Microsoft SharePoint is one of the fundamental pillars of the Microsoft 365 platform and the cornerstone of the development of corporate intranets since its first launch way back in 2001. In this article, we'll talk about what SharePoint is and take a deeper look at its features, the most common ways of using it, the benefits it can offer businesses, and Microsoft Copilot's recent integration with AI.
Microsoft SharePoint is a web-based collaboration system whose functions are focused on an intranet-based intercompany collaboration experience that allows users to securely share and manage content and offers workflow collaboration capabilities, list databases and other web components to allow business teams to work together.
The platform's many features make it much easier for people to work together on ad hoc projects and establish standard business processes for sharing information, publishing documents and recording data.
For a web-based collaboration platform, SharePoint is easy to maintain and, at a fundamental level, it's easy for business users to understand. It is also infinitely customizable and extremely scalable, and there are many different ways in which companies can use SharePoint to significantly increase their productivity and achieve a great return on investment.
SharePoint allows increased productivity and visibility for workers in all sectors, businesses and companies of all sizes and has been fundamental for the last 23 years in increasing work efficiency in Fortune 500 companies as an intranet platform that crosses all business sectors.
Adopted by more than 200,000 companies globally, Microsoft SharePoint stands out as a leading content management platform that encourages and facilitates teamwork around the world.
Now that we have a general idea of what SharePoint is, let's try to understand what it's for more specifically by taking a closer look at how it can be used within your company's digital infrastructures.
There are so many possible SharePoint applications and listing them all would be practically impossible. We will therefore limit ourselves to giving a general overview of the most common uses of SharePoint within a corporate work environment.
This is probably the first thing that comes to mind when you think of SharePoint. Since its inception in 2001, SharePoint has dominated the market with its document management capabilities.
But it's not just an archive for files and folders. SharePoint has all the functionality you would expect from a modern, comprehensive document management system: version history, check-in/check-out, co-authorization, and secure external sharing.
One thing that makes SharePoint unique and extremely attractive compared to other cloud-based document management systems like Dropbox and Google Drive is that you can create custom metadata to sort, group, and filter documents and improve the search experience.
Furthermore, even if over the years some “tasks” and functionalities have passed from SharePoint to other more specialized applications (such as, for example, the automation of workflows, now managed with Power Automate), the platform still remains an excellent content management system thanks to its primary functionalities that are still extremely solid in this area.
This is probably the most prominent use case for SharePoint after document management. After all, SharePoint is a web platform.
SharePoint offers a full range of applications in the field of web design; therefore, many organizations use SharePoint to create attractive and user-friendly intranet portals to store information that is more static or permanent than what you would share on Teams or VivaEngage.
Using communication sites and teams, companies can provide centralized platforms for collaboration and internal communication, integrating a wide range of web parts and components to create dynamic and interactive web pages. Examples of some insertable items that we can briefly mention include news and announcement boards, calendar/events, links, content pages, videos, and interactive dashboards.
In this regard, a small gem: SharePoint itself is not a dedicated Wiki tool, but it can be configured and customized to become one. The platform offers great page editing capabilities, allowing for tagging page metadata and the ability to create page templates and fill them with text, images, and videos.
The creation of a company Wiki within your intranet can be a boon to facilitate the learning and Onboarding processes of new hires.
SharePoint's advanced content management allows administrators to thoroughly organize and structure the content of the site by applying workflows and permissions to ensure the consistency, correct structuring, and security of the information within it.
In addition, thanks to the integration with other Microsoft 365 apps, such as Teams, Outlook and OneDrive, it is possible to easily incorporate functionality and data from these apps into SharePoint sites, improving productivity and collaboration between different platforms.
Finally, SharePoint offers numerous customization and branding options to adapt the look and functionality of websites to the company's specific needs, creating a consistent and professional visual experience for its users.
Sometimes you need to store lists of information that you would typically store in Excel, such as project lists, contact lists, issue lists, trackers, and so on. Since the first versions of SharePoint way back in 2001, it was possible for users to easily create customized lists for every business need.
And even though Microsoft released a separate application called 'Lists' a few years ago for creating and managing custom lists, behind the scenes all the lists still reside within the SharePoint environment. Therefore, security and access to the lists remain governed by the security measures implemented on the site on which a given list resides.
The primary use of SharePoint often occurs in the background when using the Microsoft Teams application. When the Teams app became available in 2017, it allowed persistent chat and video conferencing. However, behind the scenes, Teams is powered by SharePoint.
Every time you create a Team in Microsoft Teams, a new SharePoint site is created to store the documents that are stored in the Teams channels. Every time you create a private channel or a shared channel, a new SharePoint site is also created.
