Ways to Use SharePoint Effectively in Your Business

We're listing some common business needs that candocuments and other information with clients and/or
be solved by using a SharePoint Services 3.0 site.partners.
Maybe you'll find a few things here that you've been13. Access and work with your data using your
trying to find a solution for within your ownInternet-enabled mobile phone for added convenience
organization.while traveling or out of the office at client meetings.
I'd like to share with you the top 20 ways that14. Create better team communication and
SharePoint can solve your common business needs.brainstorming sessions where everyone can
And I want to emphasize that these 20 are only aparticipate when their schedules permit.
few of the many ways to utilize the SharePoint15. Centralize where company and team project
Services. Once you start using it, you will begin toannouncements are posted. Everyone will receive a
realize the many other valuable benefits that cannotification via email or mobile phone automatically,
easily be accomplished by the everyday user.anywhere in the world.
Shall we get started? Let's see if you can find a few16. Take the project tasks, team discussions,
productivity solutions here that you've been trying tocompany contacts, centralized calendars, team blogs,
find for your own organization.and files offline. and then sync the updated
With SharePoint you can:information later on.
1. Store all your emails on a secure and centralized17. Create "central" documents (and syncronize), so
Website for easy archive.all team members, clients, and/or partners are able to
2. Keep a central task location for assigning tasks towork on the same document and make changes.
team members. These tasks will automatically showUpdates are accessible with a click of a button.
up in your team's Outlook 2007 To-Do List. ThoseEveryone can then sync back to the "central"
tasks will also link to your projects so you can easilydocument and have all edits merged into that single
find out what tasks are still open for each project.document.
3. Organize large events and store the related18. Easily add custom fields to any area and capture
documents, assigned tasks, and generally postthe information that's most important to your
anything and everything related to the events. It willcompany, all without the help of a web designer or
also integrate with Outlook for added efficiency.IT person.
4. Collaborate with team members on all documents19. Pull up and update Microsoft Access 2007
and stay on top of who did what. Earlier versions candatabase from a local desktop and sync information
easily be restored in case someone has made tooto a central location that can be accessed from any
many mistakes. Projects can also be linked to relatedwhere at any time.
documents.20. Create a project dashboard where on one page
5. When tasks are assigned to team members they'llyou can view and filter on common project elements,
automatically be notified that they've just beensuch as: project details, project documents, project
assigned a new task. Alerts are sent when theretasks, project issues, project calendar, project
have been updates to the tasks.milestones, project lessons learned, project risks,
6. Use SharePoint as a robust, but simple projectproject change orders, and more.
management solution for your organization or team.On top of it all, you won't spend a fortune to meet
7. Use the efficient check-in / check-out managementthese communication, collaboration, and organizational
feature to sort your documents.needs.
8. Implement a help ticket resolution for yourDon't even get me started about the integration
organization or team without breaking the bank.features between SharePoint Services 3.0 and the
9. Start a private company blog to communicate andMicrosoft Office 2007 products, especially Outlook
share ideas with your team that's viewable only by2007 - It's fantastic! A few of the ideas above do
those you give access to.require Office 2007.
10. Gain more control over your company'sKeep in mind that a little training goes a long way in
documents with the content approval function.increasing productivity in the products you use in
11. Offer training materials to your teams, clients, andyour business. I highly recommend taking the time to
or partners in a password-protected Website thatlearn this efficient and effective tool and watch your
can be accessed anywhere in the world.productivity, along with your profits, soar!
12. Offer a secure and private place to share