I don’t know about you, but the SMBs I speak to are always on the lookout for efficient and cost-effective solutions that streamline operations and enhance collaboration. With over 200 million active users in the cloud each month, Microsoft’s SharePoint is a key player in this arena. This platform is not just transforming how companies handle data and communication; it’s reshaping the very fabric of workplace collaboration. SharePoint has transformed business operations for many of my clients by streamlining processes and enhancing collaboration in ways you might not have imagined.

SharePoint: Centralizing Business Functions and Culture

Initially released in 2001, SharePoint has significantly changed the way businesses store and interact with data. It has evolved from a simple document repository to a vital hub for business operations. As businesses migrate from physical servers to the cloud, SharePoint has become the go-to platform, offering not just data storage but also enhancing company culture and connectivity by creating an interactive and personalized digital workplace.

Elaborate intranet pages were a feature primarily seen in Fortune 500 companies. Now, SharePoint brings this capability to smaller businesses, allowing them to establish comprehensive intranet solutions similar to those of larger corporations. This is where customization is key. Tailoring the SharePoint homepages to be interactive and relevant to your specific business sectors allows employees to feel more connected to your organization. This is particularly advantageous in remote or hybrid work settings where physical interactions are limited. Interactive elements like news feeds, event calendars, and department-specific information make SharePoint a daily touchpoint that goes beyond mere data storage.

Transforming Operations: SharePoint in Action

I find that SharePoint addresses diverse departmental needs while maintaining an integrated business ecosystem. For finance teams, SharePoint offers robust security features that are essential for handling sensitive financial data. This includes ensuring that documents, such as quarterly budget reports and year-end reviews, are only accessible to authorized personnel like CFOs and accounting staff. The granular permissions in SharePoint allow these critical financial documents to remain confidential and secure.

Marketing departments, on the other hand, find SharePoint invaluable for its collaborative environment. Teams within marketing can use shared libraries for co-editing and viewing materials such as sales sheets, brochures, press releases, and promotional videos. This setup allows all team members to access and update marketing content in real-time, fostering a dynamic and creative workflow. It’s particularly beneficial for quickly disseminating updated marketing materials or for collaborative efforts on projects like product launches.

Adding to this, Human Resources (HR) departments also leverage SharePoint effectively. They can create centralized repositories for important company policies, training materials, and employee documents. HR teams can configure permissions so that employees have easy access to relevant personal and company documents while maintaining the confidentiality of sensitive information. Features like shared calendars and directories further enhance the HR functions by streamlining internal communications and scheduling.

The configuration for sharing outside of your organization is controlled at the site level in SharePoint. This is a critical consideration when setting up SharePoint, especially when differentiating between internal and external data sharing needs.

A Dynamic Duo: Microsoft Teams + SharePoint

Merging Microsoft Teams with SharePoint brings together a dynamic duo in the business world, much like the famous partnerships of Han Solo & Chewbacca, Captain Kirk & Mr. Spock, or Doc & Marty McFly. Just like these legendary pairs, the combination of Teams and SharePoint creates a powerhouse of efficiency and teamwork, transforming the way we communicate and collaborate every day. Teams breathes life into collaboration – it’s a single platform where conversations, meetings, and project management intersect.

Linked with SharePoint, this partnership facilitates a smooth flow of discussion and document management. It’s an integration that significantly elevates business operations, making sharing and collaboration faster, more intuitive, and more effective. Utilizing SharePoint is seamless in Teams – any Teams Channel created automatically generates a corresponding SharePoint file. These can be conveniently accessed under the “Files” tab within the Teams Channel, illustrating the integrated efficiency of using both platforms together.

Adding another layer to this synergy is the potential for AI integration. With AI, such as Copilot, there’s an opportunity to further enhance these platforms, making them even more powerful tools for business innovation and efficiency. To delve deeper into AI’s role in transforming business practices, be sure to check out my colleague Pawel Pikul’s article “Beyond the Basics of Microsoft Copilot: The Future of SMBs Tech.”

