New-Cloud-storage-integration-for-Office-1Microsoft opened up its Office productivity suite for integration with outside cloud storage providers today, giving users the ability to easily access files stored outside of OneDrive. Thanks to an update rolled out today, Office for iOS now has support for third-party document providers like Box and iCloud Drive.

It’s not just those three: any storage service set up as a document provider will work with Office for iOS. That’s a far cry from the launch of Office for iPad, when the software only supported OneDrive. As for other platforms, Microsoft said that it’s “hard at work” bringing similar integrations to versions of Office on Windows 10 and Android.

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In addition, Microsoft is integrating new third-party storage providers into Office Online through its new Cloud Storage Partner Program. Starting today, Office Online will have support for Box, Citrix and Salesforce, with Microsoft forging new partnerships in the future. That way, users will be able to access their documents from sources other than OneDrive direct from Microsoft’s web apps without having to download a file to their computer.

This new integration is similar to the partnership established late last year between Microsoft and Dropbox. The deal gave Dropbox users the ability to access files through Office Online, Office for iPad, Android tablets and more. Increasing the number of storage integrations available for Office users beyond that one partnership makes the productivity suite a more appealing pick for people who prefer to use a cloud storage system that isn’t OneDrive.

Of course, sticking with OneDrive has its own set of benefits for Office users: Microsoft offers Office 365 subscribers unlimited OneDrive storage.

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