SharePoint is a common workplace tool that works well for some businesses, but it leaves many mid-size and enterprise businesses shaking their heads in frustration as they try to navigate the ins and outs of the offering — a process that takes time, productivity and ultimately money away from the core business operation.
If you're considering SharePoint online as a file storage and team collaboration tool for your business, be sure to do your research first. There's plenty to learn about implementing SharePoint, including its extensive customization requirements before you make the investment.
We've listed out some of the core pros and cons for using SharePoint, as well as adding some tips to make collaboration, workflow automation, and document management easier for you and your team.
Advantages of Using SharePoint
While SharePoint can be complicated, it certainly has its advantages—especially for those who know how to use it effectively.
Here are some of the top advantages of using SharePoint:
- Diverse features: SharePoint has the flexibility to get a lot of things done, including file management, security and asset library management.
- Multi-tiered price point: Microsoft offers users the option to access SharePoint at a price that reflects the size and status of their organization.
- Integrations: SharePoint integrates with a variety of CRM and ERP systems.
- Customization: End users can customize SharePoint to create a comprehensive solution that adequately meets the needs of their business. Working with a developer, you can essentially tweak SharePoint to create a fully-customized Intranet solution.
Disadvantages of Using SharePoint
Unfortunately, while SharePoint does have its advantages, it has just as many disadvantages. We've outlined some of the most frustrating ones below:
- Customization is almost always required: Although the ability to customize SharePoint to suit your needs can be advantageous, for most companies, customization is required to ensure SharePoint can meet basic requirements, and often if customization is required, then this effort quickly becomes complex, time-consuming, and expensive.
- Not user-friendly: SharePoint can be difficult to use, especially for non-technical business users. In fact, according to a recent study, two-thirds of organizations using SharePoint report low employee adoption rates because the platform is so difficult to use and understand.
- Ongoing maintenance is necessary: To keep SharePoint at an operational level, it requires regular tweaks and updates to the software itself, and to any customizations that have been made to it. These updates usually require technical expertise and as such, many companies that utilize SharePoint see the need to maintain an in-house SharePoint team or on-going external professional. This human capital cost is usually unexpected and unplanned for by most. The result is a larger cost impact to the original budgeted project.
- Features can be difficult to navigate: SharePoint may come with an extensive range of features but for most, that makes for a confusing and tangled web of ways to use the platform and a lot of frustration for those who choose to try untangling it.
- Integrations are complicated: When it comes to SharePoint integrations, it's not as simple as entering a password and waiting for the magic to happen. Instead, it takes technical prowess to get SharePoint to work with the other programs and applications that are important to your business processes and operations.
- Limited Mobile Experience: SharePoint's mobile experience for the workplace is horrific, and that is a significant drawback for any workplace and its employees.
- Search Functionality Issues: SharePoint's search functionality is subpar, making it difficult to find information quickly. This often results in employees having to recreate work, wasting time, and feeling frustrated and unproductive.
Discover the Modern Alternative to SharePoint - CentricMinds
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The Hidden Costs of Operating SharePoint
The hidden costs associated with operating SharePoint are so extreme for most businesses that it's important to highlight this disadvantage specifically. It's not uncommon for companies to sign up for the platform at $5 or $10 per seat per month and think that's the end of it. Unfortunately there's a whole string of operational costs that go along with using the platform.
Implementation
Most end users can't install and set up SharePoint on their own. Instead, they need to hire SharePoint consultants to help deploy the program, set up integrations and determine exactly what customizations are necessary to make it meet business needs.
Customization
SharePoint was never meant to be an out-of-the-box solution. Microsoft developed SharePoint to be a customizable platform for partners to sell services to companies to build file management portals, websites and more. Building out the platform to suit your discrete requirements is a laborious process that requires a high level of expertise which most users simply don't possess.
Maintenance
Once you’ve managed to achieve what you set out to do with SharePoint, the updates and security fixes mean you'll be making changes to it regularly. Updates often affect the way customizations operate so when they occur, it's usually necessary to make additional tweaks to keep the platform operating within the scope of requirements you originally implemented. In almost all cases you’ll need the assistance of IT professionals with SharePoint domain expertise.
Employee training
Your team will unlikely know how to use SharePoint once it's implemented and that means putting time and effort into employee training. You can hire professionals to provide hands-on training, or you can opt to provide your employees with an online SharePoint course. Either way, you'll be on the hook for training fees, as well as the cost of paying your employees to participate in the training.
Employee error
Depending on your industry, employee error can be a costly mistake. While employees are learning how to navigate SharePoint, it's often best to budget for unproductive downtime.
Why Choose CentricMinds Over SharePoint?
Fed up with SharePoint's complexity and hidden costs?
CentricMinds is your solution. It’s everything you wished SharePoint could be, but 100% easier to use. No need for a technical team—CentricMinds is designed for simplicity. Imagine streamlined document management, effortless task tracking, and powerful employee engagement tools—all in one intuitive platform. Plus, our modern employee app keeps your team connected with real-time updates and collaboration tools. CentricMinds simplifies your workflow, boosts productivity, and enhances team communication, making it the perfect alternative to SharePoint.
9 Reasons to Choose CentricMinds Over SharePoint
1. Document Management
- Centralized Storage - Keep all your content and files in one place with easy navigation.
- Smart Tagging - Quickly find files with tags.
- Advanced Search - Locate content within documents fast.
2. Task Management
- Centralized Dashboard - Plan, organize, and visualize tasks easily.
- Subtasks and Checklists - Break down tasks and track progress with checklists.
- Real-Time Updates - Get notified when your teams tasks are updated or completed.
3. Workflows and Forms
- Automated Workflows - Simplify processes from request to approval.
- Custom Forms - Create digital forms for data collection and automation.
- Integration - Seamlessly connect forms and workflows with existing systems.
3. Employee Engagement
- Employee Morale Pulse Tracking - Monitor and boost employee well-being with anonymous check-ins.
- Recognition and Motivation - Use badges and posts to acknowledge and motivate team members.
- Surveys and Polls - Collect feedback and encourage open communication.
4. Employee Communication
- Enhanced Communication - Use chat, video, news, and discussions in the employee app.
- Real-Time Updates - Stay informed with instant updates and news.
- Collaboration Tools - Interact with coworkers through likes, comments, and posts.
5. Seamless Integrations
- Easy Setup - Integrate with Google Workspace, Microsoft Teams, Salesforce, and more without needing IT professionals.
6. Employee App
- Enhanced Communication - Chat, video, company updates, and discussions in one place.
- Real-Time Updates - Stay informed instantly.
- Collaboration Tools - Engage with colleagues easily.
7. Reporting
- Detailed Insights - Generate reports on document usage, task progress, and employee engagement.
- Custom Dashboards - Create dashboards tailored to your business needs.
- Data-Driven Decisions - Use insights to make informed decisions and optimize operations.
8. Secured Cloud Storage
- Dedicated Cloud - Keep your content secure in a dedicated cloud environment.
Ready to make the switch to CentricMinds?
Contact us today to schedule a demo and see how CentricMinds can transform your business operations.
Try our all-in-one intranet solution with a powerful employee app, emotional pulse tool, task management, workflow features, and robust reporting—it's the perfect alternative to SharePoint.
