Microsoft SharePoint

SharePoint product family

SharePoint is presented in the form of two main products:

• Windows SharePoint Services (WSS) и
• Microsoft Office SharePoint Server (MOSS).

In addition, instrumental means of Microsoft Office SharePoint Designer (SPD) is offered.

Windows SharePoint Services (WSS) is the free application to Windows Server. WSS provides a core infrastructure for joint work — editing, document storage, control of versions, etc. Also it includes such functionality as "routes" of the movement of documents (the platform for document flow), lists of tasks, reminders, online discussions. Before WSS it was known as SharePoint Team Services.

Microsoft Office SharePoint Server (MOSS) is a paid component for integration of functionality of SharePoint into MS Office operation of applications. It is a superstructure over WSS and expands its opportunities. Includes tools for a business intelligence — Excel Services, Business Data Catalog. MOSS allows to get access to Microsoft Project Server and to the Microsoft Office InfoPath forms through the browser, is centralized, according to the concept of the multimodular portal. Supports special libraries, such as PowerPoint Template Libraries. MOSS was known as SharePoint Server and SharePoint Portal Server earlier.

Microsoft Office SharePoint Designer (SPD) — the HTML-editor in WYSIWYG style (earlier — FrontPage) ground under creation of SharePoint-pages and management of documents for WSS of the websites. SPD gives the accessibility to functionality of the render-engine via Microsoft Expression Web and through a development environment of Microsoft Visual Studio. In the spring of 2009 became a free product.

Advantages

Monitoring panels

One of the most important product characteristics is providing an opportunity to end users (both to heads and managers, and non-management employees) to organize all reporting information of the company in the form of panels of monitoring and to create the graphical interface without involvement of specialists of IT department and additional programming. And these interactive meter panels created for information analysis simplification form from lists and tables of different sources (including, both space, and analytical). Of course, capability of a system is much important to build a so-called "tree of decomposition" which allows to spread out a separate indicator to contributing factors (i.e. to trace dynamics of the development given indicators in time on individual employees, on regions, etc.). Among instruments of data visualization of MS Share Point it is also possible to note existence of indicators in the form of the minimum sensors which provide an opportunity quickly to define a status of single value of data. Indicators can be used separately on panels or in reports of any form, usually they are applied in tables or matrixes to visual representation of row-oriented data or columns; also indicators allow to represent a trend using images. But the most important advantage of a product is providing an opportunity to all employees to make out and use important information in evident and well clear type.

Documents in intellectual storage on SharePoint can be structured by the name of department, client name, on their status, the size, a type (the invoice, the report, the agreement) or even on the amount of the agreement. Thanks to it, search of files in the general storage occupies the minimum quantity of time. At the same time for all data it is possible to set different politicians of storage, noting how many there has to be this or that document. Also a system gives the chance to notify the user at any change of this or that file. At the same stage instruments of control of workflows, for example, of control of stages of approval of documents and many other things are provided.

In general the Microsoft SharePoint platform represents the platform of class ESM intended for management of corporate information. SharePoint integrates in itself possibilities of the portal, storage system of content, joint work with it, the built-in automation equipment of business processes and also powerful tools of search and a business intelligence. Advantages of this platform is that all its functionality initially is "in a box" and the client should not buy additional options for implementation of any services. It is convenient also that a system can be serviced and developed by forces of the regular IT specialist, and to work with it it is possible including from mobile devices. The platform is a world market leader of ECM on Gartner for September, 2010.

Business process automation of the enterprise on the Microsoft SharePoint platform allows not only to create a management system of customer relations, but also document management systems of the enterprise, personnel management, technical support and also management of finance. At the same time a system allows to lower operating costs, to bring order to documents, to increase efficiency of work with clients and to increase labor productivity at the enterprise due to acceleration of process of information transfer and automation of routine processes.

2018: A possibility of joint work in the mixed reality

On May 25, 2018 the Microsoft company announced adding of functions for business in SharePoint which are urged to make experience of joint work more immersive and to give to users "smart" opportunities thanks to artificial intelligence and also announced SharePoint Server 2019.

Microsoft added in SharePoint a feature for joint work in the mixed reality

According to information provided by the developer, virtual environments of Microsoft SharePoint Spaces simply will allow to create and quickly video in format 360 ° and spaces of the mixed reality on the basis of the available templates with an opportunity to add intuitively 3D - objects, documents and other necessary elements. Viewing using Windows Mixed Reality headsets or in the browser without the need for acquisition of special devices is supported. The created project can share with colleagues and to work together in the visual environment with "complete immersion".

Using Microsoft SharePoint Spaces of the company will be able to create the customized applications which development from scratch can be very expensive. They can be used, in particular, for holding excursions for new employees, personnel training, joint product development and many other, noted in the company. In future Microsoft SharePoint Spaces is going to include in a packet of Office 365 for commercial users.

According to the statement of Microsoft, artificial intelligence technology will allow to make experience most personalized and also to quickly find the necessary files and contacts. Among the provided AI opportunities:

• "Smart" search in mobile application of SharePoint that always and everywhere to find all necessary;
• The improved Office.com homepage with the personalized AI recommendations of files;
• Work with images. Object recognition and the text in photos and also search of images in a key word in Office 365;
• Cognitive services for business process automation. Use of Microsoft Flow for acceleration of start of processes using cognitive services, such as image understanding, determination of a geolocation, text extraction and many other things.