As a premier SharePoint Consultant across many industries, we at Abel Solutions would like to provide you with a comprehensive guide for building an effective SharePoint intranet for your organization.
In the modern business world, effective communication and collaboration are crucial for success. SharePoint intranet offers organizations a versatile platform to create connected, efficient work environments that promote teamwork and information sharing. By providing a centralized location for employees to securely view, access and collaborate on content, SharePoint intranet fosters an atmosphere of enhanced productivity and streamlined operations.
Harnessing the power of Microsoft 365, SharePoint intranet provides a wide range of options and tools that allow organizations to build cohesive and engaging intranet sites. From sharing common resources and applications on home sites and portals to creating a visually appealing communication site, employees can stay informed and engaged with relevant, personalized content. With its intelligent features and seamless integration with other Microsoft applications, SharePoint intranet has become an indispensable tool for many businesses striving for operational efficiency and strong internal communication.
SharePoint Intranet Overview
SharePoint is a versatile platform that enables organizations to create an intelligent intranet, providing a shared space for employees to securely view, collaborate on content, and communicate with colleagues. Integrating SharePoint with Microsoft 365 enhances its capabilities by offering cloud-based services that empower teamwork, quickly find information, and facilitate seamless collaboration across the organization.
When constructing an intelligent SharePoint intranet, it is crucial to consider the various tools and options available in Microsoft SharePoint online. A well-designed intranet can significantly improve communication, knowledge sharing, and overall productivity within a company. An intelligent intranet differs from traditional intranet designs in that it leverages advanced capabilities, such as AI-driven search, personalized experiences, and integration with other Microsoft 365 services like Teams and OneDrive.
With Microsoft SharePoint, organizations can build company intranet sites, create custom pages, document libraries, and lists. Additionally, SharePoint enables the addition of web parts to personalize content, showcasing essential visuals, news, and updates through team or communication sites. It also provides a platform for users to discover, follow, and search for sites, files, and people across the company.
For organizations looking to migrate existing intranet content to SharePoint in Microsoft 365, the process may take some time but is ultimately worthwhile, offering a more dynamic, accessible, and intelligent intranet solution. By leveraging SharePoint’s capabilities within Microsoft 365, businesses can foster a more connected and engaged workforce, promoting innovation and growth.
Key Features of SharePoint Intranet
Intelligent Intranet
One prominent feature of SharePoint intranet design is the implementation of an Intelligent Intranet. This advanced system uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance user experience by offering relevant resources and content. It helps organizations efficiently manage data, news, and events, allowing employees to quickly find and access the information they need. The search capabilities of Intelligent Intranet are powered by AI, ensuring the accuracy and relevance of the results displayed.
Home Site
A critical component of SharePoint Intranet is the Home Site. This centralized location serves as the main entry point for the organization’s Intranet, providing easy access to essential resources, news, and content. It delivers a personalized experience to users, displaying relevant information based on their role and preferences. The Home Site also integrates with other Microsoft 365 tools, allowing seamless navigation and collaboration among team members.
Some noteworthy features of a SharePoint Home Site include:
- Rich content and news presentation with AI-based recommendations
- Quick access to organization-wide resources and tools
- Integration with Microsoft 365 tools like Yammer and Stream
- Customizable navigation and layout
Hub Site
In addition to the Home Site, SharePoint intranet solutions also offer Hub Sites to further streamline the user experience. Hub Sites serve as connecting points for related sites within the organization, allowing teams to collaborate and share content efficiently. These sites can be themed and customized to create a consistent look and feel across the connected sites.
Key features of Hub Sites include:
- Centralized site management and navigation
- Improved search experience within the connected sites
- Content roll-up from associated sites
- Site activity insights
By leveraging the Intelligent Intranet, Home Site, and Hub Site in SharePoint, organizations can create a connected and engaging digital workplace that empowers employees to collaborate and access the information they need with ease.
User Experience and Navigation
Teams Integration
SharePoint’s intranet integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Teams, providing an efficient platform for both individual users and teams. Team sites and communication sites can be easily accessed from within Teams, allowing team members to collaborate on documents, files, and lists without leaving the Microsoft Teams environment.
SharePoint Mobile App
The SharePoint Mobile App provides a dynamic, mobile-ready user experience that is optimized for accessing intranet resources from various devices. Users can effortlessly navigate to important intranet resources, stay up-to-date on team news, and access frequently used sites, files, and lists from their mobile devices. The app’s responsive design ensures that users can easily engage with SharePoint content regardless of the screen size or device they are using.