Steps for Successful SharePoint Implementation

Don’t have SharePoint? Then it’s important to know that transitioning to SharePoint is more than just a technical upgrade; it’s a strategic opportunity to refine and reorganize your company’s data management. Think of it as a spring cleaning for your digital workspace. This process starts with a thorough evaluation of your existing data. You’ll need to determine what’s essential and what can be archived or removed. This is not just about decluttering; it’s about reorganizing your data to make it more accessible and manageable in your new SharePoint environment.

Designing your SharePoint site is a critical step. This isn’t an out-of-box solution; it needs to be customized to reflect your organization’s unique workflow and structure. For instance, you might want different departments to have their own dedicated areas. While some customizations in SharePoint are straightforward and can be done easily, others may require more robust development work that isn’t included in the standard setup. External sharing settings are a critical aspect at this stage, dictating when, who, and how data can be shared outside the organization. The great thing is that SharePoint offers immense flexibility to accommodate organizational structures and needs regardless of industry or size.

SharePoint is great, but like any software it isn’t perfect. When considering SharePoint, it’s essential to consider both its technical limitations and associated costs. A key limitation is the file syncing cap; SharePoint allows syncing up to 300,000 files with your File Explorer. Exceeding this limit can lead to performance issues such as slower processing time, making it crucial to manage your files strategically. SharePoint also imposes a character limit on file names. In SharePoint Online, this limit is 400 characters, but once synced to File Explorer, it’s reduced to 250 characters. This limitation is especially relevant when migrating files from a server, as lengthy file paths can sometimes exceed these limits.

That being said, on the storage front, SharePoint offers significant capacity – each user gets 1TB of storage in OneDrive, which is typically ample for most businesses. I have seen some of our larger property management and healthcare clients surpass this cap occasionally, so it’s a rare but possible scenario you should plan for.

Timing and Cost

The timeline for a SharePoint migration can vary. While the fastest migration I’ve completed was within two weeks, a more typical timeline is about a month to a month and a half. This allows for thorough planning, data organization, and training. It’s important to note that the speed of migration depends on the readiness, amount of data, and specific needs of the business, as well as my availability to manage the project effectively. I always aim for a balance between efficiency and ensuring a smooth transition to the new system.

Cost-wise, SharePoint is included in most Microsoft licenses, but there could be additional costs in specific cases. For instance, if extra storage is needed beyond the initial 1TB per user, you may incur extra charges. As of July 2024 pricing, adding SharePoint as a standalone service costs around $5, but it’s wise to check for the most up-to-date pricing and plan accordingly. Understanding these details will help ensure a smooth and cost-effective transition to SharePoint.

Next Steps: Navigating Post-SharePoint Migration

Effective training is always paramount to any smooth transition. I personally strongly suggest, schedule, and conduct training sessions for all my clients. The training I provide covers essential aspects like navigating SharePoint, managing files, understanding permissions, and utilizing custom features specific to your organization. These training sessions are recorded for future reference and usually shared (via SharePoint, of course) for employees to easily access when they need. This allows everyone in the organization, including those who might have missed the initial training or new hires, to quickly get up to speed with the system.

Continued support after implementation is another integral step in my approach. Despite thorough training, questions and issues invariably arise as employees start actively using SharePoint in their daily tasks. It is imperative for organizations to ensure they have access to timely support and resources to address these challenges, ensuring a smooth transition. As a point of reference, the initial week after migrating a client to SharePoint, I make sure I’m directly available to handle any queries or support needs quickly. This ensures we can address immediate challenges effectively, thus maintaining user adoption by preventing new user frustration. Following this, Vertolocity’s Support team will take over for general queries and issues, which are usually more routine.

As you embark on this journey, the path ahead is clear: SharePoint is not just a tool for today but essential in shaping a more efficient, connected, and productive future for your business. If you’re ready to harness the power of SharePoint, reach out to us at ModernWorkplace@vertilocity.com to discuss how we can make this digital leap to elevate your business operations.