What is the (Share)Point of Document Management?

AKA: SharePoint - What is it good for?

The podcast discusses SharePoint and its evolution over the years. Initially marketed for various business needs like website building, analytics, and workflow management, SharePoint's current primary focus is on document management. It offers useful features like additional metadata, versioning, and integration with Microsoft OneDrive and Teams.

SharePoint excels in document searching, but for serious document management, more robust solutions might be needed. SharePoint lists are popular for quick data input and sharing, particularly in Power Apps and Power BI demos. However, they are not as structured as databases and can lead to connectivity issues if not managed properly.

While SharePoint is useful for linking Excel spreadsheets in Power BI for easy updates, its role in the future seems more focused on document management. Other tools like Power BI, Power Automate, and Power Pages have taken over functions SharePoint used to cover.

Best practices for SharePoint include using it for document management, versioning, and collaboration. However, it's not suitable for true records management or extensive data management. SharePoint should not be used as a database or for storing multiple Excel sheets as a pseudo-database.

Proliferation of SharePoint sites can lead to confusion, so it's important to manage and control their creation and use, similar to file shares.

In conclusion, SharePoint is a cost-effective document management solution with certain limitations. For more complex needs, other tools within the Power Platform and Fabric should be explored. SharePoint is becoming more focused and purposeful, which is positive for its future.

Next week's topic will be "Citizen Developers and the Democratization of Data."

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Transcript

Andy: Today's topic is SharePoint. What is it good for, or as Tom titled it, "What is the SharePoint of Document Management?"

Tom: SharePoint has evolved over the years. It's been marketed as a tool for various business problems—website building, analytics, workflow management. Currently, its primary focus is document management. Although not the most feature-rich, it meets the needs of most organizations, offering capabilities like additional metadata, versioning, and underpinning Microsoft OneDrive and Teams.

Andy: SharePoint does a great job in document searching, even text searching. For serious document management, you might need a more robust solution, but SharePoint is sufficient for most needs.

Andy: What about SharePoint for data management? SharePoint lists are popular in demos, especially with Power Apps and Power BI. They're simple to set up and effective, a middle ground between a Power App and an Excel spreadsheet. Shailan, your thoughts?

Shailan: SharePoint lists are great for quick data input and sharing, with easy connectors to Power BI and Power Apps. However, they're not as structured as databases. We often see organizations using them like Excel or Access, leading to issues with data management and connectivity. Using personal accounts for connections can also cause access problems.

Tom: SharePoint lists are a good starting point for collaboration, but they can't replace a structured database or support extensive automation.

Andy: SharePoint is also useful for linking to Excel spreadsheets in Power BI, allowing for easy refreshes and updates. Where do you think SharePoint is heading?

Tom: It's hard to predict, but SharePoint will likely remain focused on document management. Other tools like Power BI and Power Automate have taken over areas SharePoint used to cover.

Shailan: Yes, SharePoint was marketed as a portal for intranet/extranet use, but it never quite fulfilled that role extensively. Now, with Power Pages and other tools, SharePoint’s role is more defined.

Andy: Best practices for SharePoint?

Shailan: Use SharePoint for document management, versioning, and collaboration. It’s easy to set up security around documents and share information. However, it’s not suitable for true records management.

Tom: Versioning in SharePoint is useful for documents but not for code or data that needs source control. Think about the metadata and level of versioning needed.

Andy: How does SharePoint fit with data lakes?

Tom: They serve different purposes. SharePoint is for storing documents, whereas data lakes store and analyze data content. If you need to process the content of documents, a data lake is more suitable.

Andy: Are there cautions for SharePoint use?

Shailan: Avoid using SharePoint lists for extensive data management. Dataverse or other structured environments are better. Also, don't over-rely on SharePoint lists for apps and reports.

Tom: Using SharePoint to store multiple Excel sheets and treat them like a database is not ideal. A proper database is needed for robust solutions.

Andy: Proliferation of SharePoint sites can lead to confusion. Manage and control the creation and use of SharePoint sites like file shares.

Tom: Treat SharePoint like a file share with enhanced features and apply similar policies to manage it effectively.

Andy: Final thoughts on SharePoint?

Tom: SharePoint is a cost-effective document management solution. Just be mindful of its limitations and use appropriate tools for more complex needs.

Shailan: Explore the Power Platform and Fabric for solutions beyond SharePoint’s capabilities.

Andy: SharePoint is becoming more focused and purposeful, which is positive for its future.

Andy: Next week, let's discuss "Citizen Developers and the Democratization of Data."

Tom: Low code, no code, no chance!

Andy: Let's get excited about this one. See if Pops is available for it.

Andy: Alright, signing off. Have a good week, everyone.

Shailan: Goodbye.