And those SharePoint sites that are created work hard to support the activities carried out in Teams. All the files and folders of the “Teams” are stored inside them; the SharePoint sites are where all the recordings of Teams are stored, which contain the OneNote notepads that are used in Teams for meeting minutes, as well as any lists, records and histories of conversations carried out on the app's corporate communication channels.
The apps in Microsoft SharePoint are integrations that add functionality to the standard collaboration spaces on the platform. Some apps are predefined and come with the platform, but there are many others that add functionality and options not found in the normal SharePoint platform.
SharePoint is tightly integrated with Power Platform and in combination with the solutions offered by the suite allows users to create customized applications, automated workflows and reporting dashboards using Power Apps, Power Automate and Power BI, respectively.
These can be anything from a library where users can store and share documents and files, to calendar plug-ins, to powerful apps for managing and regulating workflows, which allow for many repeatable logical actions in SharePoint with ease.
We created intranet.ai, which now has over 200 installations worldwide. It is the ready-to-use and customizable solution for digitizing the processes and communication of any company. We'll help you:
Contact us if you have a SharePoint Online project in mind.
The SharePoint functions, as we have seen in the previous paragraphs, are focused on an intranet-based cross-collaboration experience that allows, among many other things, secure sharing, content management and workflow collaboration functionality. Let's now see in more detail how they operate.
SharePoint is primarily configured through a web browser. The user interface provides most of the product configuration functionality.
Depending on the permission level, the interface can be used to:
SharePoint provides a web space where users have the ability to upload a document to immediately share it with other people who need to see it. Employees can also have their own personal OneDrive storage, where no one can see a document or file they upload until they 'share' it or allow other users to access that document.
This makes it possible to enable a segment of your colleagues to view a published document with a single-step process, but not only: approval and workflow management features can comprehensively control how documents are shared and how employees work on information in their organizations.
Links to shared documents or collaboration spaces can also be easily sent via email, making it easy for users to be directed quickly and precisely to what they want to view. Organizations frequently use SharePoint to publish business-level information such as HR documents, announcements, and memos.
Features such as security controls, co-authorization, versioning, and integration with Exchange (Outlook email applications) provide business users with the ability to do more in less time and maintain the integrity of the work they produce, without running the risk of data leaks or running into conflicting documentation. SharePoint includes the ability to:
All of these features improve the productivity of business users, but what SharePoint really does better than previous collaboration systems is to display information about what information/documents are stored and why.
In SharePoint, it is extremely easy to request “metadata”, or data information (such as modification time, created by, etc., but also personalized tags on documents or elements) so that users can better understand why a document should exist and why it is important without necessarily having to open it.
SharePoint offers many ways to add metadata to files to sort, organize, and track content owned by businesses. Additionally, as a platform, SharePoint can force tags on content while business users upload it to collaboration spaces. They can also have end users provide metadata about documents as part of this process.
Once the content and metadata are in the platform, SharePoint, with its tight integration with Power Automate, offers organizations workflow management tools to automate:
SharePoint also allows users to create customized databases in an easy-to-use format and record thousands of information that can be integrated into the workflows mentioned above or into other business processes.
In addition, synchronization clients for OneDrive are also available within the platform, which guarantee users the ability to access the documents they need from anywhere and on any device. This paves the way for solutions for companies to synchronize their files from Office 365 and SharePoint locally on a laptop, allowing maximum synergy between office workers and their colleagues who work on mobile devices.
Microsoft SharePoint has recently expanded its offerings with a series of noteworthy new features and functionalities that we will now take a closer look at:
In the constantly changing landscape of virtual workspaces, the introduction of AI-powered tools such as Copilot within business cornerstones such as SharePoint represents a significant step forward for all companies that want to stay ahead in the race to improve their digital infrastructures.
The introduction of Copilot in SharePoint aims to significantly reduce the time and effort traditionally required to configure and manage SharePoint sites. By automating the initial configuration and offering suggestions for improvement, Copilot allows users to focus more on content quality and less on the complications of content management systems.
At its core, Copilot in SharePoint uses Large Language Models (LLM) to interpret natural language input. This means that users can describe what they imagine for their SharePoint site or page using a common language, and Copilot will start bringing their descriptions to life, without the need to write a single line of code. This process not only simplifies the initial creation phase, but also allows for iterative collaboration between the user and the AI to refine and refine the content of their web platforms.
One of the most interesting aspects of Copilot in SharePoint is its deep integration with Microsoft Graph. This connection allows Copilot to access and incorporate a wide range of data from across the organization. In addition, this tool is designed to automatically comply with the organization's branding guidelines, ensuring formal and aesthetic consistency throughout the content created.
In addition to simplifying the creation process, Copilot also assists in enriching the visual aspect of SharePoint pages. By converting existing documents or presentations into custom-designed web pages, Copilot ensures that the content not only transmits the intended message, but effectively engages the public through a professional and attractive design.
