Future-Ready SharePoint Intranets with Full Microsoft 365 Integration

A SharePoint intranet is an internal website-like experience built on the SharePoint platform, designed to facilitate communication, collaboration, and information sharing within an organisation. It acts as a central hub where employees can access important resources, stay updated with company news, and collaborate on projects. Key aspects of a SharePoint intranet include:

Centralised Information Hub: A SharePoint intranet serves as a single point of access for all company-related information. This includes news, announcements, policies, procedures, and other critical documents. Centralising information ensures that employees have easy access to the resources they need, and creates a single-source-of-truth for trusted company news and information.

Enhanced Communication: SharePoint intranets improve internal communication by providing platforms for sharing news, updates, and announcements. News posts and articles keep everyone informed, whilst embedding webparts like Viva Engage allow for interactive discussion.

Collaboration Tools: SharePoint intranets come equipped with a variety of collaboration tools. Document libraries allow teams to store and manage documents in a centralised location, with version control and co-authoring capabilities. Team sites and project sites provide dedicated spaces for teams to collaborate on specific projects, share files, and track progress.

Customisation and Personalisation: SharePoint intranets can be customised to meet the specific needs of an organisation. This includes branding the intranet with the company’s logo and colors, creating custom pages and layouts, and adding web parts to display different types of content. Unlike off-the-shelf intranet solutions, SharePoint can be crafted into whatever you need it to be.

Additionally, employees can personalise their experience by following sites, documents, and people that are relevant to their work.

Integration with Microsoft 365: SharePoint intranets integrate seamlessly with other Microsoft 365 applications, such as Teams, Outlook, OneDrive, Viva and Power Platform. This integration enhances productivity by allowing users to access and share information across different platforms without leaving the intranet.

A truly modern intranet incorporates tools from across Microsoft 365, with SharePoint as the central component.

Workflow Automation: SharePoint intranets support workflow automation, helping organisations to streamline business processes. Workflows can be created to automate tasks such as document approvals, notifications, and data collection, reducing manual effort and increasing efficiency.

Security and Compliance: SharePoint intranets offer robust security features to protect sensitive information. Administrators can set permissions to control who can access, edit, and manage content. SharePoint also supports compliance with industry standards and regulations, ensuring that data is handled securely.

Employee Engagement: By providing a platform for employees to connect, share ideas, and access resources, SharePoint intranets help to boost employee engagement. Features like social feeds, recognition programs, and interactive content encourage participation and create a positive workplace culture.

A SharePoint intranet is a powerful tool that enhances communication, collaboration, and information management within an organisation. It provides a centralised platform where employees can access the resources they need, stay informed, and work together more effectively.

You can access your SharePoint intranet through a web browser by entering the URL provided by your organisation. Additionally, you can use the SharePoint mobile app, available for iOS and Android, to access your intranet on the go.

You can also use Viva Connections to bring your intranet into Microsoft Teams. This makes it even easier to access intranet content from a mobile, making it especially useful for deskless and frontline employees.

A SharePoint intranet comes with numerous benefits, making it a powerful tool for organisations. It enhances collaboration through shared workspaces and real-time document co-authoring, ensuring teams can work together seamlessly. Document management is centralised, providing easy access, version control, and secure storage for all your files.

Communication within the organisation is improved with newsfeeds, announcements, and discussion boards, keeping everyone informed and engaged. SharePoint also streamlines business processes with workflow automation, reducing manual tasks and increasing efficiency.

One of the key advantages is that everything stays under the Microsoft roof. This means you don’t need to rely on third-party platforms, ensuring better integration and security. SharePoint integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft 365 apps like Teams, Outlook, Viva, and Power Platform, allowing you to do more within a unified ecosystem.

Customisation is another significant benefit. Unlike off-the-shelf solutions, SharePoint can be tailored to meet your specific needs. You can create custom lists, libraries, and pages, and add web parts to display different types of content. This flexibility allows you to make your intranet into whatever you want it to be, perfectly aligning with your organisational goals and workflows.

A SharePoint intranet leads to a more efficient, productive, and engaged workforce by providing a versatile and integrated platform for all your internal communication and collaboration needs.

