What is SharePoint?

What’s SharePoint?

• The business collaboration platform for the enterprise and the web

• Allows individuals in an organization to easily create and manage their own collaborative Web sites

 - Simplifies how people find and share information across boundaries, and enabling better informed decisions

 - Seamlessly integrates with Windows and MS Office

• Does not refer to a specific product or technology

 - Using the word “Microsoft SharePoint” is like using the word “Microsoft Office”

 - Refers to several aspects of Web-based collaborative solutions

WSS vs. MOSS

• WSS is the core technology of Microsoft SharePoint

   o Considered as the “engine” of SharePoint

   o Provides document management and team collaboration tools
   o WSS is available for free as long as your organization is utilizing Windows Server 2003 or above
• MOSS extends the capabilities of WSS
   o Going back to our car analogy, MOSS provides extended capabilities such as GPS, a DVD system, Voice Commands, etc.
   o Extended features include Enterprise search, Personalization, Enterprise Content Management, etc.
   o Unlike WSS, MOSS is not available for free

SharePoint as an Organizational Platform

• Individual groups can have a collaborative web site
• Access can be limited to the team and appropriate stakeholders
• Relevant information can be centrally stored and maintained
• Communications can be streamlined
• Relatively easy to use

   o IT intervention is minimal

   o Based on familiar tools and technologies: Web, Windows, Microsoft Office

7 Ways SharePoint Can Empower Your Organization

#1 Easily Create a Collaborative Site

• Technical skill requirement is minimal

   o Microsoft Windows

   o Microsoft Office
   o Familiar with web browsing
• Easily define relevant access
   o Based on communication needs
• If deployed appropriately, IT does not have to deal with
   o Updating content
   o Defining account privileges
   o Maintaining a document repository

#2 Efficiently Manage Information

• SharePoint provides various tools to effectively centralize and manage information

   o Schedule
   o Documents
   o Change Request
   o Risk/Issue Log
   o Budget
• Document management features
   o Information storage
   o Check-in/check-out
   o Version control
   o Content approval

#3 Facilitate Team Collaboration

• Document Collaboration

   o Document Workspaces can be used to jointly develop requirements document, reports, templates, etc.
• Tools
   o Wikis to document lessons learned
   o Discussion boards for offline communication
   o Meeting Workspaces to support meetings

#4 Enhance Communication

• Right information for the right person at the right time

   o Tasks
   o Schedule
   o Reports
   o Dashboard
• Relevant information access
• Appropriate privileges can be defined based on informational needs

#5 Automate Business Processes

• Common project workflows
   o Change Control
   o Expense Reimbursement
   o Vacation Request
• SharePoint workflows

   o Three-State

   o Custom workflows

#6 Generate Relevant Reports

• SharePoint can be used to generate relevant

   o Interactive summary of a project
   o Project tasks information
   o Automated alerts
• Dashboards can be created using Web Parts
   o Red, Amber, Green (RAG) Status
   o Key Performance Indicators (KPI)
   o Charts 

#7 Integrate with Existing LOB Systems

• Integrate SharePoint with existing data sources

   o SQL – based data
   o Web Services
   o XML
• Non Microsoft enterprise systems
   o CRM
   o Reporting Tools

How to Successfully Leverage SharePoint

SharePoint Implementation Continuum

Address the Business Needs

• What are the business pain points?

   o Project Management

   o HR
   o Finance
   o Departments

• Proper requirements gathering is critical

• Analyst should understand both the business and SharePoint
• SharePoint a platform

Analyze SharePoint Priorities

• What business need are you addressing?

   o Collaboration

   o Document Management
   o Automate Processes
   o Enhance Reporting

• Complex branding, unless necessary, should not be a Priority

Establish SharePoint Governance

• SharePoint Taxonomy

   o Information Architecture
   o User Management
• Usage Policies and Guidelines
• Adoption Plan
• Support and Maintenance

• Future Releases

Source: Brookhaven National Laboratory