Microsoft 365 is one of the most powerful collaboration platforms on the market. But there’s one catch: you need to know how to wield it. That can be rather challenging, especially when Microsoft often provides very few details about how their applications actually work.
Two of the apps most commonly used to improve collaboration are SharePoint and Teams. But what do these solutions do? And which will have the biggest impact on your business operations?
This article will give you the answers.
Microsoft 365 for Business: A Brief Overview
Microsoft 365 is a cloud-based productivity suite. It brings together the basic tools businesses have relied on for decades (such as Word and Excel), while also introducing brand new solutions designed to further streamline the workplace (such as Teams and SharePoint). The goal of 365 is to provide everything a growing business needs for success in one compact platform.
The benefits of this include:
- Full integration (meaning staff don’t waste time switching between platforms)
- Lower costs (you pay one subscription fee, rather than dozens)
- Smoother collaboration (resulting in higher productivity)
The latter is primarily driven by two applications in particular: SharePoint and Teams.
What is SharePoint Online?
SharePoint Online is Microsoft’s web-based document management platform. It allows you to store, organise, share, and access information securely. Rather than scattering important documents across multiple endpoints, which risks loss and stalled projects, they are all kept in and accessed from one central location.
Important features include:
- Version control
- Shared libraries
- Design templates
What is Microsoft Teams?
With Microsoft Teams, collaboration means productive meetings, fast updates, and constant communication. This platform is not primarily designed for document storage. Instead, it provides the means for team members to instantly interact with each other, leadership, and clients.
Important features include:
- Virtual meetings
- Text-based chat rooms
- “Channels” which allow individuals to quickly pass information to the entire workforce
SharePoint vs Teams: What are the Use Cases?
The descriptions above have likely made it obvious that these collaboration tools serve two different purposes. But how exactly do they fit into your business ecosystem? Here are the use cases they offer:
SharePoint
- Document Storage and Organisation: The primary purpose of SharePoint is to store files in a centralised location. This makes it easy to organise data neatly, in turn allowing employees to find what they need with far less effort.
- Data Security: One major benefit of SharePoint is that sensitive information can be locked behind strong security controls, drastically reducing your risk of experiencing a breach. You can even sort individuals into groups, and then apply a different set of rules to each one, effectively automating complex access control.
- Real-Time Collaboration: Using SharePoint, staff can work in the same document simultaneously and share it between each other without worrying about security risks. This streamlines workflows and prevents miscommunications.
Microsoft Teams
- Workflow Management: A little-known feature of Teams is full integration with not only other 365 applications, but a variety of third-party platforms. This means work can be smoothly moved to the next stage, without even needing to switch apps.
- Quick Updates: Channels allow you to quickly and effectively update the entire team with important information.
- Informed Decision-Making: Continuous access to team members via meetings and text-based chat means everyone always has the data needed to make crucial decisions.
Which Tool is Best?
So should you use Teams or SharePoint for business purposes? Usually, the answer is both. They each come included anyway as part of the 365 Business subscription, and can be highly effective when used together.
- Use SharePoint: For policies, templates, client records, reference material, and sensitive content.
- Use Teams: To ensure clear communication, keep workflows moving smoothly, and keep everyone on the same page.
This approach allows you to make the most of both applications, improving your business processes without paying a fortune or compromising security.
Keep Communication (and Workflows) Open
SharePoint and Teams are both valuable tools that allow you to improve productivity, collaboration, and document management systems. Instead of choosing between them, why not use both? Each has unique advantages that, when combined, address many common business challenges. And the best part is, no further investment is required.
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FAQs
What is SharePoint Online?
SharePoint Online is a web-based application allowing you to store, manage, and share documents from one central location. It’s similar to OneDrive, but with additional functionality.
What is Microsoft Teams?
Microsoft Teams is a platform that includes virtual meetings, chat rooms, and other essential communication tools.
What’s the Main Difference Between Microsoft Teams vs SharePoint?
The main difference between Microsoft Teams vs SharePoint is that the former is built for documents, and the latter for direct communication. However, they both help improve workplace collaboration.
Which is Better?
Both SharePoint and Teams are valuable, for slightly different reasons. Given they both come included in a 365 Business subscription, there’s no reason to choose between them.
Is SharePoint Document Management Good for Small Businesses?
SharePoint document management is incredibly valuable for small businesses. It vastly simplifies file storage, protection, and sharing.
