Businesses and enterprises across the globe have been using SharePoint for collaboration, communication, and data management needs. Being a powerful collaboration and data management platform, SharePoint has carved a niche for itself by offering unparalleled benefits to organizations.
Apart from offering data storage, team collaboration, and document management facilities, SharePoint allows users to build intranet websites for seamless coordination and communication among teams. You can do much more when SharePoint is with you.
However, you need to have a foolproof SharePoint governance plan to manage SharePoint, its features, and other functionalities it has to offer. In this post, we will discuss everything that you need to know about SharePoint governance.
Being a multifaceted platform, SharePoint might not function as per your expectations when there is no governance plan in effect. Lack of governance will lead to chaos and inconsistencies that you want to avoid.
Imagine a scenario where all files are stored without any permission controls. Anyone in the organization can access any file, irrespective of its sensitivity and importance.
Do you want it to happen in your organization?
That is where Microsoft SharePoint governancecomes into the picture.
What is Sharepoint Governance?
Any software or platform must have a set of rules, policies, procedures, and processes to ensure smooth and seamless operations and resource allocations.
Sharepoint governance is also a set of agreed policies covering predefined roles and responsibilities for each employee in the organization. With a robust Sharepoint online governance plan, each employee has access rights already mentioned in the document.
Hence, no employee can access files and documents without permission.
Why do we need a Sharepoint governance plan?
Because without a Sharepoint governance plan, Sharepoint will not be an easy platform to manage.
Every day, a massive pool of data is uploaded in Sharepoint, and without predefined roles and responsibilities, it will create chaos within the organization.
In an organization where hundreds of employees access the system together, you need to have a set of roles and responsibilities and access permissions to keep it flawless.
- There is too much content as everyone creates their intranet websites and applications. Hence, the whole system cannot be managed properly without agreed policies.
- Also, when there are no clear rules within the organization, you might invite organizational conflicts as no one knows about their access and action rights.
- Also, without proper training, employees might not use SharePoint to its full potential.
- Lack of agreed policies and access rights, inefficiency will follow, which is not a good thing.
- The organization cannot utilize its resources properly when there are no access and action rights for teams.
Having a robust, flawless, and well-defined SharePoint online governance plan, you will not be able to manage SharePoint.
How to set up a SharePoint governance plan?
Before we delve into details about SharePoint governance plan essentials, you need to understand that each business has different needs.
For example, some organizations might have a massive pool of sensitive documents, and some might not have it.
You need to develop a SharePoint governance plan per your organization’s individual needs and requirements.
Do you want to set up a SharePoint governance plan for your SharePoint Online or On-premise SharePoint? Here are some tips for you.
Setting up roles and responsibilities
You need to set up permissions for each folder, file, and document. Each employee must be aware of their roles and responsibilities. During setting up a governance plan, ensure that you keep this thing in mind.
It will help you to create permissions and give access to them. Once you have predefined roles and responsibilities for each team member, they will take ownership and understand their roles for that particular task.
It will improve their efficiency and productivity, and they will be able to handle reporting and auditing properly and flawlessly.
Make predefined policies and procedures.
You need to set up policies and procedures that clarify what employees can do, and most importantly, what they cannot do in SharePoint.
Everything must be set ruthlessly, from who can edit a document to accessing specific files and folders to ensure smooth operational and functional capabilities.
Have a backup plan to avoid disasters
This is crucial. When dealing with software, things might not go as you expected. If anything goes wrong, you need to have a backup plan to ensure that issues are addressed properly, and the system comes back in action instantly.
The system must restore to its previous version effectively and effortlessly for any system flaws.
Keep in mind branding.
You need to ensure that all your SharePoint websites and folders are uniform and represent your brand perfectly. Having consistency will ensure a good look and feel.
You need to train your employees.
Having a SharePoint online governance plan is not enough; you need to implement it well. In addition to that, all the administrators and employees must know about a SharePoint governance plan in detail. Without it, they will not be able to execute the plan well.
Hence, you need to train them well. Even after the training is done, ensure that they follow all the new procedures perfectly to avoid mishaps.
Think about scalability
You need to think about scalability while making your SharePoint governance plan. Ensure that it scales up properly and correctly with your organization’s goals and objectives. Ensure that you make a plan that complies with your future growth plans.
Ask for feedback
Issues will come at the time of implementation, and you should know about all those issues and hurdles. These issues might be technical or functional. However, send out a feedback form to each employee to list down the issues and hurdles while following new procedures and policies.
Conclusion
You cannot manage SharePoint without a foolproof and highly effective SharePoint governance plan in place. You will be able to use SharePoint beyond your expectations when you have a plan designed and implemented well. Make your SharePoint governance plan now.
