What Makes SharePoint Essential for Modern Businesses
You can find SharePoint in many big companies today. More than 75% of Fortune 500 companies use SharePoint for their work needs. This platform began as a tool for managing documents. Now, you can do much more with it. You can share information safely. You can work with your team from any place. You can also automate daily tasks. SharePoint helps you fix real problems in business today.
Key Takeaways
SharePoint lets teams work together in one spot. Teams can share and edit documents easily. This saves time and helps stop mistakes.
It keeps documents safe with strong security tools. You can track changes to avoid errors. This helps you follow legal rules.
SharePoint works well with Microsoft 365 apps. It is easy to share files and manage tasks. You can also automate daily work.
You can set up SharePoint to do common tasks for you. This includes things like approvals and onboarding. It helps speed up work and lowers manual mistakes.
Using SharePoint helps people get more done. It supports remote work and grows with your business. It keeps data neat and safe.
SharePoint Features
Collaboration Tools
SharePoint helps teams work together in many ways. It lets you make shared spaces for your team. Everyone can see and change documents in these spaces. You can work on files at the same time as your teammates. This helps your team finish work faster. It also helps you make fewer mistakes. You get updates right away, so you do not get confused about versions. You do not need to send lots of emails. If you use SharePoint with Microsoft Teams, teamwork gets even better. You can chat, meet, and work on files all in one spot. Many companies get more work done when they use these tools together.
Teams that use SharePoint and Microsoft Teams together often get up to 20% more work done. This is because everyone can find what they need and work together without waiting.
Here is a table that shows how SharePoint compares to other popular collaboration platforms:
Document Management
SharePoint gives you a strong way to keep and find documents. You can use document libraries to store files in one place. Version control lets you see every change made to a file. If someone makes a mistake, you can go back to an old version. This helps your team avoid errors and keeps your work safe. You can also tag documents with keywords. This makes them easy to find with a quick search.
Many companies save time with SharePoint. Some studies show that workers spend up to 15% less time on document tasks when they use it.
Metadata tagging in SharePoint helps you find documents in seconds, not minutes.
Version control means you always know which file is the newest. You can also see who made changes and when.
A survey found that 57% of workers waste up to an hour each day looking for information. SharePoint’s search and tagging features help you get that time back.
Security and Compliance
You can trust SharePoint to keep your data safe. It uses strong security tools like encryption and access controls. Only people with permission can see or change certain files. SharePoint also helps your business follow rules about data privacy and security. The Microsoft 365 platform, which includes SharePoint, has a special compliance certificate. This means it meets high standards for keeping information private and safe. You can use tools like audit logs and data loss prevention to protect important data and show that your business follows the law.
Microsoft 365’s compliance framework covers data encryption, access controls, threat protection, and centralized compliance management. This helps you meet legal rules and keep your information safe.
Integration
SharePoint works well with other Microsoft 365 apps. You can connect it to Teams, Outlook, Excel, and more. This makes it easy to share files, manage tasks, and automate workflows. Many organizations use SharePoint as the main place to keep files for their teams. You can also use it to run your company’s intranet or internal website.
62% of organizations use Office 365 services or SharePoint Online.
You can automate tasks across different apps. For example, when you add a new worker to a SharePoint list, you can set up a workflow to create tasks in Planner, send a welcome message in Teams, and update records in Excel.
SharePoint also works with third-party apps, so you can build workflows that fit your business needs.
Integration with Microsoft 365 Copilot brings AI to your workflows. You can automate document creation, tagging, and even use natural language to find files.
Business Benefits
Productivity
SharePoint helps your team get more done. It gives you one place to keep all your documents. You do not waste time looking for files. You can spend more time working. You and your team can edit documents together. You see changes right away. This stops confusion. SharePoint sends automatic updates to everyone. You do not need to remind people or ask for updates. Many companies say their teams finish work faster and make fewer mistakes with these tools.
Tip: Use document libraries and version control to keep your work neat and current.
Workflow Automation
SharePoint lets you set up automatic tasks. You can make workflows for approvals, feedback, and signatures. Power Automate links SharePoint with other apps. This means you do not have to move information by hand. Some common workflows are document approvals, hiring new workers, expense reports, and customer service requests. These workflows help stop mistakes and make decisions faster.
You can make your work steps the same every time. You can also keep records to follow rules. Automatic updates and audit trails let you see every step.
