Microsoft Sharepoint – Know about SharePoint Sites and SharePoint Online | Exigo Tech

Did your organisation just invest in Microsoft Sharepoint online or are you planning to invest in one?

Well, then you are in good company. SharePoint is a web-based platform that simplifies your everyday business activities and improves data management across your organisation. If you are new to SharePoint, then welcome!

We will be focusing on SharePoint can provide your team with a central workspace and encourage collaboration.

What is SharePoint? What can it do for my business? Why should I use it? Do these questions sound familiar to you? You are not alone, at Exigo Tech our customers and prospects are asking the same questions. So, today in this blog I provide insight into SharePoint and answer all the frequently asked questions about SharePoint, SharePoint site, and its many iterations.

What is SharePoint? Quick Guide for Beginners

SharePoint is a highly customisable solution that allows you to manage every aspect of your business content, create websites and company intranet to keep your employees and users well informed on what is happening, and create processes to automate mundane tasks.

SharePoint can also be utilised in building custom apps that can help your teams become more productive. It is one of the leading content management systems and intranet systems that is used to bring businesses together including collaboration capabilities.

Simple sharing and seamless collaboration

SharePoint site facilitates teamwork with productive team sites for every project team and department. Share data, files, and resources across your teams and customise your site to streamline your team’s work. Collaborate effortlessly with the teams outside of your organisations as well securely.

Engage and inform your organisation

With an intelligent SharePoint intranet, you can create cohesion and tell your story through communication sites. This drives organisational efficiency through common resources and applications on the portal.

Harness collective knowledge

SharePoint’s content management system along with valuable conversation and collaboration enables your organisation to maximise the celerity of knowledge.

Intranet SharePoint Overview

Intranet is a platform that binds all your staff together and improves employee engagement. The right intranet can improve interactions between the teams and increase productivity. SharePoint intranet is one such tool that helps organisations source information, collaborate, discuss issues, and make informed business decisions.

Organisations use SharePoint for intranets, team sites, and content management

With SharePoint users can create highly functional intranet pages that are easy to create and customise. In the following section, we look at how SharePoint intranet is a good starting point for your business and other SharePoint solutions that you may need.

4 Ways to Better Teamwork Using Intranet Software like SharePoint

The intranet portal not only keeps your teams organised but allows you to communicate effectively with your teams. As not every intranet solution is created equally, let’s look at four important tools to look for in an intranet solution:

Data Management: An intranet solution must include the ability for your team members to create spaces where they can manage information.

Collaborative Tools: Look for an intranet solution with collaboration software that allows specific teams to get together and work in the same space.

Libraries: Collaborative tools must also be able to give you the power to create your own libraries of documents.

Integration with existing tools: To achieve the level of productivity you must have a tool that easily integrates with your existing solution.

Microsoft SharePoint intranet brings innovation as a team sport

SharePoint site powers content collaboration so that the teams can focus on innovation. Your teams need not spend time looking for resources, instead, they can all collaborate together to do their creative best.

Top 5 reasons to move to a collaboration suite like Microsoft SharePoint

Having a single vendor platform to manage everyday sharing, exchanging knowledge across teams, and working remotely is not an easy call, but a single platform does make things easy. Find below five reasons to move to a collaboration suite like SharePoint:

• Increase productivity and save time
• Reduce the complexity and lower costs
• Have end to end compliance and security
• Control at the back end
• Scale as per your needs

More ways to use SharePoint

Apart from team collaboration, SharePoint enables your organisations to find solutions for common business problems. You can create an internal site for your employees to increase awareness and readiness or can create a site for employee onboarding to improve employee satisfaction. Community groups can also be created to empower others and manage tasks.

Streamline your content with enterprise content management

Organisations create a lot of content but to keep all that information in an organised manner is no small feat and this is where enterprise content management solutions come in. They allow your business to manage and organise content right from creation to archive. Enterprise content management acts as a single repository where you can store, locate, secure, create and modify files and documents. Streamline your content with a content management system and stay organised.

Unified communications 101, what new businesses need to know

Whether you are an orator or not, the method of communication is what determines the potential productivity. For a unified communication solution to be effective it must meet the needs of both individuals and businesses both. Understanding unified communications and how to implement them can help you reduce the friction in your operations and foster connections between your employees.

