What can I do with Microsoft SharePoint 2010?
It is all very well telling you about or recommending SharePoint 2010 but what can you actually do with SharePoint 2010? SharePoint can do many really good things out of the box (ie without further development work) but what do they mean? Here is a list of things SharePoint can do but how do they translate into real things for your business? Well, it can do Document Management, Electronic Forms, Workflow and Reporting but what does that really give me? If we say it can be a Risk Management System (combining the four functions I just mentioned) then that gives you a better idea of it's practical application but then you could say it might be better to just buy an off-the-shelf dedicated and preconfigured risk management system. Well, if all your business needs is a stand-a-lone risk management system that fits a generic business (not your business) then that might be the best choice but if you also need an intranet, and somewhere for storing documents that need version control or authorising, and you want a Risk Management system that fits your business, then SharePoint might be right for your company.
A Risk Management System, using SharePoint
SharePoint can manage document workflow, it can control document versioning, drafting, review, approval, and publication. Notification emails can be sent to the next user in the approval workflow when a document is ready and the document can be reviewed in Microsoft Word, Microsoft Outlook, or through a HTML browser before signing the task off. There are other document management systems on the market with greater functionality but they often have a lot more functionality than a company needs and cost many times more than a SharePoint product. The Document Management functionality described here is available through the 'free' version of SharePoint, Windows SharePoint Services 3.0.
An Invoice tracking and Authorisation System, using SharePoint
As part of the Document Management functionality of SharePoint documents are stored in Document Libraries. These can be any type of document from the standard Microsoft Office documents such as Microsoft Word and Excel files, to Adobe Acrobat files, drawing files, graphic files, and media files. Document Libraries have many of the functions of a traditional file storage system but with additional functions such as allowing the 'check out' and 'check in' of documents to named individuals and the collection of metadata regarding the documents to aid filtering and searching. SharePoint is not a replacement for a traditional file storage system but is best used where specific controls or processes are required with a selected subset of documents.
Team Collaboration, using SharePoint
Whether the team are a project team in the same office or a group of people in different locations around the world SharePoint can deliver a framework for easy collaboration for team members. It can provide a central area for collaborating on document development, information sharing, task lists, calendars and project plans and all the basics are available in the free WSS 3.0 version of the product.
A Business Intelligence System, using SharePoint
SharePoint has a built-in workflow engine that allows a business to automate a worker process through a logic process of steps while collecting data or approvals on the way. Approval for the next step in the process can be given by responding to an email, a task, or logging onto the SharePoint site through a web browser, in the office or remotely. SharePoint comes with a number of standard workflow processes out of the box or they can be quickly constructed in Microsoft Office SharePoint Designer 2007 or for more details workflows, Microsoft Visual Studio. The ability of a business to track and manage the creation, approval, and publishing of information flexibly by the right people at the right time is much improved by the workflow capabilities of the SharePoint products and technologies.
SharePoint can be used to publish, control and submit electronic XML forms used in business processes. These can be from quite simple forms for things like booking an annual holiday to quite complex business processes that collect data at various parts of a process and record that data in various separate systems. The forms can be used with WSS 3.0 if the user has Microsoft Office InfoPath (R) on their PC or they can be published into the web browser for users with a Microsoft Office SharePoint 2007 Enterprise license. Alternately they can be utilised in WSS through a web browser using Microsoft Office Forms Server (MOFS) 2007 if the full MOSS 2007 product is not required. Forms are created in Microsoft Office InfoPath 2007 and published to MOSS 2007 or MOFS 2007.
A Records Repository, using SharePoint
Part of the regulatory compliance requirements in a number of industries now require that companies maintain a repository of 'original' documents, where the content of the original document can not be disputed. SharePoint introduces a Records Repository function that allows the submittal of documents to a organised store that records the date of submittal and keeps an accurate representation of the original document. Documents can also be submitted as part of the automated workflow associated with the authorisation and publication of new documents.
Portal Solutions, using SharePoint
A portal is a way of consolidating various types of information system onto a single screen, normally displayed in a number of small windows or web parts. They are often personalised to the specific user such that someone working in the Sales Department would have a different set of portal elements (windows displaying information) in their portal view to someone in the Finance Department. The Sales person might have a graph of Sales this month; a list of their current Sales Leads; a summary of the latest news from the company Intranet; and a summary of their Inbox. The finance team member may have a window showing overdue invoices and collections statistics but also have the same intranet and inbox windows as the Sales person. Portals are one of the key types of solution that can be implemented with MOSS 2007.
Information Management and Communication, using SharePoint
Intranet, Extranet, Internet, Staff Personal Web Spaces
There are currently a number of different SharePoint products that Microsoft licenses and it can be a bit confusing however each has a similar range of functions and is just tailored and licensed differently to fit in with how a company operates. A company shouldn't really be looking at the SharePoint products and saying "which one should we buy?"; it should be looking at the benefits it needs from an information system and which groups of people need to access which benefits, and looking at which solutions meet those needs. Sinet Consulting can of course assist in this analysis and are happy to do so if contacted at the above address.
A Knowledge Management system, using SharePoint
More details coming soon
A CRM system, using SharePoint
More details coming soon
An Enterprise Search system, using SharePoint
More details coming soon
A Compliance Monitoring system, using SharePoint
More details coming soon
An Extranet, using SharePoint
More details coming soon
An Intranet, using SharePoint
More details coming soon
An external facing Internet site, using SharePoint
More details coming soon
A media library, using SharePoint
More details coming soon
A Technical Library system, using SharePoint
More details coming soon