SharePoint is Microsoft’s answer to helping employees relate, sync, correspond and coordinate information and content. The second half of 2012 saw the launch of SharePoint 2013 which introduces fantastic new features and updates.
Here is a quick review of the new system.
Simpler interface allows easier use
Sharing and managing information is the heart of SharePoint’s use. These documents are then easier to discover through SharePoint’s simple single search technology. Users are no longer lost in libraries as all documents can be searched for in a holistic manner without needing to specify their hierarchy.
In addition to this simpler format, Sharepoint 2013 search capacity also includes a handy action tracker that monitors your past behaviour and then makes recommendations based on this.
The Microsoft Office face-lift
The 2013 upgrade is cleaner and simpler, following the Microsoft Office format. This simpler user interface includes Microsoft Office’s easy to use large icons. Users can upload documents with ease as Internet Explorer and Active X controls are no longer necessary. One can simply click, drag and drop a document via any browser.
The actual sharing of these documents has been extended to 10,000 external partners and clients. Those included in document sharing no longer have to be SharePoint members themselves. SharePoint 2013 also includes an upgrade to adept Excel-modelled intelligence tools which includes the most recent version of PowerPivot and PowerView.
Social Capabilities
SharePoint 2013 runs in a similar manner to social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. SharePoint users are able to follow colleagues, clients, projects, documents and so on, much like the Facebook news feed. One has the ability to limit or sift the information viewed on the activity feed as with Facebook.
Changes to documents, uploaded videos and other such material are easily accessible from this activity stream. As with Twitter, users can also tag people through the use of an “@” symbol before the particular user’s name. Users are also alerted to when they are tagged or mentioned.
Making SharePoint your own
With easy to use and manage themes it’s never been easier to alter the presentation of a SharePoint site. Users have a choice as to colours, uploaded images and backgrounds. Users are also able to host and build webpages by uploading HTML pages which are then transformed to SharePoint pages automatically.
Broader communication
With additional language translation capabilities users can share sites and documents across a broad spectrum. This is a huge accessibility update which elimiate language barrier and encourage cross-border work collaboration.
Overview
From what started as a simple program to share and store documents, SharePoint 2013 has been transformed into a powerfully integrated, multidimensional sharing system that encourages user involvement. The ease of use with the latest version makes it a joy to navigate and an absolute must for any company.
Not only ease uf use, Sharepoint 2013 also boasts a wider array of uses. What was once a simple system can now be used for intranet or corporate social network purposes. It also performs tasks automatically that are essential to the core running of a business, speeding up time and access.
The combination of broader use and simpler access and format means that SharePoint 2013 is an invaluable business tool.