Build your team Intranet on Microsoft SharePoint and benefit from its modern business outcome

SharePoint intranets are the starting point for many companies and what drives them to Exigo Tech is the desire for a more intuitive intranet experience. To discover how SharePoint intranet can help you get most of your Microsoft 365, get in touch with one of our consultants today.

SharePoint as a Team Collaboration Software Tool

In addition to content and project management, SharePoint is a widely used business platform that offers rich collaboration capabilities. Being a Microsoft Solutions Partner, we at Exigo Tech know firsthand how to make collaboration work for the benefit of your business. SharePoint is convenient for establishing collaboration both at the Team level and Companywide levels.

SharePoint site provides a virtual workspace with team-only access for a team-centric collaboration. It can also support cross-departmental collaboration through content management tools.

SharePoint integration with other Microsoft products

Microsoft SharePoint site can be integrated with OneDrive and Microsoft Office for business as a part of the Office 365 platform. Seamless integrations is also possible with cloud-based applications such as Flow and Teams leading to rich insight-oriented content productivity.

Microsoft SharePoint Online

SharePoint Online also referred to as SharePoint 365 is like other Microsoft cloud services which come bundled with Office 365. It is like the cloud version of SharePoint which allows users to share, store and manage content seamlessly.

Difference between Office 365 and SharePoint Online

One thing that we find our clients get confused about is SharePoint Online and Office 365 and the difference between the two. SharePoint is a small part of the big ecosystem known as Office 365 where Microsoft has been adding applications such as Power Automate, MS Teams, Planner, and others. What makes SharePoint Online unique is its remarkable feature to integrate with most of these applications, establishing its reputation as a one-stop solution.

Online SharePoint data backup

We ensure that your Online SharePoint data is always available and protected, ensuring your productivity is unhindered. The cloud-based environment of SharePoint and its capabilities can also render its content to ransomware attacks, accidental deletion, or sync errors.

How to use SharePoint

One of the most common uses of SharePoint sites is file sharing using a document library containing files and folders that you can view and edit.

And to use the document library you must select documents and add new items to it, you can simultaneously edit the file with a colleague as well.

SharePoint sites can also be used to create web pages that include text and graphic information. You can also add apps to your site that go beyond the functionality and include things like blogs and custom lists.

What are SharePoint lists?

The two important structures that form SharePoint are lists and libraries. When your team creates content in SharePoint, it is saved as a list quite like the Excel spreadsheet comprising headings with data rows.

SharePoint document management

Document management in SharePoint controls the complete lifecycle of your files – how they are created, reviewed, published to how they are ultimately retained. The tools associated with document management are flexible enough to enable you to control your documents and fit the needs of your business.

Your teams can take advantage of these capabilities without having to deviate from their routine operations.

Creating a form in SharePoint

You can add a modern element such as Microsoft Forms to your SharePoint site to create and manage flows across the library. To create a form, you need to add a title and some tabs first and control who you want this to be seen by. Next, you can drag the required fields under the first tab, add text at the top of the form and customise the font, colour, and text. A few more fields can be added in the second and third tabs as well, you can add the web part and edit these forms as well.

Apps in SharePoint

Applications are the stand-alone entities that extends and enhances the functionality of your SharePoint. Apps in SharePoint need to be registered on SharePoint using an app manifest. These apps can be made for any entity that isn’t readily available on SharePoint. You can also add apps to your SharePoint site from a variety of sources.

What is workflow in SharePoint?

You can automate a wide range of business processes using a pre-programmed application of workflow. Depending on the stimulus a workflow runs along with a flow chart that checks for various conditions and depending on how it is programmed it automatically executes a pre-defined action. You can do a lot with SharePoint workflow so let’s look at some of the things that you can do with SharePoint Workflow:

SharePoint Workflow

A SharePoint workflow is just like a flowchart that takes out a lot of randomness to standardise the work process.

SharePoint document approval workflow takes care of all the checking, tracking, reminding and forwarding process automatically to ensure that your task is well on track. Most of the workflows also generate a notification that lets you know about the process.

