Microsoft Sharepoint, information sharing & Document management

What is SharePoint?

Microsoft Windows SharePoint is a powerful and flexible server application that allows teams of people in different locations to create websites that allow them to share information and to quickly and easily access collaborative documents.

It is designed to work alongside a Windows server and will enable your workers to work on their company systems, including Microsoft Office and other applications, from any location with an Internet connection.

SharePoint sites are accessed either through a web browser or through applications that support web services. A site's collaborative content (documents, lists, events, tasks and so on) can be read and edited within familiar desktop applications such as Microsoft Office Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

SharePoint’s functions include:

• Providing a secure place for information and documents to be stored, updated and accessed by multiple personnel based in different locations. Site content can be easily searched and changes to documents are tracked and if, required, alerted to users.
• Enabling teams to participate remotely in discussions, collaborate on projects and undertake surveys.
• Quick and easy communications with key contacts by e-mail or instant message.
• Flexible implementation with varying levels of access for different individuals and teams, so that everyone has access to the exact information they need. Team and site managers can easily coordinate site content and user activity, as well as monitoring and moderating member participation as required.

Why use SharePoint?

Windows SharePoint Services enables users to quickly and efficiently locate distributed information, as well as connect to and work with others more productively.
Although there are other ways to do this, the advantage of using SharePoint is that all the Microsoft
technologies involved are designed to work together to form a comprehensive system, rather than being put together in a ‘piecemeal’ fashion. Benefits of this unified platform include:

• Fast, cost-effective set-up and deployment ‘out of the box’.
• The ability to introduce the system in stages, enabling you to implement various capabilities to suit your organisation's time frame and budget.
• Flexible, cost-effective ways of extending and customising the system to enable you to build tailor-made solutions and develop managed, hosted services to connect your customers, partners and suppliers.
• Integration with familiar tools such as the Microsoft Office suite, enabling users to quickly and easily start using the system with minimal training.
• Introducing standardised procedures, ways of working and security management across your organisation.

To find out more about SharePoint and how it could help your business break down communication and information barriers, contact Hunter Systems. [link to Contact page]