There are numerous internal social platforms and intranets available, each with its own goals and functionalities. Choosing the right platform is therefore not easy. In the‘Under the Hood’ series, we explore what different platforms have to offer. This way you can better determine which platform best suits your organization. In this edition we take a closer look at SharePoint, one of the many tools in the Microsoft365 suite and often used to build an intranet.
From document management to a versatile intranet portal
In the Evolve Benchmark (2024) , 45% of respondents report having an intranet built on SharePoint. That is an increase of almost 10% compared to the benchmark study from 2021. It seems that Microsoft has strengthened its grip on the market, especially during, but also after Corona. In this blog we share with you why SharePoint is so popular, but we are also critical.
When SharePoint was launched in 2001, the focus was primarily on document storage and collaborating on documents within organizations. You can still safely store, organize, share and edit your information, but over the years SharePoint has grown into a much broader platform: for collaboration (through the introduction of Teams as a user interface over the documnet management system), but above all: to build an intranet.
SharePoint is part of the Microsoft 365 suite and it therefore integrates easily and securely with other Microsoft programs such as Word, Excel and Teams, as well as with Viva Engage and Microsoft’S AI platform Copilot. It is a versatile platform that is used by thousands of organizations worldwide and in various sectors.
Flexible and scalable
SharePoint is known for its flexibility and scalability. Thanks to the modular structure, you can easily expand the intranet as your organization grows or changes. So SharePoint quickly fits the organizational structure and needs, whether you are a small agency or an international organization with thousands of employees and complex structures.
Microsoft profiles itself with the ease of 1 suite: most tools are easy to integrate with each other. For example, you can easily turn a SharePoint intranet into a social intranet by adding the community functionality of Viva Engage (formerly Yammer). You create a place for employees to share messages and photos themselves, follow the messages and updates of others and talk to each other in groups.
But this all-under-1 roof approach from Microsoft also has a downside. Precisely because many platforms and tools are linked to each other and are accessed in multiple places, it can seem like a maze for employees. We see confusion, for example about where exactly documents are stored and who can or cannot access them. A confidential document is accidentally made public and a security issue is created so quickly. Both users and (content)administrators regularly no longer see the forest through the trees.
Simple, but also not?
With some basic knowledge, setting up an intranet with SharePoint is relatively easy. By using the standard web components such as the news functionality, a button widget with shortcuts to frequently used apps, and the document or video viewer, you can quickly set up a homepage. Integrate one or more M365 apps into your SharePoint intranet by using the embedded integration with Teams or Viva Engage and you have a clear and simple basis for your intranet.
Without in-depth technical knowledge, you can therefore get started with SharePoint. Technical support is often required. You are bound to (and therefore limited by) the web features and updates that Microsoft provides, making some needs that live (for example, from organizational goals) difficult to fill.
Customization soon necessary
For example, we find the search for a colleague a difficult job on SharePoint: a good who-is-who (phone book, smolenboek) does not have it. Advanced modifications or functionalities in such cases require additional development that requires technical knowledge (for example with PowerBI or PowerApps), or ‘third-party’ plug-ins. This type of customization is not offered by Microsoft itself, so with updates it is necessary to continue developing so that the customization functionality continues to work.
Even for the advanced security and management settings, the expertise of a Microsoft partner is actually always required. Be it from your own ICT department (often at larger organizations) or from an external M365 party (often at smaller organizations).
The mobile experience
We don’t think the mobile experience is optimal. Microsoft offers three standard options for accessing the intranet on your mobile phone via apps. These are the SharePoint app, The Teams app, or the Microsoft 365 app. It is also (or remains) possible to access the intranet via a browser app on your phone.
The disadvantage of accessing the intranet through the mentioned apps is that these applications appear with this name on your phone, while the intranet is often given a different name. This is confusing for employees. Customization is also possible here: create your own app with Microsoft Power Apps that pulls data from SharePoint, and you can add your own logo and name.
No flexibility in search functionality
In addition, the standard search functionality lacks flexibility and filters. The SharePoint Search bar takes you to a standard results page that shows a jumble of results: Documents, folders, individual files, and pages.
What you would like is to be able to add specific search filters based on company metadata, but also to maintain the structure, style and navigation of your intranet. What you can do to make it more user-friendly is to install the ‘PnP Modern Search’, from the Open source toolkit. This requires more knowledge on the management side.
Finally, the integration with everything from Microsoft 365, which we just mentioned as an advantage and the different routes is too complex for many users. So keep in mind, that adoption of a SharePoint intranet needs guidance. Microsoft 365 does not yet have standard functionalities available for this.
When it comes to adoption, for example, think of a widget that takes you step by step through the program, when you log in for the first time. We recommend that you provide your employees with additional training and technical support so that they can actually get started efficiently and safely on SharePoint.
A flexible and safe environment for young and old
SharePoint distinguishes itself as an intranet platform through scalability and adaptability, which benefits both small businesses and large enterprises. Whether you have a small team or a globally operating organization, SharePoint offers the flexibility to customize the intranet to meet specific needs. The fact that Microsoft is firmly established in the market of intranets is evident from the developments in the field of design and the adaptability to the organization’s corporate identity.
