Unlocking the Power of Collaboration: A Comprehensive Guide to What is SharePoint

Keep reading to understand what is SharePoint. Advantages of using SharePoint and many more things.

Table of Contents

Introduction to SharePoint

SharePoint is a web-based collaboration and document management platform developed by Microsoft. It allows organizations to create websites, store and manage files, and collaborate with colleagues and partners in a secure and controlled environment.

SharePoint enables users to easily create and manage content, such as lists, libraries, and web pages and provides tools for search, business intelligence, and workflow automation. It is widely used by businesses, governments, and non-profits to improve productivity, streamline processes, and enhance collaboration across teams and departments.

Features & Benefits of SharePoint

One of the key benefits of SharePoint is its flexibility. It can be used for a wide range of applications, from project management and team collaboration to intranet portals and document management. Its modular architecture enables organizations to customize and extend the platform to meet their specific needs.

SharePoint includes a range of features and tools that enable users to create, edit, and share content, including:

Create Sites: SharePoint allows you to create sites quickly and easily. We can create a site and share with various people or departments, so that, they can start using it.
Lists and libraries: SharePoint provides a variety of pre-built lists and libraries that allow users to store and manage different types of content. For example, a document library can be used to store and manage documents, while a contact list can be used to manage contact information for employees or clients.
Document management: SharePoint provides powerful document management capabilities, including version control, check-in/check-out, and document approval workflows. These features make it easy to manage large volumes of documents and ensure that the right people have access to the right information.
Team Collaboration: SharePoint includes a range of collaboration tools that enable users to work together on projects and tasks. These tools include wikis, discussion boards, and calendars, which can all be customized to meet the specific needs of the organization.
Search: SharePoint includes a powerful search engine that makes it easy to find content across the platform. Users can search for content using keywords, metadata, or other search criteria, and the search results can be filtered and sorted to help users find the information they need.
Power Platform: This is powerful when used with SharePoint. We can use Power Apps to build no-code solution apps quickly for our business. Also, we can use Power Automate to automate our business process through various flows. And also we can use Power BI to analyze data and make business decisions quickly.
Mobile Access: SharePoint is available on mobile devices, enabling users to access content and collaborate with colleagues on the go. SharePoint mobile apps are available for iOS, Android, and Windows devices, and provide a seamless experience across different devices.

One of the key benefits of SharePoint is its integration with other Microsoft products and services. SharePoint can be integrated with Microsoft Office, allowing users to access and edit documents directly from within Office applications. It can also be integrated with Microsoft Dynamics, enabling organizations to manage customer data and automate business processes.

SharePoint is also highly customizable, allowing organizations to tailor the platform to their specific needs. It can be customized using SharePoint Designer (for classic SharePoint sites), which provides a range of tools for creating custom workflows, forms, and web pages. It can also be customized using Microsoft Visual Studio, which allows developers to create custom web parts and other extensions.

For modern SharePoint sites, we can use the universal development platform SharePoint Framework (SPFx) for developing websites or customizations within SharePoint Online.

SharePoint is available in a range of versions and editions, including SharePoint Server, and SharePoint Online.

SharePoint Server is the most comprehensive version, providing the full range of features and capabilities. But it has to be installed on the organization’s server by the organization itself. The latest SharePoint on-premise version is the SharePoint server subscription edition. And a few popular server versions of SharePoint are:

SharePoint server 2019
SharePoint server 2016
SharePoint server 2013
SharePoint server 2010
MOSS 2007, etc.

SharePoint Online is a cloud-based version of the platform, which is available as part of the Microsoft 365 suite of services.

So, if you have signed up for Microsoft 365, then you will get SharePoint Online as a service.

If you are a SharePoint developer and want to try out SharePoint, then you can sign up for Microsoft 365 developer program.

Conclusion

Overall, SharePoint is a powerful platform that enables organizations to manage digital content, collaborate on projects, and automate business processes. Its flexibility and customization options make it a popular choice for businesses of all sizes, and its integration with other Microsoft products and services makes it a seamless part of the broader Microsoft ecosystem.