Let me reassure you if you’ve been debating whether to reach out to a SharePoint service provider or don’t know where to begin: CCS engineers offer personalized, cost-effective, all-inclusive choices, especially if you have subscribed to Microsoft 365. Granted that to some extent “SharePoint” and the many versions and all the “streamline your operations possibility” can seem daunting, but trust our clients across sectors when they say they now manage the exchange of project docs efficiently, find the management of transmittals painless and getting started with SharePoint Online portals/intranets easy.

Safe to say that there has been wide adoption of Microsoft 365 in organizations across the globe, very few utilize SharePoint the right way, or some never use it due to a lack of awareness of the power of SharePoint. The success rate of SharePoint implementation has been low, as implementation is usually done without a proper understanding of SharePoint, lack of planning and governance, and inadequate information architecture.

Many organizations misunderstand SharePoint as a file-sharing tool and use it solely for uploading and sharing files and in the long run, end up in chaos making it difficult to find the right version of documents.

Did you know that you can actually have your document management challenges addressed by SharePoint Online? One can save impressive amounts of time and produce measurable results. Transform those messy folders into orderly, neat document libraries. Sharing documents with fellow contributors and searching for specific versions should not become that vicious cycle we all dread. It doesn’t have to be as chaotic a picture as painted above. It is only when implementations start with directly creating sites, libraries, etc. that is, without proper planning and architecture in place leading to information overloading and complex navigation rendering the site useless with time. Our approach when addressing your document management needs will ultimately provide you with a custom-built setup that tackles the specific hurdles faced by a company.

Use SharePoint’s capabilities consistently and properly, or else it becomes unmanageable. With no clear definition of roles, responsibilities, and guidelines, users and teams may find themselves in dire straits. We have learned in our 15 years as a SharePoint service provider that SharePoint implementations fail, given the absence of proper governance. And we’re saying we can help!

Signs of a good SharePoint implementation:

If you’re challenging your in-house team with the implementation of SharePoint solutions, here are some pointers/questions that you must get the answers to: –

• Is there consistency across the organization?
• Can you easily scale up as you grow?
• Are you equipped to meet security needs?
• How simplified is the discovery of documents and information?
• Can you incorporate changes flexibly?
• Do you find the maintenance and administration tasks overwhelming?

Best practices to be followed while implementing SharePoint:

• Proper Plan & Governance: As with any implementation, SharePoint implementation should be properly planned, and roles and responsibilities should be defined clearly. Proper guidelines should be published to ensure consistency across the organization.
• Well-Planned Information Architecture: The architecture should be based on Microsoft recommendations and best practices to bring scalability and flexibility to adapt easily to changing business scenarios. Site structure is the foundation on top of which various solutions are built. So, it is very important to have an optimum and well-planned architecture.
• Use SharePoint Beyond File Share: Many M365 subscribers have the instinct to replicate the same folder structure as they were using in their network drives which curtails users from reaping the benefit that SharePoint provides by tagging the documents with metadata. Also, it allows process automation to automate various business processes that will increase productivity and employee experience.

Get help with your SharePoint needs

CCS has been implementing SharePoint solutions for global companies for over a decade, and we are focused on adopting the latest technologies and best practices to ensure its success. Our consultants plan and build SharePoint environments that are consistent and scalable and make it possible for easy discovery of shared content. We help our customers improve employee experience, reduce costs and maximize their ROI on their M365 subscription by addressing their SharePoint requirements with our expertise in the domain. If you get the “point” we’re trying to make, do “share” your thoughts/queries with us at collaborate@ccs-technologies.com.