Successful Architecture: SharePoint and Teams for Visibility and Collaboration

In today’s corporate world, efficiency and collaboration are essential for success. At Torpedo, our main goal is to establish a solid architecture in SharePoint that ensures cross-company visibility for all group companies, including core support areas such as HR, IT, and Office Management. Additionally, we aim to optimize internal collaboration through Microsoft Teams.

Identified Challenges

Inconsistent Use of Tools

One of the main challenges we face is the inconsistent use of available tools. Some teams use Teams only for calls, while others actively share files and collaborate. SharePoint, on the other hand, is underutilized and only used for occasional information sharing. This disparity in usage prevents maximizing the benefits of the tools.

Decentralized Solutions

Different teams use their own systems for knowledge storage and management, such as wikis and internal repositories. This decentralized approach hinders integration and compliance with standards like GDPR. The lack of a centralized solution compromises efficiency and information security.

Disorganized Document Management

Heavy reliance on OneDrive and personal storage, instead of a centralized solution based on SharePoint, results in disorganized document management. Additionally, the lack of defined policies for document retention and archiving can lead to the loss of critical information, affecting business continuity.

Limited Adoption of Approval Workflows

Only a few teams are testing approval processes (Power Automate), and there are no standardized workflows for document, purchase, or invoice approvals. Limited adoption of approval workflows prevents standardization and efficiency of internal processes.

Challenges in Tool Adoption

Resistance to change and the lack of a clear plan to guide users are significant challenges. Without structured guidelines, employees may not properly adopt the available tools, compromising the effectiveness of implemented solutions.

Path to the Solution

To overcome these challenges, it is essential to implement a clear and comprehensive strategy. Here are some recommended actions:

1. Training and Empowerment: Offer continuous training to ensure all employees understand and use the tools effectively.
2. Document Management Policies: Define and implement clear policies for document retention and archiving in SharePoint.
3. Centralization of Solutions: Migrate all knowledge storage and management systems to SharePoint, ensuring compliance with standards like GDPR.
4. Standardized Workflows: Develop and implement standardized approval workflows for documents, purchases, and invoices.
5. Adoption Plan: Create a structured adoption plan to guide users in transitioning to the new tools.