A Look Inside SharePoint Intranet Development

Introduction

SharePoint is a powerful platform developed by Microsoft that allows organizations to create and manage their intranet sites. It provides a wide range of features and functionalities that can be customized to meet the specific needs of an organization. In this article, we will take a closer look at SharePoint intranet development, including the benefits, features, and steps involved in creating a custom SharePoint intranet.

Benefits of SharePoint Intranet

SharePoint intranet offers several benefits to organizations, including:

• Centralized document management
• Improved collaboration and communication
• Enhanced security and access control
• Streamlined business processes
• Integration with other Microsoft tools and services

Features of SharePoint Intranet

SharePoint intranet comes with a wide range of features that can be customized to meet the specific requirements of an organization. Some of the key features include:

• Document management: SharePoint allows organizations to store, organize, and manage documents in a centralized location. It provides version control, document check-in/check-out, and document approval workflows.
• Collaboration tools: SharePoint offers various collaboration tools such as team sites, discussion boards, and shared calendars to facilitate collaboration among team members.
• Search functionality: SharePoint provides powerful search capabilities that allow users to quickly find the information they need. It supports full-text search, metadata-based search, and search refiners.
• Workflow automation: SharePoint allows organizations to automate their business processes by creating custom workflows. This helps in streamlining and standardizing processes, reducing manual effort, and improving efficiency.
• Integration with other tools: SharePoint can be easily integrated with other Microsoft tools and services such as Outlook, Teams, and Power BI. This allows organizations to leverage their existing investments and provide a seamless user experience.

Steps Involved in SharePoint Intranet Development

Developing a custom SharePoint intranet involves several steps. Here is a high-level overview of the process:

1. Requirement gathering: The first step in SharePoint intranet development is to gather the requirements from the organization. This involves understanding the business needs, user requirements, and desired features and functionalities.
2. Information architecture design: Once the requirements are gathered, the next step is to design the information architecture of the intranet. This includes defining the site structure, content types, metadata, and navigation.
3. User interface design: After the information architecture is finalized, the user interface design is created. This involves designing the look and feel of the intranet, including the branding, layout, and user interface elements.
4. Development and customization: Once the design is approved, the development and customization of the SharePoint intranet begin. This includes creating custom web parts, workflows, and integrations as per the requirements.
5. Testing and quality assurance: After the development is complete, thorough testing and quality assurance are conducted to ensure that the intranet functions as expected and meets the defined requirements.
6. Deployment and training: Once the testing is successful, the SharePoint intranet is deployed to the production environment. Training is provided to the users to familiarize them with the intranet and its features.
7. Ongoing support and maintenance: After the deployment, ongoing support and maintenance are provided to ensure the smooth functioning of the intranet. This includes bug fixes, performance optimization, and regular updates.

Outsourcing SharePoint Development

Many organizations choose to outsource their SharePoint development to a specialized agency. Outsourcing SharePoint development offers several benefits, including:

• Access to expertise: SharePoint development agencies have a team of experienced developers who specialize in SharePoint development. They have the knowledge and skills required to create custom SharePoint solutions.
• Cost savings: Outsourcing SharePoint development can be more cost-effective compared to hiring an in-house team. It eliminates the need for hiring, training, and maintaining a dedicated SharePoint development team.
• Time savings: SharePoint development agencies have a streamlined development process and can deliver projects within the specified time frame. This helps organizations save time and launch their intranet faster.
• Focus on core competencies: By outsourcing SharePoint development, organizations can focus on their core competencies and leave the technical aspects to the experts. This allows them to allocate their resources more efficiently.

Conclusion

SharePoint intranet development offers organizations a powerful platform to create and manage their intranet sites. It provides a wide range of features and functionalities that can be customized to meet the specific needs of an organization. By outsourcing SharePoint development to a specialized agency, organizations can leverage the expertise of experienced developers and benefit from cost and time savings. Whether it is a SharePoint on-premise or SharePoint online solution, a well-designed and developed SharePoint intranet can greatly enhance collaboration, communication, and productivity within an organization.