How To Use SharePoint In Your Business

By: Ben Fielding | Estimated Reading Time: 3 minutes

Microsoft SharePoint is a powerful tool that helps businesses work together better, communicate more easily, and get more done. In this article, we’ll explain the main features. How it can help different types of businesses, and look at real-world examples of where SharePoint works well. Once you’ve learned how to use SharePoint, watch how it transforms your business.

Main Features of SharePoint

The main purpose of SharePoint is to help people in a business work together. From managing documents, to carrying out various tasks smoothly. SharePoint gives teams a central place to share information, organise documents, and automate business processes.

Here are some key features of:

  1. Document Management and Collaboration: Let users store, organise, and share documents. It supports working together in real-time, keeping track of different versions of documents, and checking documents in and out.
  2. Sites and Subsites: Users can create sites for specific projects or teams. Each site can have its own subsites with unique permissions and settings.
  3. Lists and Libraries: Create lists for storing and showing data in different ways and libraries for storing documents. Both can be customised to great effect.
  4. Workflow Automation: Automate tasks like approving documents or tracking issues using built-in workflows.
  5. Integration with Microsoft Office: SharePoint works well with Microsoft Office, making it easy to edit and manage documents.
  6. Search Functionality: Powerful search features that help users find documents, lists, sites, and even people within the organisation.
  7. Content Management: It includes tools for managing content, like metadata and content types, to organise and publish information efficiently.
  8. Security and Permissions: Control who can see, edit, or access content with detailed permissions settings.
  9. Customisation and Extensibility: SharePoint can be customised with web parts, and it supports development for more complex needs. It can also integrate with other services and apps.
  10. Mobile Access and Social Features: Also accessible on mobile devices, it includes social features too. Blogs, wikis, and community sites to help people communicate and collaborate.

Can SharePoint Work for Your Business?

SharePoint’s flexibility makes it an ideal solution for businesses of all sizes. For instance, small businesses can enhance team collaboration, while large enterprises can implement robust document management systems. This adaptability ensures that SharePoint can be tailored to meet the specific needs of any organisation.

  • Small Businesses: SharePoint can be a great tool. However, you may need to balance its advanced features with the simplicity that small businesses often require.
  • Medium-Sized Businesses: SharePoint is ideal because it offers scalability and customisation without being too complex.
  • Large Enterprises: Well-suited for handling large-scale collaboration and document management, though it requires significant resources and planning.

Other factors to consider include:

  • Compliance and Security: SharePoint offers strong security features, making it a good choice for businesses in sectors like finance, healthcare, and government.
  • Remote Access and Mobile Workforce: SharePoint Online provides cloud-based access from anywhere, which is essential for teams that work in different locations.
  • Integration with Other Systems: Work with other systems and software, which is important if your business uses a variety of tools.
  • Budget Considerations: While SharePoint can be cost-effective, it’s important to consider all costs, including licences, customisation, and maintenance.
  • User Adoption and Training: Success depends on how well your team adopts it and your team may be familiar with Microsoft products. This makes it might be easier for them to use SharePoint, but proper training is still important.

Real-World Examples of How SharePoint Helps Businesses

SharePoint’s features make it a versatile tool for different business processes. Here are some examples of how it can be used in real-world situations:

  • Intranet and Employee Portals: SharePoint can be used to create company intranet sites. Employees can access news, policies, and resources.
  • Regulatory Compliance: Industries like finance and healthcare can use it to meet compliance requirements by securing data and keeping audit trails.
  • Vendor and Partner Collaboration: Businesses can securely share documents and information with external partners using SharePoint.
  • HR Onboarding and Employee Records: HR departments can manage the onboarding process and store employee records in SharePoint.
  • Quality Assurance and Compliance: Manufacturing companies can use it to manage quality assurance documents and track compliance with industry standards.
  • Customer Support and Ticketing: Customer support teams can manage inquiries and support tickets. You can also host knowledge bases in SharePoint to assist customers.

Nxt Steps

If your current IT setup isn’t making the most of tools, or if you’re not sure how to get started, Nxt Gen IT is here to help. We specialise in customising SharePoint to meet your specific business needs. Whether you’re looking to improve collaboration, secure your data, or streamline operations.

Ready to see how SharePoint can transform your business? Contact Nxt Gen IT today for a free consultation and let’s get started on creating a smarter, more connected workplace!