Why IT Companies Are Investing Heavily in SharePoint Development
Introduction
SharePoint is a powerful platform developed by Microsoft that allows organizations to create, manage, and share information and documents in a secure and collaborative manner. Over the years, SharePoint has become an essential tool for businesses of all sizes, leading to increased investment in SharePoint development by IT companies. In this article, we will explore the reasons behind this trend and the benefits of SharePoint intranet development.
Benefits of SharePoint Intranet Development
SharePoint intranet development offers numerous benefits to organizations, making it a popular choice for IT companies. Here are some of the key advantages:
1. Enhanced Collaboration and Communication
SharePoint provides a centralized platform for employees to collaborate on projects, share documents, and communicate effectively. With features like document libraries, discussion boards, and team sites, SharePoint enables seamless collaboration and improves productivity.
2. Improved Document Management
SharePoint offers robust document management capabilities, allowing organizations to store, organize, and search for documents easily. With features like version control, document check-in/check-out, and metadata tagging, SharePoint ensures that the right document is accessible to the right person at the right time.
3. Streamlined Business Processes
SharePoint allows organizations to automate and streamline their business processes, reducing manual effort and improving efficiency. With features like workflows, forms, and task management, SharePoint enables organizations to digitize their processes and ensure consistency and accuracy.
4. Secure Data Storage
SharePoint provides secure data storage, ensuring that sensitive information is protected from unauthorized access. With features like permissions and access controls, organizations can define who can view, edit, and share documents, ensuring data security and compliance.
5. Mobile Accessibility
SharePoint is accessible on mobile devices, allowing employees to access information and collaborate on the go. With the SharePoint mobile app, users can view and edit documents, participate in discussions, and stay connected with their teams, enhancing productivity and flexibility.
Outsourcing SharePoint Development
Many IT companies choose to outsource SharePoint development to specialized agencies. Outsourcing SharePoint development offers several advantages:
1. Expertise and Experience
SharePoint development agencies have a team of experienced professionals who specialize in SharePoint development. They have in-depth knowledge of the platform and can provide customized solutions to meet the unique requirements of organizations.
2. Cost Savings
Outsourcing SharePoint development can be cost-effective compared to hiring an in-house team. IT companies can save on recruitment, training, and infrastructure costs by partnering with a SharePoint development agency.
3. Time Efficiency
SharePoint development agencies have streamlined processes and workflows in place, enabling faster development and deployment of SharePoint solutions. This helps IT companies save time and launch their SharePoint projects quickly.
4. Scalability
SharePoint development agencies can scale their resources based on the project requirements. Whether it’s a small customization or a large-scale intranet development, outsourcing allows IT companies to access the right expertise and resources without any hassle.
5. Ongoing Support and Maintenance
SharePoint development agencies provide ongoing support and maintenance services, ensuring that the SharePoint solution remains up-to-date and optimized. This allows IT companies to focus on their core business activities while leaving the technical aspects to the experts.
Custom SharePoint Development
While SharePoint offers a range of out-of-the-box features, organizations often require customizations to meet their specific needs. Custom SharePoint development involves tailoring the platform to align with the organization’s unique requirements. Here are some common scenarios where custom SharePoint development is beneficial:
1. Branding and Design
Custom SharePoint development allows organizations to create a branded and visually appealing intranet that reflects their corporate identity. This helps in creating a positive user experience and promotes employee engagement.
2. Integration with Third-Party Systems
Organizations often need to integrate SharePoint with other business systems such as CRM, ERP, or HRMS. Custom SharePoint development enables seamless integration, allowing data to flow between systems and improving overall efficiency.
3. Advanced Workflows and Automation
SharePoint offers basic workflow capabilities, but custom development can enhance these features to meet complex business requirements. Custom workflows can automate multi-step processes, send notifications, and trigger actions based on specific conditions.
4. Data Visualization and Reporting
Custom SharePoint development can enable organizations to create interactive dashboards and reports to visualize data. This helps in gaining insights, making informed decisions, and tracking key performance indicators.
5. Integration with External Systems
Custom SharePoint development can enable integration with external systems such as social media platforms, document signing services, or payment gateways. This expands the capabilities of SharePoint and allows organizations to leverage other tools and services.
Managed SharePoint Services
IT companies are increasingly opting for managed SharePoint services to ensure the smooth operation and maintenance of their SharePoint environments. Managed SharePoint services offer the following benefits:
1. Proactive Monitoring and Maintenance
Managed SharePoint services providers monitor the SharePoint environment proactively, identifying and resolving issues before they impact the business. Regular maintenance activities such as patching, backups, and performance tuning are also taken care of.
2. Security and Compliance
Managed SharePoint services providers ensure that the SharePoint environment is secure and compliant with industry regulations. They implement security measures, perform security audits, and keep up with the latest security patches and updates.
3. Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity
Managed SharePoint services providers have robust disaster recovery plans in place to minimize downtime and ensure business continuity. They perform regular backups, test the restore process, and have failover mechanisms to handle unexpected events.
4. Performance Optimization
Managed SharePoint services providers optimize the performance of the SharePoint environment, ensuring that it meets the organization’s performance requirements. They monitor resource utilization, fine-tune configurations, and implement performance optimization techniques.
5. Expert Support
Managed SharePoint services providers offer expert support to address any technical issues or challenges faced by IT companies. They have a team of SharePoint specialists who can provide timely assistance and guidance.
Conclusion
SharePoint development has become a strategic investment for IT companies due to its numerous benefits. SharePoint intranet development enhances collaboration, improves document management, streamlines business processes, ensures secure data storage, and provides mobile accessibility. Outsourcing SharePoint development offers expertise, cost savings, time efficiency, scalability, and ongoing support. Custom SharePoint development allows organizations to tailor the platform to their unique requirements, while managed SharePoint services ensure the smooth operation and maintenance of SharePoint environments. By investing in SharePoint development, IT companies can enhance business productivity and gain a competitive edge in today’s digital landscape.
