For many organisations, SharePoint is the backbone of their digital workplace, a central hub for collaboration, document management and information sharing. Yet, simply having SharePoint doesn’t guarantee you’re getting the most out of it. Without proper optimisation, it can quickly become a source of frustration rather than efficiency.
Sorting out your SharePoint is a big job, and it can be hard to understand where to start. That is why we have created out 10-step SharePoint benchmarking guide to help you evaluate your SharePoint and easily identify opportunities for improvement.
10-step SharePoint Benchmarking guide
- User Adoption
Are your staff actively embracing SharePoint as their primary collaboration hub? High user adoption is a clear indicator that your SharePoint environment is intuitive, valuable, and meeting the needs of your employees. Low adoption can signal issues with usability, training, or perceived relevance.
- Information Architecture
Is your content structured logically and clearly? A well-planned information architecture, including libraries, sites, and pages, is crucial for easy navigation and content discoverability. A poorly organised system leads to wasted time searching for information.
- Search & Findability
Can users effortlessly locate the files and content they need? Effective search functionality is paramount. This goes hand-in-hand with good information architecture and proper metadata usage. If users can’t find what they’re looking for, productivity suffers.
- Document Versioning
Are version histories used consistently and correctly? Proper document versioning ensures that changes are tracked, previous iterations can be restored, and there’s a clear audit trail for important documents. This is vital for maintaining data integrity and compliance.
- Metadata Usage
Are you effectively leveraging tags and columns to enhance navigation and organisation? Metadata provides context to your content, making it easier to categorise, search and manage. Underutilised metadata is a missed opportunity for greater efficiency.
- Access Control & Permissions
Are permissions managed securely and efficiently through groups with clear governance? Robust access control ensures that only authorised users can view, edit, or delete sensitive information. Poorly managed permissions can lead to security vulnerabilities and compliance issues.
- Workflow Automation
Are approval flows, forms, and repeatable tasks automated within SharePoint? Automating routine processes saves time, reduces errors and improves overall efficiency. SharePoint’s workflow capabilities can transform tedious manual tasks into streamlined operations.
- Integration with Microsoft 365
Is SharePoint seamlessly integrated with other Microsoft 365 applications like Teams, Outlook, and Planner? A truly integrated digital workspace enhances collaboration and productivity by providing a unified experience across all your essential tools.
- Security & Compliance
Is your data protected by essential measures such as Data Loss Prevention (DLP), Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), and robust retention policies? Ensuring the security and compliance of your SharePoint environment is non-negotiable in today’s landscape.
- Ongoing Governance
Do you have regular reviews and clear ownership for SharePoint content and structure? Effective ongoing governance ensures that your SharePoint environment remains organised, secure, and relevant over time, adapting to evolving business needs.
Get your SharePoint benchmark today
We have provided a downloadable version for you to complete, accessible here. Give yourself a score from 1 to 5 for each of the questions and then look at your total. Less than 25 and you have plenty of opportunity for improvement, 25-40 you’re doing well on some criteria, but others are lacking so some opportunities for improvement and 40 or over and your SharePoint setup is well in hand and working well for your business.
By addressing these 10 key areas, you can gain a clear understanding of your SharePoint’s current state and identify actionable steps to optimise its performance. We provide SharePoint reviews where our SharePoint consultants provide an in-depth review and improvement plan. To find out more visit our SharePoint services here or contact us today.
