Understanding SharePoint and its functions is crucial. Otherwise it can be an horrendous and frustrating mess, bloated with useless pictures and unnecessary information with little organisation and a hindrance to the everyday running of a business.
Microsoft’s intent was always to provide a powerful collaboration platform used for document management, team collaboration, and workflow automation. Essentially, SharePoint is an integrated web-based platform with Microsoft Office, serving as a centralised team hub, with tools and features for efficient collaboration. Repositories can be created to share information and streamline workflows. Anywhere with internet can access the cloud-based version – SharePoint Online – so projects, documents, communication and deadlines remain seamless.
Being out of the office doesn’t make you out of the loop. Which, when you’re away on holiday, is equally great and absolutely not. There’s been no escape, and no excuses since weekends were lost forever in 1996.
A fundamental aspect of SharePoint is its ability to create sites.
These dedicated spaces for teams are taken a step further with its cloud-based accessibility. Hub sites act as organisational connectors, aggregating information from associated sites, and creating a cohesive workplace experience. SharePoint Online lists significantly tailored data management, storage and retrieval to project-specific requirements.
It changes what’s fundamentally boring about organising and viewing data into a dynamic structure. Anything that makes the day-to-day more efficient is good; when it doesn’t detract, but instead adds to the interest and involvement is when you start caring.
For that to happen, you have to care enough to learn how to use it. It’s the lesser known stuff of SharePoint that brings it to the game changer it’s meant to be for your business.
The on-premise versions – SharePoint Server 2016, 2019 and SharePoint Server Subscription Edition – are all self-hosted platforms on local servers. They’re ideal for strict compliance and complex legacy integrations because of the full control over security, data residency and customisations. However, SharePoint Online is the most commonly used, accessed via an internal link to the navigation bar.
Sometimes mistaken as the internet homepage if the office internet is powered by SharePoint, it’s more a bookmarking tool for a collection of mini websites, and not all of which you may have access. As a single source of information, your search page will only ever show what’s relevant to you, and basically in slideshow or newsfeed format. Often there are sites for different departments with each having the means to communicate and publish the likes of news, events, key documents and templates to the wider organisation.
Pertinent information can be added to personal calendars within the communication sites linked to the hub.
Audience targeting in SharePoint allows content to be shared or hidden, depending on the group. It can be filtered by project, department, or even country for internationals. Social media feeds can be embedded.
Departments can design self-service portals for employees to find information easily, in reference to things like company policies, leave requests or salary and tax structures.
Team sites are more minimal in content because they’re for collaboration, list, tasks, and document storage and tracking, rather than permanent information. They’ll show activity, launch dates, countdowns and milestones. All files generated within a Microsoft team chat function are automatically stored in SharePoint, with documents able to be worked on together. People can also be designated to review and suggest changes only.
The document library has a rough threshold of around 5,000 documents that can surface at one time, and is referred to as a ‘view’.
New files, folders and sub-folders can be created and colour coded and drilled down into for breadcrumb navigation. Files that are being worked on inside the browser whether in Word, Excel, PowerPoint or OneNote are constantly being saved to the last keystroke, with version history options.
The point of SharePoint is to share content without the use of third party applications. With selected people, teams, departments, the entire company and even outside contacts for those with link access.
SharePoint has the ability for external sharing – not just documents, but the entire SharePoint site. You can create an extrinsic collaboration feature for suppliers, contractors, agents or any extension to the enterprise that brings viable worth to the core business.
SharePoint is widely criticised as an overwhelmingly complex, and poorly interfaced program with unintuitive permission management and search functionality. That’s Microsoft. It’s what Microsoft has always done, and will continue to do. It ain’t Apple. Its learning curve is steep. Without proper implementation and governance, it can be as sluggish as Bill Gates terminating Epstein contact. Some claim it can do everything, and none of it well.
If your company as invested in this powerful, enterprise-grade content management platform, professional installation and configuration is vital. That’s the first of two stages for it to not be endlessly frustrating, cluttered and ugly.
The second, is for intensive training by people who can use it in their sleep. Which is generally where you end up at your desk without a skilled and engaging expert imparting their highly useful knowledge. There is no point to SharePoint if you can’t appreciate it; and you can’t appreciate it if you’re expected to work it out yourself.
That’s not collaborative, or being made feel part of a team. You should care about that; certainly enough to ensure that you have a good practical understanding of what happens after July 14, 2026 with SharePoint’s end-of-life.
Put that in your calendar. Whether that’s a surprise or a relief, sometimes you’ve just gotta move on. Melinda sure did.
