SharePoint is an application from the Microsoft Office Suite and can be used to create intranet sites and to store, organise and share data. As a cloud-based app SharePoint can be accessed on any device with an internet connection.
The term SharePoint can refer to four distinct products within the Microsoft family which are:
- SharePoint in Microsoft 365 – This offers the product as part of the Microsoft 365 package
- SharePoint Designer 2013 – This free app enables businesses to create workflow solutions
- SharePoint server – This can be used to create site pages and websites, as well as integrating with Power BI and MS Flow
- OneDrive Sync – A desktop app which enables you to sync documents from OneDrive to use them offline
Pros and Cons:
SharePoint was initially designed in order to improve corporate teamwork and make collaboration easy. Many businesses use SharePoint as the basis of their intranet, which is a private network used to store and access documents and files within the business network. Benefits to the business include:
- Integration with Microsoft 365 –SharePoint has seamless integration with other Microsoft SaaS services, like Teams and OneDrive. It is included in many of the basic subscription packages for Microsoft 365.
- Familiar – As many businesses already utilise the Microsoft Office Suite, there will be an element of familiarity with the system.
- Eases Collaboration – SharePoint can become the centralised system for all staff to collaborate, with direct messages, meeting scheduler and productivity functionality.
- Data Security – As with all Microsoft applications the data stored in the cloud will be protected by Microsoft security processes including encryption and multi-factor authentication.
- Easy Customisation – There are a number of inbuilt functions in SharePoint which enable you to add branding to your site, as well as tools like Power Apps for custom forms, and Power Automate for workflow management. You can utilise these applications to suit the needs of your business.
However, no software or application is perfect, and the downside of SharePoint include:
- Complex set-up – Setting up SharePoint and migrating data can be quite complex and requires a knowledgeable team, or an outsourced company like SupportWise to set it up effectively. According to the 2019 State of the Market: Microsoft SharePoint report 32% of users took between six months and a year to get to grips with the application.
- Complicated customisations – As SharePoint can be customised in so many ways, this can make the application complex to manage and maintain. Some users also find the software difficult to use.
- Training is essential – With SharePoint being difficult to set up and use, there needs to be formalised training for staff which can be time consuming and awkward to arrange.
- Expensive – The initial set up of the system and the associated hardware and consultancy costs can be expensive and therefore prohibitive for medium-sized businesses.
Benefits to your business
For medium or larger enterprises who want to have a fully customised intranet system without having to pay for a completely bespoke, from-scratch solution, SharePoint could be a great option. Despite the complexity and difficulty in using it SharePoint has several benefits for your business. These include:
- Hybrid working – With employees working at home and in the office with SharePoint you can guarantee everyone, regardless of location can access, edit, share and create documents.
- Improved data management - By having all data stored in the same place, all employees can access the information they need whenever they need it without wasting time hunting in different locations.
- Simplified workflow – Some tasks are made easier to track and therefore workflow is improved as collecting signatures, routing documents for approval or publication and tracking work tasks for the team becomes quick and easy.
- Improved collaboration – With teams now split between the office and home introducing a system which improves collaboration can only be positive. Sharing, editing and reviewing documents becomes more straightforward as well as ensuring everyone is always working from the most up-to-date documents and can collaborate in real time
- Increased productivity – By eliminating the need to search for up-to-date documents, waiting for documents to be approved and hunting for client information, productivity will immediately be improved.
- Simpler support – By using a centralised system, making configurational changes can be done once and then rolled out to all users, meaning the time spent on these tasks is greatly reduced.
Once the initial set up and configurations are carried out, SharePoint will run smoothly and ensure productivity, collaboration and motivation within the team will be increased which will improve overall business performance.
If you feel your business could benefit from a customised, and yet familiar intranet system but don’t know where to start give the team at SupportWise a call and we can chat through your requirements.