Customising your SharePoint intranet site allows you to tailor it to your organisation’s specific needs and delivery a better employee experience. Here are some key ways to customise your SharePoint site:

Adding Web Parts: Web parts are the building blocks of SharePoint pages. They allow you to display various types of content and functionality. You can add web parts to your pages to show text, images, documents, lists, and more. SharePoint comes with out-of-the-box web parts for basic functionality, but you can build custom ones to meet more complex requirements. Examples of custom web parts you could build include:

• News Web Part: Display the latest company news and announcements
• Document Library Web Part: Provide quick access to important documents
• Calendar Web Part: Show upcoming events and deadlines
• Task List Web Part: Track project tasks and assignments
• Employee Directory Web Part: List contact information for team members
• Custom Forms Web Part: Create forms for data entry, surveys, or feedback collection

Changing the Layout: You can modify the layout of your SharePoint pages to better organise content and improve navigation. This includes rearranging web parts, adding sections, and using different column layouts to create a visually appealing and functional site.

Branding and Themes: Customise the look and feel of your SharePoint site by applying your organisation’s branding. This includes adding your company logo, choosing colour schemes, and selecting fonts that align with your brand identity. SharePoint offers various themes that you can apply, or you can create a custom theme to match your specific requirements.

Microsoft have introduced SharePoint Brand Centre to manage organisational branding, but there are still limitations. Our SharePoint design tool Beacon gives organisations more control and flexibility over the branding in their intranet.

Custom Lists and Libraries: Create custom lists and libraries to store and manage data relevant to your organisation. For example, you can create a custom list to track employee training, manage inventory, or log customer feedback. Custom libraries can be used to organise documents, images, or other files in a way that suits your business processes.

Navigation and Links: Improve site navigation by customising the menu and adding links to important pages and resources. You can create a global navigation menu that appears on all pages, as well as local navigation menus for specific sections of your site. This helps employees find the information they need quickly and easily.

Integration with Microsoft 365 Apps: Enhance your SharePoint site by integrating it with other Microsoft 365 apps like Teams, Outlook, Viva, and Power Platform. For example, you can embed a Viva Engage conversations on your SharePoint page, display Outlook calendars, or use Power Automate to create workflows that automate repetitive tasks.

Permissions and Access Control: Customise who can view, edit, and manage content on your SharePoint site by setting permissions. You can control access at the site, library, folder, or document level, ensuring that sensitive information is only accessible to authorised employees.

By making us of these customisation options, you can create a SharePoint intranet that is not only functional but also engaging and aligned with your organisation’s needs. This flexibility allows you to build a site that supports your business processes, enhances collaboration, and improves overall productivity.

Organising content on a SharePoint intranet effectively is crucial for ensuring that employees can easily find and access the information they need. Here are some best practices to help you achieve this:

Clear Site Structure: Develop a logical and intuitive site structure, often referred to as Information Architecture (IA). This involves organising sites and subsites based on departments, projects, or functions, making it easier for users to navigate and find specific information.

Consistent Naming Conventions: Establish and maintain consistent naming conventions for sites, libraries, folders, and documents. This consistency helps users search for and identify content quickly and reduces confusion.

Metadata and Tags: Use metadata and tags to categorise and organise documents. Metadata fields like document type, department, and date can help users filter and search for specific content. Tags provide additional context and improve searchability.

Custom Views and Filters: Create custom views and filters in document libraries and lists to help users find relevant information. For example, you can set up views that display documents by date, author, or project, making it easier to locate specific items.

Content Types: Use content types to define and manage different types of content consistently. Content types allow you to apply specific metadata, templates, and workflows to documents, ensuring uniformity across the intranet.

Regular Content Audits: Conduct regular content audits to review and update the information on your SharePoint intranet. Remove outdated or irrelevant content, and ensure that important documents are current and accurate. This keeps the intranet clean and useful.

Employee Training and Guidelines: Provide training and guidelines for users on how to organise and manage content. Educate them on best practices for uploading documents, using metadata, and maintaining the site structure. This helps ensure that everyone follows the same standards.

