What is Sharepoint?
Key Benifits
Ease of access
As MS SharePoint is delivered through a web browser it can be accessed via any Internet enabled PC or Mac. In addition, specially configured mobile views are also available.
Single source of information.
The use of document libraries greatly simplifies the way in which information can be distributed. Currently, the easiest way to distribute a document would be to email the file to the necessary people. However, what if this document was then updated? With SharePoint this is not a problem – rather than email the document, it would be stored within a document library and the URL for the document would be distributed – thus ensuring that the latest version of the document was always being accessed.
Users kept informed when changes are made
Microsoft SharePoint makes extensive use of alerts. These alerts are sent in the form of an email, and are configurable either by the user or the site owner, to ensure that whenever a change occurs, the user is informed. These emails can be received either immediately, or at a preset date / time. Alternatively, RSS feeds and be configured to ensure all changes are noted.
Locate documents easier using custom columns, metadata and views
When a document is uploaded into a document library, metadata can be attached to it which will make it easier to locate than if it were simply in a file share. As an example, a single document may be relevant in more than one particular area. In a file share, the file could only be displayed in a single location. However, using SharePoint, a document library can have a view created which filters the documents displayed based on the document metadata which is stored in a custom column. In this way, the single document can appear in numerous locations and can be linked to within the SharePoint site.