Workflows are tightly integrated with SharePoint libraries and SharePoint lists that allow you to do a lot including approvals, reminders, sending emails, creating content, setting permissions, and more.

How to create a SharePoint Site?

Following are the steps to create a SharePoint site:

• Select your SharePoint Site architecture
• Decide on your site components
• Create your SharePoint site
• Choose your site type and options
• Give your site the required title and description
• Set site privacy options
• Add members and finish

Managing the security in SharePoint

As SharePoint falls under the Microsoft Office 365 umbrella, it benefits from all the features that come with it including access security, network security, and data security. Permissions can be set for each individual and there are version management features as well to protect the content.

SharePoint Design

SharePoint is built on the design principles that shape all the Microsoft product families. Such principles help the design stay optimistic about the business goals and user needs.

Intelligent Information Management Glossary in SharePoint

Information architecture regulates how the information in your SharePoint site – its webpages, lists, documents, and data are organised and presented to the users. Considering the access to content while designing the SharePoint site also overlaps with IT governance when considering the entire information management environment.

The Microsoft 365 SharePoint Specialists

SharePoint specialists act as a bridge between the technical developers and customer-facing SharePoint projects to gather the required information, develop solutions and help clients get the most of SharePoint. At Exigo Tech, our SharePoint consultants help businesses run efficiently by working on the design, configuration, deployment, and maintenance aspect of the SharePoint technology, whether it is a new deployment or migration towards a newer version.

Get SharePoint with Microsoft 365 | Exigo Tech

Combining the forces of Microsoft Office 365 and SharePoint can give your business a powerful information exchange system. You can easily share and store files, comply with the regulatory requirements and provide your organisation with the tools it needs for enhanced internal processes.

• Hybrid Cloud Search

  You can configure cloud hybrid search in the SharePoint environment and add all your content including on-premise content to your search index.

• Productivity Library to Fastrack working with Office 365

  The productivity library in SharePoint is designed to provide tips to work faster together with Office 365 and empower you to get things done.

Microsoft SharePoint Solutions from Exigo Tech

Exigo Tech, a Microsoft Top Gun partner offers reliable MS SharePoint solutions that suffice the varying needs of your business.

Our experienced SharePoint experts have implemented large-scale intranets, SharePoint sites, management portals, business process automation, and collaborative solutions across a variety of industries and business functions.

MS SharePoint best practices, tips, and tricks

Before getting started you must know that there are a bunch of things that can or cannot be found inside your interface depending on how it is set up by the SharePoint administrator.

Here we discuss some of the tips and best practices to help you optimise file management and save time while working on your tasks.

• It is best practice to name your files and documents properly in SharePoint
• Filter information using SharePoint views and sort your files in the desired order.
• Set up and manage your alerts for specific documents or folders.
• Control the version history to prevent unwanted changes to the documents.
• Maintain the integrity of your document using the checkout features

There are many such tips that you must know to make SharePoint work faster for your needs.

Conclusion

In this blog, I have covered Microsoft SharePoint, SharePoint sites, the working principle behind SharePoint, features of SharePoint Online, and deployment options. SharePoint allows users to collaborate on different platforms and edit documents in a web browser even if Microsoft Office is not installed.

Backup for Microsoft 365 also ensures that your SharePoint site data is always protected and available ensuring your productivity is unhindered. To learn how you can securely back up your SharePoint online data or know more about our SharePoint sites, SharePoint online solutions call 1300 EXIGOTECH (394 468) or email  today.

Some of the frequently asked questions on SharePoint

What are SharePoint sites?
It is a website that contains many web parts of SharePoint like library of documents, task lists, calendar etc.

How is SharePoint useful for collaboration?
SharePoint provides a virtual workspace to enable any team member to create a project and determine what access they will have. It also supports cross departmental collaborations and collaborations with people outside of your organisation using content management tools.

What is a SharePoint farm?
SharePoint Farm is a collection of servers that work together to provide basic SharePoint services.

When my organization uses office 365?
Office 365 now known as Microsoft 365 is best for businesses that are looking for an easy remote solution with Microsoft Teams, Office online and secure cloud storage.