Search Optimisation: Optimise the search functionality by configuring search settings and promoting important content. Use keywords and synonyms in metadata and document titles to improve search results. You can also create custom search scopes to focus searches on specific areas of the intranet.

Permissions Management: Set appropriate permissions to control access to content. Ensure that sensitive information is only accessible to authorised users, while general information is available to everyone. Regularly review and update permissions to maintain security and compliance.

Feedback Mechanisms: Implement feedback mechanisms, such as surveys or suggestion boxes, to gather input from users on how to improve the organisation of content. This helps you identify pain points and make necessary adjustments to enhance the employee experience.

A SharePoint intranet can significantly benefit frontline or deskless workers by providing mobile access to important information and resources. With the SharePoint mobile app, these workers can stay connected, access documents, and receive company updates from anywhere. Features like task lists, schedules, and training materials can be easily accessed on their devices, ensuring they have the tools they need to perform their jobs efficiently.

Additionally, SharePoint’s integration with Microsoft Teams allows for real-time communication and collaboration, even for those not working at a desk. This ensures that frontline workers can participate in team discussions, access shared documents, and stay informed about company news and updates.

Viva Connections improves the experience even further by bringing the SharePoint intranet directly into Microsoft Teams. Viva Connections provides a personalised dashboard where frontline workers can access company news, tasks, and resources all in one place. This integration ensures that they have a seamless and consistent experience, whether they are using a mobile device or a desktop. Viva Connections also supports the creation of tailored experiences for different roles, ensuring that frontline workers receive relevant information and tools specific to their needs.

Microsoft Viva provides an extra set of building blocks that extend SharePoint’s functionality, transforming it from a static news site into an engaging, modern intranet. Viva enhances the SharePoint experience by integrating various modules that focus on employee engagement, communication, and productivity. Three of our favourites are:

Viva Connections brings your SharePoint intranet directly into Microsoft Teams, creating a unified experience where employees can access company news, resources, and tasks all in one place. This integration ensures a seamless and consistent employee experience, whether on a desktop or mobile device, and helps keep employees connected and informed.

Viva Engage adds a social layer to your intranet, building community and encouraging knowledge sharing. It allows employees to share updates, participate in discussions, and connect with colleagues across the organisation. This module helps build a sense of community and encourages open communication, making the intranet more interactive and engaging.

Viva Amplify focuses on enhancing internal communication campaigns by providing tools to create, manage, and measure the impact of internal communications. It helps communicators deliver targeted messages and track engagement, ensuring that important information reaches the right audience effectively.

Together, these Viva modules transform SharePoint from a basic information repository into a dynamic and engaging platform that supports a modern, connected workplace. By making use of Viva’s capabilities, organisations can create a more interactive, personalised, and effective intranet experience for their employees.

A good intranet is user-friendly, engaging, and meets the needs of employees. It should have a clear and intuitive navigation structure, making it easy for employees to find information quickly. The content should be relevant, up-to-date, and accessible, with features like newsfeeds, document libraries, and collaboration tools. Customisation options are important to tailor the intranet to the specific needs of the organisation. Integration with other tools, such as Microsoft 365 apps, enhances functionality and productivity. Additionally, a good intranet supports communication and engagement, providing platforms for feedback, social interaction, and recognition.

A good intranet should serve as a one-stop-shop that has everything employees need to do their job. It should become the centre point of your digital workplace, the place where employees start each day. This means integrating all necessary tools, resources, and information in one accessible location. A well-designed intranet reflects your company’s brand and culture, reinforcing organisational values and identity. By being the go-to platform for daily tasks and communication, it helps create a cohesive and efficient work environment.

Planning an intranet project involves several key steps. Start by defining the goals and objectives of the intranet, considering the needs of different user groups. Conduct a needs assessment through surveys, interviews, and workshops to gather input from employees. Develop a project plan that outlines the scope, timeline, budget, and resources required. Design the information architecture, focusing on a clear and intuitive navigation structure. Choose the right platform and tools, ensuring they integrate with existing systems. Create a content strategy, including guidelines for content creation and management. Finally, plan for user training and ongoing support to ensure successful adoption and continuous improvement.