Communication
SharePoint makes it easier for everyone to talk and share. You can make sites to share news, updates, and resources. These sites are like main spots for information. You can post news, videos, and documents. People in different places get the same news at once. Mobile access lets workers stay in touch from anywhere. Role-based permissions keep private info safe but let the right people see what they need.
Note: Sharing news in one place helps everyone feel part of the company and know what is happening.
These sites also help people share what they know. Teams can make their own pages for HR, project news, or learning. Using Microsoft 365 tools with SharePoint makes work easier. You can share info, work on projects, and keep everyone involved.
Modern Challenges
Remote Work
It can be hard when your team works from different places. SharePoint helps you stay in touch and keep things organized. You can make team sites to share news and files. You do not have to worry about losing files. Version control lets you see who made changes and when. Audit trails help you track what happens to documents. SharePoint works with Microsoft Teams. You can chat and work on files together. This makes remote work easier for everyone.
Tip: Use SharePoint for files and Teams for chatting. This helps your team work better together.
Scalability
Your company can get bigger or change over time. SharePoint can handle lots of users and lots of data. You can add more servers and storage when you need it. You can split big sites into smaller ones to keep things fast. Cleaning up old files helps your system run well. Many companies use strong servers and special storage to stop slowdowns. IT experts or managed services help you set up and grow SharePoint.
Use fast drives and put system parts in good spots for speed.
Watch your system to find problems early and keep it working.
Compliance
You have to follow rules to keep your business safe. SharePoint helps you control who can see and change documents. You can use role-based permissions for sensitive files. Version history and audit trails let you see changes and meet audits. Data retention rules help you keep or delete files as laws say. SharePoint works with Microsoft 365 tools to make rules easier. You can manage policies, contracts, and problems all in one place.
Note: SharePoint’s compliance tools help protect data and follow laws in finance, healthcare, and manufacturing.
Addressing Concerns
Adoption
You may wonder what helps teams start using a new platform. Adoption often depends on how well you plan and support the change. You can boost adoption by following a few key steps:
Involve important team members early. Let them share their ideas and needs.
Match the platform’s features to your business goals. This helps everyone see the value.
Set a clear launch date. Communicate with your team before, during, and after the rollout.
Start with the most useful features. Focus on what helps your team work better.
Review progress often. Make changes as you learn what works best.
You can also make adoption easier by rolling out new tools in phases. Pick a few team members as "Super Users" to help others. Keep the system simple at first. Use feedback to improve over time. Encourage a culture where people want to learn and try new things.
Costs
Managing costs is important for any business. You can control costs by setting storage limits for each site. Use automatic version history to keep only the files you need. Move old or unused files to cheaper storage. Train your team to follow these rules. These steps help you avoid extra fees and keep your system running smoothly.
A table can help you see some ways to manage costs:
Training
Training helps your team feel confident and ready. You can use online courses, live Q&A sessions, and short daily tips. Mix different training styles to fit everyone’s needs. Offer help right inside the platform so users get answers fast. Keep training fresh with updates and reminders. When you invest in training, your team feels more satisfied and uses the platform more often. Regular feedback and support keep everyone learning and growing.
You now know why SharePoint is important for businesses today. IT leaders pick SharePoint for three big reasons. First, it gives one place to control work and tasks. Second, it works well on many devices and shows data in smart ways. Third, it keeps your data safe in the cloud. Companies check if SharePoint helps by looking at how much work gets done, how well people learn, and IT numbers. You can use dashboards and reports to see these results.
You can talk to IT experts or try a demo to begin your digital change.
FAQ
What is SharePoint used for in your business?
SharePoint lets you keep documents in one place. You can share info with your team. It helps you work together on projects. You can make sites for each project. You can set up tasks to run by themselves. SharePoint keeps your files safe from loss.
What makes SharePoint different from other document tools?
SharePoint lets you track changes to files. It has strong security to protect your work. Teams can work together easily. You can link it with Microsoft 365 apps. All your files and updates are in one spot.
What can you automate with SharePoint?
You can set up automatic approvals and reports. You can also automate new worker steps. Power Automate links SharePoint with other apps. This saves time and helps stop mistakes.
Tip: Try simple workflows first, like document approvals, to see fast results.
What security features does SharePoint offer?
SharePoint uses encryption to keep data safe. It has access controls to choose who sees files. Audit logs show who changed what and when. These tools help you follow rules and protect your info.
What do you need to get started with SharePoint?
You need a Microsoft 365 subscription to begin. You set up sites and invite your team. Upload your documents to start working. Training helps you learn how to use all the features.