it arrives. It’s one of the documents you’ll reuse most, so name it clearly (e.g. IRS-determination-letter-2026.pdf) and never keep the only copy on paper.

Next setup guides

Microsoft 365 emailEmail & WorkspaceGoogle WorkspaceEmail & WorkspacePassword managerTools

Stuck on any step? Text Clarke Moyer at (520) 222-8104 — every step is meant to be simple, so if something doesn't match what you see, ask.