Globally, business leaders have been using collaboration platforms to build teamwork solutions (60%) given the digital disruption. Adopting different operating models that work for both teams and employers is possible with the proliferation of collaboration platforms like SharePoint. It isn’t just a collection of digital tools; but an extensive suite for accelerating business growth and productivity.
4 Overlooked Points of SharePoint Development
Ideally, Microsoft SharePoint is a highly optimized and data-sheltered platform in which each feature is built to last. However, there are several things that tech leaders need to consider to get the most out of SharePoint. And in many organizations, the leaders lack enough knowledge to run and maintain this platform. By focusing on multiple core business competencies, they fail to try and test the vital strategies for SharePoint administration.
- Is the security of SharePoint under continuous monitoring and proactive improvement?
- Is the workforce provided with access, guidelines, and support for improving working methods using SharePoint?
- How SharePoint is developing and considering its impacts on the organization?
- Is the existing license version of SharePoint suitable for business objectives?
Digital leaders or enterprises can only begin their journey towards an impeccably optimized SharePoint ecosystem when they realize the full extent of what can be accomplished with it. When enough time is invested in security, recovery, and accessibility, it’s easier to visualize SharePoint’s role as part of the enterprise’s IT infrastructure. That’s why, outsourcing the responsibility of SharePoint administration and development to a recognized SharePoint development company is recommended.
But how can leaders determine when to keep everything in-house or when to outsource SharePoint development?
Who Should Manage SharePoint Development In-house?
1. Early-Stage Start-Ups
Since SharePoint is easy and quick to launch, it allows budding start-ups to focus on developing their business. However, if the company begins to grow rapidly, it may be worth associating with a partner to build innovative solutions and accelerate productivity.
2. Consultancies That Only Maintain A Handful Of Professionals
Consultancies’ ultimate goal is to deliver dedicated professionals to companies that need support for SharePoint optimization and development. Their operations are large in scale, and hiring them as partners will provide greater advantages needed to justify the cost.
3. Those who Consider SharePoint Ecosystem as the Core Competency
If enterprises are equipped with adept in-house professionals for maintaining and developing SharePoint, why delegate it to a third party? By sharing responsibility with several professionals in the organization, leaders can gain complete control of SharePoint at once.
4. Enterprises whose SharePoint Ecosystem is perfectly Aligned & Optimized
Leaders must ensure that their in-house professionals can meet all requirements for current operations. Also, it’s important to check whether professionals obtain all the support they require, and no money would be spent on needless licenses.
Tip – If you’re a small-sized enterprise that only relies on SharePoint for tools like form builder and content deployment wizard and have enough hands to support Workspace, it’s better to organize it yourself.
Also read – Mastering Workflow Automation With SharePoint
Who Should Outsource SharePoint Development to a Third Party?
1. Companies with Diverse Business Requirements or Looking To Evolve Quickly
Growth requires a stern focus on core operations. That means it’s better to leave the SharePoint ecosystem in the hands of specialists who can leverage its potential and ensure it genuinely supports growth.
2. Firms that Already Use SharePoint Efficiently and Want To Lessen Risks
Organizations that actively run and host business-critical functions and customer projects should outsource SharePoint management to a recognized service provider. This way, they can hire SharePoint developers, who ensure that their whole operations aren’t hindered if something goes wrong.
3. Leaders Who Prioritize Employee Satisfaction
Business leaders expect that IT and end users should get access to genuinely helpful and problem-solving support services via SharePoint. Outsourcing allows them to improve their work processes to better respond to forthcoming scenarios/challenges.
4. Enterprises That Want To Improve Their Data Security And Reduce Security Threats
SharePoint users in companies may have discovered vulnerabilities in their ecosystem, but they might not be talented enough to abrogate the complications. However, outsourced SharePoint administrators have adequate skill and expertise to overcome these vulnerabilities. By implementing time-tested strategies, they avoid possible financial losses or threats to the enterprise’s reputation.
5. Companies Looking to Reduce Licensing Costs
Some firms may not have a solid knowledge of their overall SharePoint system and may be using tools with redundant functions. This results in added operational costs. They may also be unaware of different categories of licenses and which one they need. This is where SharePoint outsourcing helps! They help enterprises choose a SharePoint license that aligns with their business objectives.
Three Primary Roles Assumed by SharePoint Outsourcing Partner
Collaborating with a SharePoint outsourcing company helps enterprises build custom solutions using the SharePoint environment and maximize growth. Three primary roles (Administrator, Developer, and Architect) organize different aspects of SharePoint implementation, development, and management. Let’s look at them in detail:
Administrator
SharePoint administrators help enterprises with workspace management, server health monitoring, and functionality integration. They manage the general permissions and accessibility distribution and build exclusive folder setup that facilitates file sharing and log analysis to discover trends.
Moreover, SharePoint administrators undertake the responsibility of delivering day-to-day support and maintenance. Many enterprises struggle to find the right maintenance experts, who can provide 24/7 support. The right outsourced SharePoint administrator will implement preventative measures and observe overall health to mitigate vulnerabilities when organizations need it most.
Developer
The SharePoint developer’s responsibility is to write code and customize the solutions to meet enterprise needs. By collaborating with the architects, they build a versatile, one-size-fits-all solution that evolves with the company. The developers are also responsible for specs modification and training in-house teams with newly built solutions.
SharePoint developers also ensure that updates are well-organized through a planned approach. They also integrate custom solutions with other tools/applications. Many enterprises choose to outsource SharePoint developer roles since they aid in launching innovative solutions.
Let’s look at a popular use case of SharePoint development
Kronos is a US-based multinational Cloud provider. Recently, their payroll system was attacked by ransomware, affecting 7 million workers. They quickly associated with a SharePoint portal development company through an outsourcing model to develop a payroll system solution using SharePoint. This would ensure the workforce will be paid on time. Since its administrators were already accustomed to using SharePoint for intranet purposes, it made sense to utilize the tool for payroll development and fast turnaround.
The dedicated SharePoint developers migrated active HR timesheets to the new SharePoint payment portal. Additionally, developers created templates in the portal so that workers could easily fill in their working descriptions, get consent, and submit them to authorities.
The new payment portal built using SharePoint exceeded our expectations and reduced 99% of our timesheet processing efforts, says Becky Sullivan, CFO.
Architect
SharePoint architects manage the overall infrastructure for enterprises. They supervise setup and make sure its complete functioning is optimal for business needs. In addition, they can recommend the number of memory set-ups and server installations to be done for both Cloud and on-premises solutions. They also collaborate with developers while constructing an out-of-the-box solution. The architect’s role necessitates staying updated on all variations and their impact on business clients.
Closing Thoughts
In contrast to in-sourcing, partnering with a SharePoint outsourcing company can enhance the enterprise’s approach to IT management. The specialized SharePoint service providers play a key role in helping enterprises expand, save costs, and modernize processes. Hence, it makes sense to do comprehensive research before choosing an outsourcing partner for catering business requirements.
Content writing professional with more than 5 years of experience in IT industry.
