More than ever, companies are experiencing the benefits of the Microsoft 365 platform. As a cloud-based service, the Microsoft 365 toolset is continuously evolving and improving to meet the needs of modern organizations. As a Microsoft Gold Partner, we help our customers realize the benefits of leveraging the features of Microsoft 365 to solve their ever-changing business needs, including:
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- Enabling web versions of Office apps that enable real-time coauthoring.
- Securing documents and emails to protect valuable information.
- Providing a feature-rich hub for meetings, chat, and calling with Microsoft Teams.
- Delivering an intelligent, mobile intranet to streamline information-sharing with SharePoint Online.
In the March 2021 Insight, “Top 10 Microsoft Teams Features You Absolutely Need to Know About”, we highlighted some of the features and functionality in the Microsoft Teams platform that make it a powerful hub for communication and collaboration. This month, we are exploring how the modern experience in SharePoint makes it easier to create an attractive, intelligent, mobile-ready intranet.
Go Beyond Document Storage with a Modern SharePoint Site
While companies have utilized SharePoint for many years to store documents and facilitate collaboration amongst employees, the updated user experience available with a modern SharePoint site is generally more flexible and easier to use than “classic” SharePoint.
SharePoint Gets a Makeover with the Modern Experience
If you are familiar with classic SharePoint sites, the most immediate difference you will notice in a modern SharePoint site is the updated design with a fresh look and feel. This updated user interface is one of the most popular benefits of switching to a modern SharePoint site, driving higher end-user adoption across the organization with how user-friendly it is out-of-the-box. In addition, the intuitive user interface empowers site owners to maintain their sites versus relying on an IT team for most changes.
Powerful Integration with Microsoft 365 Groups
Beyond a more intuitive interface, collaboration remains key to producing results. While not a new concept, effective collaboration is not always easy to achieve. With a modern SharePoint site, it’s easier than ever for users from any location and device to access high-value content. Furthermore, one of the most significant functional differences between the classic experience and modern experience is that each modern SharePoint site is connected to a Microsoft 365 group, which provides powerful connections to other productivity apps such as Microsoft Teams and Planner.
With complex organizational structures and employees working remotely, the modern SharePoint site experience drives collaboration with this type of tight integration across powerful business applications.
Streamlined Security and Sharing
Security is another big focus in each modern SharePoint site. In classic SharePoint sites, permissions are managed through a set of permission groups (i.e., Owners, Members, Visitors, etc.). In the modern SharePoint site, access is easier to configure and control. Keep in mind that giving someone permissions to a modern SharePoint site gives them access to all site content. Alternatively, you can share an individual file or folder with a shareable link, granting access to 1) anyone, 2) only people in your organization, or 3) only specific people.
The external sharing features of SharePoint Online allow users to share content with people outside the organization, such as partners, vendors, clients, or customers. External sharing can be managed at the organization and site levels.
Along with all the improvements to permissions management in a modern SharePoint site, retention policies can be applied to items either at a document level or site-wide. Sensitivity labeling serves as another layer of protection to keep files and folders from the wrong sets of eyes.
Transform Your Organization One Modern SharePoint Site at a Time
All these enhanced capabilities are attracting new and existing customers alike to move to the modern SharePoint site structure.
As today’s workforce continues to become more global and mobile than ever before, there is no better time to make the move to Microsoft 365 and SharePoint Online.
We can help you leverage the power of modern SharePoint sites. Contact us today to learn more about our process to modernize your intranet!
This Abel Insight was written by Abel Solutions’ Project Manager, Corinda John, and Sr. Solutions Manager, Nicole Vesser.
