Effective file management, team alignment, and efficient workflows are vital for businesses, especially as they grow or embrace remote work.
When employees miss important updates, documents disappear into digital black holes, and workflows collapse, both productivity and profits take a serious hit. These problems only get worse as organisations scale, creating chaos that can cripple even the most well-intentioned teams.
SharePoint offers a proven solution to these challenges. This powerful Microsoft 365 application brings meaningful structure to your work environment by helping teams collaborate better and manage content smarter.
Our article examines why over 200 million people rely on SharePoint and why it’s become an indispensable tool for modern businesses across industries.
Microsoft SharePoint overview
SharePoint is an industry-leading Microsoft platform that helps organisations manage documents, collaborate on tasks/projects, and build internal websites, also known as intranet sites.
The platform integrates with Microsoft 365 tools like Teams, Outlook, and OneDrive, allowing teams to share files and work together from different locations. This integration boosts productivity by keeping everyone aligned.
Microsoft offers two versions of SharePoint:
- Microsoft SharePoint Online: Exclusively cloud-based, maintained by Microsoft (part of Microsoft 365).
- SharePoint Server: Hosted and managed on-premises by your company.
Microsoft SharePoint Features
The following core features demonstrate how organisations use SharePoint to solve real business problems.
- Team collaboration: This is where the product excels. SharePoint team sites make it incredibly easy for groups to edit, manage, and share documents. Multiple users across different locations can access, edit, and collaborate on tasks simultaneously.
- Workflows and automation: SharePoint can streamline and automate business processes like document approvals and work reviews with Power Automate or SharePoint Designer. Note: SharePoint Server has more limited automation options compared to the online version.
- Document libraries: Libraries provide a structured way to organise, store, and manage documents. They include features like metadata tagging (customisable information about files) and advanced views that make the document management system even more efficient.
- Intranet capabilities: SharePoint offers a versatile platform for building company intranets, including creating team sites or department portals, for centralising information and communication.
- Integration with Microsoft 365: Deep integration with Microsoft Teams means every Teams channel automatically gets an associated SharePoint site for file storage. The platform also connects with Outlook, OneNote, and other Microsoft 365 applications to create a unified work environment. The SharePoint Server version can’t connect to the 365 apps unless in a hybrid cloud setup.
- Data retention and archiving: Files are typically owned by the site rather than an individual user. This makes it an excellent resource for records maintenance, compliance, and data continuity.
- Granular permissions: Administrators can set permissions at various levels, including site permissions, individual document libraries, specific folders, and even single files. Because only authorized users can access certain files, sensitive data is better protected.
Microsoft SharePoint with Zenzero
As a Microsoft Solutions Partner, Zenzero works extensively with the Microsoft 365 suite, including SharePoint.
The platform offers significant advantages but can become complex. A typical setup might include:
- Multiple SharePoint sites with different uses (e.g., team site, internal communication site, document library).
- Hub sites for connecting and organising related sites.
- Complex tasks and project management workspaces.
- Automated processes and workflows.
- Customised intranet sites.
We understand that mastering this environment can feel overwhelming. We also recognise that many companies aren’t using SharePoint to its full potential.
The good news is that our certified experts are here to help! Contact our Microsoft 365 support team for assistance with secure data migration and proper setup of your SharePoint solution to maximise its benefits.
FAQs
What types of organisations typically use SharePoint?
SharePoint is used by organisations of all sizes across multiple industries. The services’ 200 million users include large listed corporations, small to medium-sized operations, and even specific departments within companies.
Can SharePoint be used as an intranet?
The SharePoint platform can certainly be used for building and managing attractive, functional internal websites.
What are the alternatives to SharePoint?
Popular alternatives to SharePoint include:
- Google Workspace
- ClickUp
- Confluence
- Glasscubes
- Dropbox Business (for file storing and sharing)
In summary
SharePoint is a versatile tool that helps teams manage their daily work better. It’s a comprehensive, proven solution for modern collaboration, document management, and smarter workflows.
Whether you’re considering implementing SharePoint or already using the platform, we’d be delighted to help with any advice you need. Get in touch at any time.