SharePoint Online is a robust document storage, sharing, and communication tool that, until Office 365, was only practical for Enterprise organizations.  Today, SharePoint is included in most Office 365 Business plans, expanding into the small and mid-size business market for the first time.  SharePoint is the solution to many common business challenges, and is paying off for organizations worldwide.What Is SharePoint Online?

SharePoint Online is a cloud based document storage, file sharing and internal communication solution included in Office 365 that simplifies collaboration. SharePoint resolves many common business challenges, and allows users to increase productivity, yet many businesses still don't understand what SharePoint is, or how it can help them with the issues they struggle with everyday.  Let's talk about some of the solutions to modern business problems that SharePoint can provide. 

Access Documents from Anywhere

SharePoint Online is a could based service allowing workers to login from the office, or remotely to access documents, internal sites and other information using any device. SharePoint removes all of the boundaries that used to require users to come in to a central office to get their work done.  Small and mid-sized businesses that were weary of moving their environment to the cloud can now leverage SharePoint in Office 365 to eliminate physical servers in their office and allow for a modern work environment. 

Share Files and Collaborate in Real-Time

SharePoint users experience the benefits of modern collaboration by being able to co-author documents in real-time with others Internal or External to the organization.  Sharing files is easy, and allows users to choose to co-author documents and make revisions together, or work separately with the ability to view document revision history. You will always know which version of documents, proposals, presentation, and master schedules are the most recent, what changed in each version, who changed it and when. Real time document sharing is a game changer for team collaboration, and eliminates documents sent as email attachments. SharePoint Online ends the frustration of having multiple versions of a document where nobody really knows which one is the most current.  Securely share content and gather immediate feedback from colleagues with SharePoint Online.  

Centralized Data Storage Solution

SharePoint provides the ideal cloud based file storage solution for businesses looking to get a centralized document storage infrastructure in place. SharePoint Document Libraries provide the security controls businesses need to assure secure access to only the documents a user has permission to access.  Access policies are implemented on a site, library, folder or document level, and Two-Factor Authentication is available to provide a second level of security to verify the users identity before granting access.  Consolidating all of your data on SharePoint Online allows for a well organized document library system where advanced search capabilities allows files to be found quickly, allowing faster decision making.

Company Communication Platform

SharePoint provides Intranet capabilities to drive organizational communication and increase productivity.  Convey important company news, share calendars, post videos and more all within SharePoint. SharePoint offers Communication Sites in addition to Team Sites, providing a robust collaboration tool that offers countless ways for companies to communicate across the organization in ways never before possible.   

Digital Conversion Opportunity for Businesses Working with Paper Files

I can't tell you how many small business owners I've worked with over time that wanted to leave Chicago winters for a warmer destination for a few months, but couldn't because their business operations required them to be in the office to access paper file folders needed to support customers.  Moving to the cloud was terrifying to many, and the costs involved with cloud hosting and ensuring secure remote access were more than some businesses could manage.  With SharePoint, scan those paper files directly into SharePoint for centralized document management without the need for new hardware. SharePoint integrates with the other Microsoft Office Apps including Microsoft Teams, allowing remote access to documents in SharePoint libraries, while being able to add chat, voice, and video conferencing quickly and easily to provide an experience that is remarkably close to physically being in the office. 

It is impossible to list all the ways collaboration within SharePoint can transform your organization.  The best way to learn is to dive in and watch your business grow.

To learn more about SharePoint, and to see how it can benefit your business, call us today at 877-843-5767.  

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Interested in Office 365 but not ready to talk?  You can learn more here about the benefits of Office 365, migrating your data to Office 365 or to learn more about Office 365. 

 

IntelliSuite IT Solutions specializes in Office 365, our services include:  OneDrive Migration, Office 365 Migration,Office 365 Setup, Sharepoint migration, Azure Migration, and Exchange Migration.  Our Microsoft Specialists are happy to answer your questions or help you plan your migration. 

Rose Doherty

Written by Rose Doherty