Until recently, we rated the possibility of applying your own corporate identity to a SharePoint intranet as ‘moderate’, because it was limited to boosting two colors and your logo, which often also had to be done by the administrator. But with the arrival of the SharePoint Brand Center in October 2024 and the introduction of flexible sections in February 2025, the possibilities of designing your intranet completely in corporate style without technical knowledge or expensive customization have become much greater. These functionalities are briefly explained:
- The SharePoint Brand Center is a functionality that allows organizations to manage and apply their corporate identity and branding to their SharePoint sites. You can easily store, manage, and apply logos, color schemes, fonts, and other visual elements centrally.
- A flexible section is a new type of Section in SharePoint that allows you to build pages without the limitations of the ‘traditional’ column structures. This means that web parts can be moved and modified flexibly, allowing you to create a fully customized section. Compare it to the freedom you have in PowerPoint: you can drag, scale, overlap, and group elements to build a unique and visually appealing Page.
Many other intranets provide security, but with a SharePoint intranet, you benefit from Microsoft’s comprehensive enterprise security solutions that come with the M365 license. This includes the Azure Active Directory (Azure AD), which manages user identities and access rights, making use of multi-factor authentication (MFA) and Single Sign-on (SSO).
SharePoint also has an extensive permissions structure and access control, so that only authorized users can access specific content. Through built-in compliance tools, SharePoint supports compliance with laws and regulations, such as GDPR and HIPAA. This makes SharePoint a good choice for organizations that have high demands on data security and governance.
Developments on Microsoft’s roadmap
Microsoft’s roadmap for 2025 focuses heavily on artificial intelligence (AI). the AI utility Copilot will increasingly integrate into Microsoft 365 applications and services, in The Edge Internet Browser and in the Windows operating system. Copilot can be applied in SharePoint to make management and use more efficient and intuitive. For example, Copilot is able to automatically generate sites and pages. Based on existing information, it makes suggestions for content, which speeds up the process of drawing up new pages.
In the areas of search (AI-driven searches), document management (creating summaries of long documents) and management (introducing SharePoint Advanced Management (SAM) for content checks and governance reports), Microsoft is also increasing the use of AI in 2025. With tools like Purview and Defender for Office 365, Microsoft helps companies better protect sensitive data. In addition, AI is used to detect cyber threats and refine data governance.
Cost
Microsoft offers different pricing tiers, which depend on the size and needs of your organization. SharePoint is part of the Microsoft 365 subscription in most subscription forms, which many organizations already have. As a result, it can be cost-effective: after all, you do not need to purchase an additional tool or platform.
If your organization already has the ‘standard’ licenses (or, for example, the A3 license at an educational institution), this is sufficient to set up a SharePoint intranet. For larger organizations with more complex requirements, licensing and implementation costs can increase significantly.
This also applies to smaller organizations, organizations with very low digital skills or organizations with very specific needs. Think of the costs for an external Microsoft party, for example because there is no functional administrator within your organization, or an adoption strategy to support employees in the use.
| Bedrijven (Business) | Grote ondernemingen (Enterprise) | Onderwijsinstellingen (Education) | Overheidsinstanties (Government) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Licentieprijzen | Licentieprijzen | Licentieprijzen alleen op aanvraag | Licentieprijzen alleen op aanvraag |
| Basic – Web- en mobiele versies van Office, Teams, SharePoint, Exchange. | E3 – Bevat Office, geavanceerde beheeropties en beveiliging. | A1 – Gratis basisversie voor scholen, alleen web-apps. | G1 – Basisfunctionaliteiten, zoals webgebaseerde Office-apps en e-mail. |
| Standard – Inclusief desktopversies van Office en e-mailhosting. | E5 – Uitgebreidere beveiliging, Power BI Pro en geavanceerde compliance. | A3 – Inclusief desktopapps, Intune en geavanceerde beveiliging. | G3 – Inclusief desktopapps, geavanceerde beveiliging en beheeropties. |
| Premium – Extra beveiliging met Intune en Azure AD Premium P1. | F3 – Voor frontline-medewerkers, met beperkte Office-apps en beveiliging. | A5 – Extra compliance en geavanceerde beveiligingsopties. | G5 – Uitgebreide compliance en beveiligingsfuncties, inclusief geavanceerde dreigingsbescherming en Power BI Pro. |
| Apps for Business – Alleen Office-apps, zonder e-mail en cloudbeheer | Copilot – Toegang tot Microsoft 365 Copilot in apps zoals Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook en Teams | Copilot – Toegang tot Microsoft 365 Copilot in apps zoals Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook en Teams | Copilot – Toegang tot Microsoft 365 Copilot in apps zoals Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook en Teams |
| Copilot – Toegang tot Microsoft 365 Copilot in apps zoals Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook en Teams |
Want to know more?
Want to know more about our experiences with SharePoint? Or need concrete help? We would like to exchange ideas with you. Contact Peter Haan via peter@evolve.eu or +31 6 13 98 14 27. Or leave your details via the contact form:
