Collaboration through Microsoft SharePoint
Collaboration has never been more important for business success. A recent article in Forbes Magazine made the stunning claim that 50% of the workforce will be working remotely very soon. The article states that businesses that are not mobile-friendly could soon find themselves left behind.
Even if Forbes’ projections do not ultimately come true, it’s beneficial for your organization to beef up your collaboration tools. Whether workers are sitting in adjacent cubicles or working remotely from their homes, the ability to work together is crucial for the success of any project. But the question remains – how? Enter…Microsoft SharePoint.
SharePoint: One of the Most Powerful Collaboration Tools
What is Microsoft SharePoint?
SharePoint is one of the most powerful collaboration tools on the market today and although it might be new to you, this robust software has been an integral part of project management and team building for many years now.
Designed specifically for collaboration, SharePoint has a number of key features that make it uniquely well suited to today’s mobile workforce.
As a cloud based software, SharePoint allows workers and project managers to offer contributions from virtually anywhere. With only an active internet connection, SharePoint allows collaborators to access files, update timelines, and offer advice on ongoing projects.
Can multiple users edit documents in SharePoint?
Built with privacy and security in mind, project managers can set up teams and invite others (even those outside your network) to contribute ideas and files. This restricted access helps keep your data safe.
Security and privacy through SharePoint
Security restrictions can be assigned on a group or team level, giving project managers and business owners an extra level of control. SharePoint is much more than just another file sharing utility – it’s an end-to-end solution – the future of mobile and office based collaboration.
With SharePoint, users can access documents remotely and stay just as productive in the local coffee shop as they are in the office. Contributors can even work on projects from the beach – as long as there is reliable internet coverage on their devices.
SharePoint combines a powerful collaboration tool with state-of-the-art file sharing. Unlike Dropbox, multiple users can collaborate on the same projects and files, providing real-time updates, relevant comments, and status reports.
How do I access Microsoft SharePoint?
Best of all, SharePoint is already included with most Office 365 business subscriptions. If your business currently uses Office 365, chances are good that you already have access to all the advantages of Microsoft SharePoint.
Of course, bear in mind there are a wide variety of different Office 365 plans so you’ll want to check your own plan to confirm SharePoint is included. If not, you can always upgrade to a plan that includes SharePoint as part of the offering.
How do I collaborate in SharePoint?
While there is a wide variety of business collaboration tools on the market today, SharePoint is one of the easiest to use, especially for multiple users.
- Easily contribute ideas and feedback: With SharePoint, multiple users can contribute ideas through a handy sidebar displayed to the right of the document.
- Create private groups for specific projects: Project managers can create groups, allowing individual contributors to work seamlessly as a team.
- Supervise remote teams: Managers can even supervise the work of their teams remotely through real-time updates to keep tabs on multiple projects at once.
What else can I do in SharePoint?
When you choose SharePoint as your collaboration tool, you gain other benefits and tools as well:
- Build a Company Intranet
In addition to file sharing and collaboration, SharePoint can be used to create a powerful, user-friendly intranet. This intranet can be used to update staff on management changes, provide easy access to employment forms and handbooks and even post information about employee accomplishments.
- Build a Custom Wiki
Many businesses have also used SharePoint to build a custom Wiki for their organization. If you have ever used Wikipedia, you understand the power of collaboration and user-generated content.
SharePoint can bring those same advantages to your business. Whether you use your SharePoint Wiki to announce the acquisition of a new business, provide a list of current projects, or welcome new employees to the team, there are many ways to put SharePoint to work for you.
Moving to SharePoint is Easy
If you’re considering SharePoint as your all-in-one collaboration tool, remember that Ontech Systems is here to help.
Our experienced technicians can set up a customized team site for your business. Once it’s up and running, we’ll start migrating your files – a truly hands-off approach for you. Most importantly, you’ll have complete control over files and access, including who has access to the team site, what information they are allowed to see, and what they can contribute.
Some small businesses even find that SharePoint can replace their server, saving them money in the long run by migrating to Azure. And while this option is most applicable to small businesses, Ontech Systems can help you determine if this option would also work for your business.
No matter what you want to do with SharePoint, Ontech’s SharePoint experts can guide you through the migration and help you take collaboration within your workforce to the next level.
Whether you’ve still got questions or you’re ready to get started, give us a call at 262-522-8560 or reach us online to discuss your file sharing and collaboration needs. We’ll start with a quick 10 minute call to find out if SharePoint is the right choice for your business.
