Short answer: Synology Office adds collaborative documents, spreadsheets and slides inside Synology Drive on a compatible NAS. It can suit businesses that want shared editing while governing data on their own infrastructure, but it is not a feature-identical replacement for Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace. Pilot real documents, validate permissions and conversion fidelity, then prove that both Synology Office and Synology Drive Server can be recovered before rollout.
This guide covers editing and collaboration. For Team Folders, endpoint sync and file versions, see the Synology Drive guide. For a platform decision, compare NAS, file server and SharePoint and review business Synology solutions.
Office and Drive have different jobs
Drive governs files, Team Folders, permissions and access or synchronization. Installing Office lets users create and co-edit Document, Spreadsheet and Slides files inside Drive. Shared Office documents still need a data owner, an agreed location and role-based groups; an app installation does not fix scattered folders or shared administrator accounts.
A project team may co-author meeting notes, task registers and presentations. The pilot should cover viewing, editing, comment-only access, offboarding, version history and external sharing, not only two cursors moving at once. Confirm features against the actual NAS model, DSM and Office package release.
Moving Word, Excel and PowerPoint files safely
Synology documents conversion support for `.docx`, several spreadsheet formats including `.xlsx` and `.csv`, and `.pptx`. Only formatting/features supported by Synology Office are carried over. Existing encrypted files cannot be imported under the documented workflow. Do not bulk-convert a Microsoft Office library assuming macros, complex formulas, charts, fonts and layout will survive unchanged.
Build a representative sample: long contracts, formula-heavy workbooks, macro-dependent files, branded slides and multilingual fonts. Preserve originals, convert copies, ask business owners to compare text, layout and calculations, then export back and record acceptable gaps. Keep the original editor or use a hybrid workflow for unsupported files rather than forcing a format change.
Govern access and external sharing
Start with DSM shared-folder and Drive Team Folder group permissions. Test View, Comment only, Edit and Manage with representative accounts. External links need a separate policy for recipients, expiry, downloads and revocation. Editor-level access does not replace underlying folder rights.
If Office encryption is used, test opening and downloading files with the organization’s password-custody process. Do not store the only recovery password in the protected document. Patch the packages, assign log and alert owners, and provide secure remote access; do not expose the NAS management portal to the public Internet simply to share files.
Versions and backup scope
Version history may reverse some mistakes within the configured retention, but it is not an independent copy. Synology Office has version management and, on supported releases, version rotation. Define retention from business needs and monitor storage and backup failures instead of waiting for a user to notice missing data.
Synology states that Office files live in the Synology Office database. A Hyper Backup task should select both Synology Office and Synology Drive Server to protect their related package data; choosing Drive Server alone does not back up or restore Office files. After the first backup, restore a document and spreadsheet, check sharing rights and a previous edit in a suitable test environment. See Hyper Backup setup and restore testing.
Two-week pilot and acceptance
Choose a 5-10 person team and representative but appropriately classified documents. In week one configure NAS, Drive, Office, role groups and test files; in week two exercise co-editing, comments, versions, export and remote access. Log defects by file type and browser, and measure opening larger documents over the real network. Back up the pilot data before starting.
Accept against named criteria: correct access for members and nonmembers, accurate sample content and calculations, conflict handling, recovery from deletion or bad edits, an independent backup with evidence and documented administrator handover. Where macros or Microsoft 365 integrations are essential, compare the operating cost of a hybrid approach rather than forcing replacement. Pricing requires the NAS model, users, migration data, backup and support scope.
Frequently asked questions
Can Synology Office fully replace Microsoft 365?
Not by assumption. Test formatting, formulas and macros, collaboration workflows and dependent applications. A hybrid approach may fit better.
Can teams edit spreadsheets together in real time?
Yes on supported NAS and package releases, subject to practical permission, file-complexity and network tests.
Is a Drive Server backup enough for Office files?
No. Synology documents that Office files are stored in the Office database, so the Office package must be protected too.
Are Office documents ordinary offline Word files on a PC?
They are managed in Synology Drive and Office. Validate the export workflow before promising offline editing in another application.
Technical sources
Synology: edit and collaborate in Office; Synology: Drive Server and Office backup; Synology: Team Folder permissions. Confirm capabilities for the actual model and package release.