Search Functionality
SharePoint intranet’s powerful search functionality enables users to quickly locate essential content, such as files, documents, and team communication. The search engine goes beyond simple keyword matching, integrating features like metadata filtering, and personalized results based on the user’s role and permissions. This advanced search functionality not only saves time but also enhances the overall user experience, helping users navigate their way through the extensive SharePoint ecosystem.
With its robust Teams integration, mobile app capabilities, and advanced search functionality, SharePoint intranet delivers a user experience that is both intuitive and efficient. By streamlining navigation and facilitating seamless access to essential resources, SharePoint intranet enables both individuals and teams to work effectively, regardless of their location or device.
Content Management and Communication
Communication and Team Sites
Microsoft SharePoint is a versatile platform that allows organizations to create intranet sites for various purposes such as communication and collaboration. With SharePoint, you can create communication sites specifically designed to inform and engage users. These sites are focused on providing readers with information to read, rather than create. On the other hand, team sites are built for collaboration, allowing members to work together on content creation and share resources.
Information Management
SharePoint offers comprehensive Enterprise Content Management (ECM) tools, enabling organizations to efficiently manage content throughout its lifecycle, from creation to archive. Site owners can leverage the integrated features of Microsoft Office and SharePoint technologies for seamless central management, collaboration, and organization of content.
Web Parts and Customizations
To enhance the functionality of intranet sites, SharePoint allows users to add web parts and custom solutions. Web parts are components that can be added to pages to display and manage information, support content management, promote communication, and facilitate collaboration. These web parts are customizable and can be adapted to the specific needs of the organization. Additionally, SharePoint offers third-party applications through its store and supports custom solutions for organizations with unique requirements.
SharePoint Look Book
The SharePoint Look Book is an essential resource for site owners and designers to explore and gain inspiration for intranet site design. The Look Book showcases a wide array of ready-to-use templates, examples of well-designed SharePoint sites, and a gallery featuring an extensive collection of web parts for various purposes such as communication, collaboration, and content management.
By utilizing the features, tools, and resources offered by Microsoft SharePoint, organizations can efficiently build, manage, and govern intranet sites that cater to their specific requirements. Content management and communication are key components of an intranet, and SharePoint ensures these aspects are well-supported and customizable to meet the unique needs of each organization.
Employee Engagement and Recognition
Leadership Sites
SharePoint intranet offers a robust platform for creating Leadership Sites, where organizations can share their priorities, brand, and leadership team details with employees. These sites enhance employee engagement by providing a central location for accessing important information and security updates, ensuring employees stay up-to-date and well-informed.
Leadership sites can be built using SharePoint communication sites, which provide easy-to-use tools for creating visually appealing and content-rich sites. This ensures that the leadership message reaches the intended audience effectively.
Microsoft 365 Communities
Another crucial aspect of employee engagement is fostering a sense of belonging within the organization. To achieve this, companies should consider building Microsoft 365 Communities using SharePoint intranet functionalities.
Microsoft 365 Communities provide employees with a platform to connect, communicate, and collaborate on various projects and initiatives, boosting overall employee engagement. They serve as a digital space for sharing knowledge, exchanging ideas, and offering peer recognition.
To successfully implement Microsoft 365 Communities, organizations must first identify their pilot groups and tailor the community’s features to meet the specific needs of these groups. This ensures that the pilot successfully demonstrates the potential benefits of the community before its organization-wide adoption.
SharePoint intranet offers valuable tools such as Leadership Sites and Microsoft 365 Communities designed to enhance employee engagement and recognition within an organization. By leveraging these features, businesses can create a dynamic and connected workplace that fosters a strong sense of belonging and shared mission among its employees.
Collaboration and Productivity
SharePoint intranets offer a vast range of features that greatly enhance collaboration and productivity within organizations. Utilizing connected applications and services such as Yammer and Microsoft Teams, collaboration becomes seamless and efficient.
Yammer and Microsoft Teams
With SharePoint intranets, organizations benefit from the smooth integration of Yammer and Microsoft Teams. Yammer, a social networking platform built for businesses, allows for seamless communication similar to Facebook within an organization. Microsoft Teams, on the other hand, helps teams collaborate more effectively by providing chat options, document sharing, and project management tools. These services work together to create collaborative environments, empowering employees to easily share ideas, manage projects, and communicate with colleagues.
In addition, these apps are part of the Microsoft 365 subscription, which ensures easy access and consistent updates, enhancing collaboration experiences in the cloud.