What about all that other relevant data not located in SharePoint?
SharePoint is not a database to store all your information, it just has some similarities with databases as it is used for storing and archiving files.

What is SharePoint?
SharePoint is a web-based platform for collaboration that provides tools for sharing documents and data across various organisations within business network.

What is a site collection?
Site collection represents a set of websites that have the same admin settings or share the same owners. When you create a site in SharePoint a site is automatically created in the site collection.

What’s the best way to initiate user buy in from those tainted by previous experiences?
Give the project another name instead of SharePoint and highlight the collaboration aspect. If they find value in SharePoint over other file sharing apps then it will be easy to sell.

How can SharePoint be used for content management?
Enterprise content management with SharePoint helps you by giving tools to organise and manage content throughout the content life cycle right from creation to archive. SharePoint also integrates with familiar tools of Microsoft to manage document, digital media, records and web content.

How do you handle videos within SharePoint?
You can embed video or audio files on a web page and stream the content to visitors.

When you create library and list columns, by default the search doesn’t pick them up?
By default, any information present in the site, list, column or library will appear in the search results. The permissions that are set in each item will affect whether the viewer is able to see the content in search result or not.

How to get the most out of your SharePoint sites and pages?
SharePoint has the benefit of allowing for centralised management of all your workplace operations which makes it the central management hub. SharePoint provides businesses several key advantages with regards to managing and implementing business to meet every business’s need.

What are SharePoint site collections?
A collection of site and subsites where user creates list and libraries to store document and information.

What’s new with SharePoint 2022?
SharePoint server will support additional security features such as the support for TLS and TLS 1.3 encryption when deployed in 2022. SharePoint on premise support is also ending and starting May 2022 SharePoint on premise sites will no longer be accessible.

How can you make sure you’re using and building SharePoint the right way?
Following the best practice for SharePoint document management and collaboration will ensure that you are using it in the right way.

How do you know when to create a sub site vs a new site collection?
There is no definitive answer to this question, however few technical factors can help you decide on whether site collection or a subsite would be beneficial for your business.

What are SharePoint Lists?
A SharePoint list is a table on the web that is easy to create, easy to access and use on any browser.

What is a SharePoint app?
SharePoint apps is packaged for deployment using file known as app package which is built by using achieve file format and requires extension of .app.

What are the benefits of using SharePoint?
There are many benefits of using SharePoint, however simply put, it can streamline business process and reduce costs. It can also encourage information creation, sharing, transparency and collaboration.

What exactly can we do with SharePoint?
A lot of functionalities can be done using SharePoint such as creating document libraries, uploading files in those libraries, work with team on the documents at the same time, share documents, create and share sites, add library to site, share information with team and collaborate.

What are hub sites?
Hub sites bring in your communication and team site together by connecting and organising the SharePoint sites based on project, region, department etc. This makes it easier to discover related news and other site activities.

How to unlock library?
In SharePoint online you can unlock a library by using CSOM PowerShell code to unlock the specific library.

What is the best way to add forms for entering new information to a list?
To create and manage flows for the list or library you can add forms from the command bar on the list page and select Integrate > Power Apps, more options appear, and you can select Customise forms option from there.

What are SharePoint libraries?
Usually found on every SharePoint site, libraries are a container within which the documents and information are placed on SharePoint site. Folders can be created inside the document library for further process.

What is SharePoint online?
SharePoint online is a great web-based application solution which is used to exchange information across the organisation. It allows users to share and manage content seamlessly.

What are the differences between office 365 and SharePoint online?
Office 365 is a way to create and modify documents while SharePoint online is the hub where you can store these files, collaborate and communicate with your team.

How do you control who actually has access to that file?
SharePoint document admin can now block or limit the access to a particular content on SharePoint and OneDrive from the admin settings.

How do you get the view to work if you use the filter feature or is enabling meta data the only way?
Metadata navigation is the only way that enables SharePoint users to filter and find the content in libraries by using navigation tree.

What is SharePoint used for?
Businesses use SharePoint to create websites, organise, share, and access information from any device. You can also use it for team collaboration and secure a place to store your data.