Now more than ever, the SharePoint platform is evolving, both as a brand and platform. Microsoft has unveiled a ton of new features, which are designed to address enterprise content services requirements. The swift support of Microsoft makes it apparent that SharePoint is here to stay. So, what to expect from it and with SharePoint development?
Many companies rely on the platform in managing information and data. Furthermore, more are contemplating leaping. Nonetheless, before looking for SharePoint developers’ services, it is important to determine what would better serve the business not only for the present but for the future too. Nonetheless, with two available choices, an organization should determine what serves best.
The SharePoint Server
The SharePoint Server is a platform that’s hosted locally, owned and operated by an organization. The company is responsible for everything, from the active directory, architecture, down to the file storage. Many companies continue to put their trust on-premise SharePoint versions instead of moving to cloud Office 365 SharePoint online. All in all, the SharePoint server is a contemporary and updated platform for flexibility and selection reimagined to emphasize the user experience.
Forthcoming developments of features of SharePoint server
Here is some light on the latest features:
- Enhanced support for business process with Flow and Power Apps
- Would have pages, current sites, libraries and lists
- SharePoint Home
- Able to get team updates
- Updated hybrid support as well as user circumstances
- Access to communication sites for information about related facts
- New developer possibilities
What lies in the future?
With no doubt, one of the biggest developments of the SharePoint server is the new native support for hybrid circumstances. This could be formed all through the process of deployment. This iteration is a win-win situation for users of SharePoint and for the various organizations that use it as well. The server has been improved for the software industry. A lot of new features were incorporated with knowledgeable information, opinion, procedure, and team to back clients who keep the platform and OneDrive workloads on locations as well.
It would pour with several new developments and improved current team and communication sites, improved UI, libraries, pages and news. The features would provide a good deal for on-premise and online consumers too. The new SharePoint Server 2019 version is going in full swing.
The SharePoint Online
SharePoint Online is a cloud-based service that is directly provided from Microsoft. They handle architecture and management identity. It finds information fast, empowers teamwork and collaborates across an organization seamlessly.
Forthcoming developments of features of SharePoint Online
Microsoft announced some new capabilities for subscribers, especially those getting the so-called ‘targeted’ releases.
- Site Swap capability
- Associate a communication or team site with a Hub Site
- OneDrive has a ‘Popular Around Me’ feature, showing files shared with a certain user
- Yammer mobile app
- Office 365 Command-Line Interface of CLI version for
What lies in the future?
SharePoint Online or Office 365 is changing. New things are coming out. Microsoft is offering a very robust collaboration solution, which more and more seamlessly integrates a hybrid scenario. With a hosted solution, an organization needs not to worry about the architecture, servers or resource management. Moreover, SharePoint could also be integrated with the whole suite of Office products, such as Word, Excel, and Exchange, furthering the easy connection between a program and a solution.
Benefits of SharePoint Server
1. Unparalleled collaboration. Members could stay connected while being able to share updates and files. The latest collaboration features enable real-time information streaming, enabling easier access and information sharing.
2. Easy centralized administration. It Enables a deeper comprehensive mechanism and control to administer. It comes with a console for central administration, enabling all system-specific settings, app management features, restoration, and backup and upgrading among others in one location.
3. Customized to development need. It comes packed with a range of the most unique and sophisticated tools to tweak, depending on the project’s need.
4. Usage ease and lowering the learning curve. Developers could build solutions as well as business tools without involving a pro developer. It further offers optimum ease of use and management even without deep coding knowledge.
5. Robust integrity and security. The integrated security features help protect data integrity from all kinds of unauthorized access.
Benefits of SharePoint Online
1. Cloud-based. This means that it could be accessed anytime, anywhere. All it takes is a web browser, which is particularly useful to access on mobile devices. It’s always updated and receives new features first.
2. Seamless Microsoft Office integration. It’s designed to effortlessly work with Microsoft Office. It makes things easier when using PowerPoint, Excel, Word or Outlook.
3. Centralized hub. Facilitates the centralization of resources, putting everything into a single easy-to-access location. Employees need not go looking everywhere and managers could oversee everything and ensure simple processes.
4. Document collaboration. Colleagues could collaboratively work on the same document at the same time. There is a live feed of who’s in the document with you, refresh it to see changes made.
5. Delve ascertains transparency. Delve, staying true to its collaborative nature enables viewing not just one’s document and activity, but those with other colleagues as well. With a virtual interface, one could access files quickly.
6. Rollback to earlier versions. It keeps a handy version history of documents automatically. This is not only useful in rolling back to an earlier version but if required one could also see who contributed to the document over time.
SharePoint and SharePoint development remains the number one choice of businesses. Whatever the industry may be, companies and organizations strive to boost productivity. Having a tool such as Microsoft SharePoint has made all the difference among numerous businesses and organizations in the world for many years now. Furthermore, the platform will continue to make a huge difference in the years to come. The collaboration features convert into an easy boost in savings as well as productivity.
When it comes to having SharePoint Server or SharePoint Online in the future, there is no simple answer.
For most small organizations that require limited features, such as a few customizations, document management and integration with Outlook as well as other programs, SharePoint Online is a perfect choice.
For bigger companies however that rely on powerful custom apps and who have heavily invested in SharePoint servers and Information Technology staff, moving to an online solution is not in their best interest.
At the end of the day, it depends on the size of an organization. Again, for bigger ones with more regulations and policies, keeping up with the current developments probably is tougher. Smaller ones could afford to be more adept and agile.
Still, Microsoft should be able to strike a good balance between the rate of the release schedule and the number of customers that could adapt to the products.
SharePoint is a multi-faceted tool, which integrates into a business and works in conjunction with the rest of the suite of Office 365. The most substantial changes have been put in place to boost the experience of both hybrid and on-premises users.
After working for more than 15 years in Microsoft technologies like SharePoint, Office 365, and Power Platform (Power Apps, Power Automate, and Power BI), I thought will share my SharePoint expertise knowledge with the world. Our audiences are from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, etc. For my expertise knowledge and SharePoint tutorials, Microsoft has been awarded a Microsoft SharePoint MVP (9 times). I have also worked in companies like HP, TCS, KPIT, etc.