Many fantastic time-saving resources are available to businesses with a Microsoft 365 subscription. SharePoint stands out as the most clever and flexible option. SharePoint is used by tens of millions of individuals in over 200,000 businesses of varying sizes. It is fantastic because it streamlines workflow by doing away with the requirement for dedicated platforms for different projects and activities.
SharePoint is a platform for managing information in the cloud. Users may upload their data to the cloud and access it from anywhere, making it ideal for teamwork. Users may set up their own sites and subsites to organize their work more effectively. With SharePoint, users may set up a private network where they and their coworkers (or even customers) can share and edit files safely. Each user will be able to easily access, modify, and save files thanks to centralized administration. To every person (or company) considering starting with SharePoint, here is a detailed explanation of what it is and how it can help you.
What is SharePoint?
One of the most important features of Microsoft 365 is SharePoint. It was initially introduced in 2003 to replace on-premises document management solutions with Microsoft’s cloud. This made it possible for consumers to view their data from any device, at any time, and from any location. A connection to the Internet is the only prerequisite. However, Microsoft has been improving its main product with new releases, and SharePoint is now more than just a file-sharing system; it’s also a content management system. In other words, SharePoint is now one of the top options for creating secure intranets. If you are thinking of changing your way of management, with the assistance of experts, SharePoint migrations are straightforward. You won’t lose any data, and there will be as little downtime as possible.
In reality, SharePoint stands on its own without being compared to other content management systems (CMSs) since the portals it enables are designed for an audience that is huge but not completely uncontrollable. The objective is to assist businesses in developing websites and extranets that will allow them to consolidate their diverse audiences into a single, manageable system. Therefore, SharePoint is a malleable instrument that may facilitate the digitization of business operations and communication.
What Is the Difference Between SharePoint and OneDrive?
SharePoint and OneDrive are both useful for storing and sharing a company’s files, and they have some similar core features and architecture that may make telling them apart a challenge. OneDrive is only one of SharePoint’s many document libraries. If you have an Outlook account, you can use OneDrive for free. Everyone from solo workers to whole departments uses OneDrive for their file-sharing needs. SharePoint was designed to facilitate teamwork. Files uploaded to a SharePoint site are stored in OneDrive; however, OneDrive may be used independently of SharePoint. Both OneDrive and SharePoint support Office Online, enabling users to save and share files up to 15 GB in size and provide simultaneous file editing, version tracking, mobile device access, and local file synchronization. OneDrive lacks the capability for metadata, which is a significant difference between SharePoint and OneDrive.
How Can SharePoint Help You?
Document Management
SharePoint is an excellent choice for firms that depend heavily on documents for management. Powerful tools such as folders, tags, bookmarks, and metadata can make it simple to generate and organize material. You may create and modify documents with a user-friendly interface and safeguard your information with digital signatures and encryption. Documents, including contracts, bids, reports, and more, can be easily managed and tracked with the help of SharePoint. Document approvals and distribution lists based on who has viewed which documents are just some examples of the kinds of time-consuming processes that may be automated with the use of custom rules and workflow.
Integration with Other Apps
SharePoint streamlines the process of integrating your digital library with your current applications. This paves the way for users to keep a unified database of information while working inside their favorite applications. To further facilitate the integration of many applications, you may leverage APIs to develop bespoke integrations with other apps. This also eliminates the need to worry about data inconsistencies while using several devices. Connecting your SharePoint site means you can start utilizing your digital library right away, whether your employer utilizes Microsoft 365 or another suite of software.
Better Search
Without discussing how SharePoint may enhance the search experience, any talk about the platform would not be complete. The newest release of the product has several out-of-the-box enhancements to the search process, but with some tweaks, it may be made much better. Custom query rules and the content search web component allow for an easy content roll-up, but a very basic example of what can be done with search is to alter the refiners that users see when they type a query into the box. Filtering by file type, author, and last edited date is standard.
Centralized Administration
SharePoint offers a centralized administration solution for your organization’s many web services, which can be accessed by anyone throughout the company. Because of this, you will be able to handle all of your various systems via a single interface, which will make the whole process more efficient. SharePoint also offers a centralized interface for controlling your organization’s security settings, such as which users and kinds of material may be seen or edited by whom.
Multifunctionality
SharePoint was developed to accommodate a wide range of tasks. It is possible to utilize it to keep tabs on projects, create bespoke dashboards, manage the content and calendars of your organization, and do much more besides. Additionally, it may assist you in maintaining order and keeping track of projects, managing both your content and information and developing individualized dashboards for your team.
You may begin to position your organization to make the most of SharePoint by familiarizing yourself with its capabilities and customizing those functions, making enhancements to SharePoint’s information management and content organization, and developing a personalized and enhanced search experience for users.