Connected Applications and Services
Another crucial aspect of collaboration and productivity in SharePoint intranets is the availability of connected applications and services. SharePoint intranets integrate with a variety of Microsoft 365 apps and tools, such as OneDrive, Power BI, and Planner, allowing teams to work efficiently and stay connected with each other.
- OneDrive enables users to save and access their files in the cloud securely, allowing for collaborative editing and sharing, even when working remotely.
- Power BI empowers organizations to visualize and analyze data from multiple sources, creating actionable insights that help improve decision-making and overall productivity.
- Planner offers an intuitive platform for teams to create, assign, and manage tasks, streamlining project management and fostering collaboration.
By leveraging SharePoint intranets, organizations can unlock the full potential of their teams, boosting productivity and enhancing collaboration across various projects and departments.
Customization and Development
Architecture and Site Design
A modern SharePoint intranet allows for easy customization and development, enabling users to create highly functional and visually appealing intranet sites. The platform provides robust architecture and design management, allowing for the creation of deeply engaging experiences tailored to specific organizational needs.
Users can take advantage of SharePoint’s Design Manager, a feature designed to simplify the creation of a customized design while using familiar web-design tools. This powerful tool ensures that intranet sites look great on any device or screen, providing seamless navigation and effective information management.
SharePoint intranet incorporates various multimedia elements, such as images and videos, to enhance user engagement and overall experience. The platform’s flexible architecture supports the integration of different visual elements, contributing to a more compelling and informative site.
Custom Solutions and Integrations
Organizations can leverage SharePoint’s flexibility to develop custom solutions and integrations, improving collaboration, and streamlining information dissemination. SharePoint allows for the deployment of tailored custom branding elements, such as master pages and style sheets, as well as the creation of custom workflows.
Sales teams can benefit from SharePoint’s customization capabilities, as they can easily create intranet portals to streamline their sales processes, share resources, and manage client information. By integrating with external tools and applications, SharePoint provides a comprehensive platform for teams to access all critical information and collaborate effectively.
SharePoint intranet offers flexible customization and development options, providing organizations with the tools to create tailored intranet sites that enhance user experience and improve information management. With a solid architecture and extensive custom solutions, SharePoint remains a leading choice for organizations seeking an intranet platform.
Frequently Asked Questions about the SharePoint Platform
How do I create an effective SharePoint landing page?
To create an effective SharePoint landing page, focus on the most important content and keep the layout clean and easy to navigate. Use the modern SharePoint experience to create visually appealing sites with responsive designs, and make it accessible on various devices. Add components such as news, events, and document libraries to provide useful information for users. For more guidance, explore the SharePoint documentation.
What are the benefits of integrating Microsoft 365 with a SharePoint intranet?
Integrating Microsoft 365 with a SharePoint intranet allows organizations to streamline communication, collaboration, and productivity. Users can easily access Outlook, OneDrive, and Microsoft Teams directly from the intranet, making it a centralized hub for work. This integration also enables seamless document sharing, co-authoring, and real-time collaboration using familiar tools like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
How can I design the best SharePoint intranet site?
To design a successful SharePoint intranet site, start by understanding your organization’s needs and target audience. Engage key stakeholders and identify goals for the intranet, such as improving communications or collaboration. Focus on the user experience by creating a logical structure and intuitive navigation. Customize your site with branding, theming, and personalized content. Leverage SharePoint’s built-in features to create an intelligent and modern intranet experience.
What are some examples of successful SharePoint sites?
A successful SharePoint site showcase visually appealing designs and provide useful tools for users. Some SharePoint intranet examples include intranets with a clear layout, responsive design, and customized branding, as well as team and project sites that facilitate collaboration. While each SharePoint intranet example may vary depending on the organization and its goals, the SharePoint lookbook offers inspiration and pre-built templates.
How do I create an employee portal using SharePoint templates?
Employee portals can easily be built using SharePoint templates. Start by selecting a suitable template based on your organization’s needs, available in the SharePoint lookbook, which offers templates for communication sites, team sites, and more. Customize the template with branding, color schemes, and content relevant to your organization. Add web parts for news, events, and document libraries to provide helpful resources to employees.
What are the costs associated with setting up a SharePoint intranet?
The costs of setting up a SharePoint intranet depend on several factors, including the size of the organization, the complexity of the intranet, and the level of customization required. There are different SharePoint license options available as part of the Microsoft 365 plans. Organizations should consider the costs associated with software licenses, implementation, development, and long-term maintenance. For more detailed information on intranet project pricing, visit the SharePoint pricing page.