Copilot in SharePoint obviously always operates within Microsoft's strict security and privacy framework. This ensures that, while exploiting AI to improve content creation, the integrity and confidentiality of the organization's data are never compromised by any unwanted third party.
Delving into the world of SharePoint, we will be able to find various licensing options designed to meet different organizational needs and budgets. Understanding these options is crucial to making an informed decision that aligns with your business objectives.
Let's start by giving a general overview of the licenses that can be purchased for SharePoint Online, at the center of which are two main plans:
Plan 1 offers a convenient entry point for companies that want to focus on document management and internal team collaboration. Plan 2, on the other hand, at about twice the price of Plan 1 per user per month, is aimed at larger organizations that need advanced search, eDiscovery and unlimited storage.
For companies that are looking for a more complete solution or want to install SharePoint on their local servers, the platform is also available as part of the Office 365 E plans, which combine various Microsoft services under a single solution:
SharePoint Online's stand-alone plans are ideal for businesses that are primarily looking for document management and collaboration tools. In contrast, Office 365 plans offer a more comprehensive set of productivity tools, including email hosting, Office desktop applications, and more advanced security and compliance features.
In addition, the E3 and E5 plans are the only ones to offer the latest on-premise version of SharePoint. If you want to implement it in your organization, you need an IT team, a Microsoft partner, or an authorized SharePoint distributor to install it on your current server. Even if locally, the SharePoint server can still be accessed via mobile devices through the app that can be installed on smartphones and tablets.
In addition to the basic subscription fees, it's important to consider any additional costs. Customizations, third-party add-ons, and extensive data migrations can increase total cost of ownership. In addition, although SharePoint Online includes robust security features, specific compliance or advanced security needs may require additional investments in third-party tools or services.
SharePoint is, as we have seen, much more than a cloud-based collaboration and content management platform; it is a tool that can revolutionize the way in which your organization and its elements (individual employees, teams and departments) can communicate, collaborate and operate on common projects.
From the simple and secure management of all business content (from requests for information to marketing materials to financial data), the creation of corporate websites and intranets to keep users updated, the orchestration of business processes to automate routine tasks (such as workflows) and the development of customized apps to increase team productivity, SharePoint offers a complete solution across the board for every type of business need.
Microsoft SharePoint is a web-based collaboration platform that integrates with Microsoft Office. It is used for document management, storage, and collaboration within organizations.
Microsoft SharePoint enhances team collaboration by providing a centralized platform where team members can share documents, communicate, and work together on projects in real-time, regardless of their physical location.
Microsoft SharePoint offers various features such as document management, content management, intranet portals, workflow automation, and integration with Microsoft Office applications.
Microsoft SharePoint supports document management by allowing users to store, organize, and share documents in a secure environment. It also offers version control, permissions settings, and real-time collaboration.
Yes, Microsoft SharePoint is highly customizable. Organizations can tailor the platform to meet their specific needs by creating custom workflows, dashboards, and integrating third-party applications.
Microsoft SharePoint seamlessly integrates with Microsoft Office, enabling users to open, edit, and save documents directly from SharePoint using Office applications like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Yes, Microsoft SharePoint is available as a cloud service through Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365), which provides additional features like easier access, regular updates, and enhanced security.
Microsoft SharePoint offers robust security features, including user permissions, data encryption, and multi-factor authentication. Administrators can control access to sites, libraries, and documents, ensuring that sensitive information is protected.
Microsoft SharePoint streamlines business processes by automating workflows, reducing manual tasks, and improving overall efficiency. It allows for better organization and management of information, leading to increased productivity.
Yes, Microsoft SharePoint is commonly used to create intranet portals. These portals provide a centralized location for employees to access company news, resources, and tools, improving internal communication.
Microsoft SharePoint supports remote work by providing a cloud-based platform where employees can access documents, collaborate with team members, and stay connected with the organization from any location.
Microsoft SharePoint Online is a cloud-based service available through Microsoft 365, offering regular updates and easy access. SharePoint Server, on the other hand, is an on-premises version that requires physical servers and maintenance but offers more control over customization and data.
Microsoft SharePoint can be used for project management by creating project sites where teams can manage tasks, share documents, track progress, and collaborate in real-time, ensuring that projects are completed efficiently.
Yes, Microsoft SharePoint offers mobile access through the SharePoint mobile app, allowing users to access their documents, collaborate with team members, and stay productive on the go.
The Modern Work team effectively and swiftly addresses IT needs, primarily focusing on software development. The technical staff is well-trained in implementing software projects using Microsoft technology stacks and is skilled in managing both agile and long-term projects.
