If you work in customer support, you know how important having a knowledge base is. It’s the go-to source for customers and your support staff alike when it comes to finding answers quickly and efficiently. But with so many options out there, which one should you choose? A SharePoint knowledge base has been gaining traction over the past few years as a great way to help both customers and agents find quick solutions to their queries – but is it really worth the hype? In this blog post, we'll be taking an in-depth look at SharePoint as a Knowledge Base solution by exploring its features & benefits while also examining potential drawbacks. So if you're considering making the switch, read on & get ready to find out if SharePoint truly lives up to all its promises!
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What is SharePoint knowledge base?
Working on any project can be made easier with SharePoint as it acts as a kind of SharePoint knowledge base. With SharePoint's easy-to-use platform, storing and collaborating on documents is simple. The platform is part of Microsoft Office365 and utilizes other Office Suite products for its function - so managing data becomes streamlined. Plus, the SharePoint knowledge base allows teams to share internal documents securely, ensuring that critical information remains private and secure.
For organizations heavily reliant on the Microsoft ecosystem, SharePoint is a great choice for foolproof knowledge base management. All your major documents and templates created with Office365 tools can be uploaded and organized in sharepoint, making it easy to share files with teams across different departments. Using Excel and Word for exporting data out of sharepoint into shareable document formats is much simpler than trying to do the same with competing products. In the end, sticking to your sharepoint knowledge base means you get to play in Microsoft's sandbox like a pro!
Benefits of SharePoint
Easier onboarding for Microsoft users
Having a SharePoint knowledge base can make onboarding easier when dealing with Microsoft users. Your team won't have to learn how to use a completely unfamiliar system; they already know SharePoint, or at least most of the Microsoft Office suite. Keeping your knowledge base in those reliable and familiar tools cuts onboarding time and efforts, making everyone's job simpler. Plus, now knowledge base administrators don't have to remember yet another account name and password!
One system
By using SharePoint, you can access all of your work-related applications from one single system. SharePoint is compatible with Microsoft Office, so employees won’t have the burden of learning how to use a whole new platform. IT teams won’t have to waste their time vetting a new supplier either! SharePoint also offers a great resource for knowledge sharing: its SharePoint knowledge base. It’s an excellent way for team members to get up to speed on how SharePoint works and brush up on their existing SharePoint skills.
Security
Microsoft is a standout in the software industry, largely due to their wide range of products built with security as a priority. As a trusted enterprise supplier, their SharePoint knowledge base means businesses don't have to worry about typical data protection concerns like hacking or company bankruptcy. This longevity means you can rely on Microsoft's technology and enjoy peace of mind that they will be around for many more years.
Internal knowledge base
SharePoint provides a great option for collaborative document management which can assist your internal teams to work smarter using an internal knowledge base. SharePoint stores all of your important files and information in one centralized place, making them easily accessible to everyone on the team. SharePoint also allows for advanced version control - meaning that you won't run into problems with different edited versions because SharePoint will keep track of exactly who has access to what and when. This way, you'll always have the most up-to-date version available to you and your team members in SharePoint's knowledge base.
Put knowledge to work
Knowledge base software for lightning-fast customer support and effortless self-service.
Trusted by 2,500+ companies
The weaker side of SharePoint knowledge base
Non-indexable content
If you don't have the resources to set up a complicated Wiki Page, using SharePoint knowledge base can be really unhelpful. SharePoint hosts documents in a variety of formats such as Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoints, Word documents and PDFs which are not indexable. This can make it difficult for you to search relevant queries and will be hard to browse the content or find what exactly you need. Even if you make a Wiki site, only metadata can be tagged and indexed rather than the actual article stored in regular knowledge base - this further limits your search capabilities.
Lack of information architecture
SharePoint is great for getting a knowledge base set up and off the ground, but in terms of oversight, SharePoint falls short. There is no easy way to sort the data in an organised manner, so users will be presented with an array of information, all presented on one page. SharePoint really limits the structuring that can be done when creating a Wiki, presenting your users with an unstructured ordeal that could render them overwhelmed. Having SharePoint as your knowledge base gives you a great starting point, but should be treated as just that - a starting point - and further options should be explored down the line to ensure your content is efficient and effective for your users.
Limited number of users
A SharePoint knowledge base needs to be public-facing in order for it to reach the widest potential number of users. And who are these users? They're most likely your customers. If a login is required, you’ll struggle to scale quickly and cost-effectively as you gain more customers. Plus, making your SharePoint knowledge base public-facing will mean that some features like approval workflows or scheduling won't be available, so that's something to think about too.
No version control
SharePoint is a powerful tool for teams, but it falls short when managing tasks that require version control, publishing permissions or scheduling. Without SharePoint knowledge to optimize collaboration and the ability to set up an efficient editing process you won’t be able to make the most of your team’s productivity. SharePoint may be all-encompassing, but it isn’t always a suitable option for all types of collaborative projects.
Fewer features in the online version
SharePoint Online is convenient for access on the go and can still offer many great features but it's limited compared to the desktop version. SharePoint Online is more suited for taking a peek at documents rather than advanced features that desktop offers.
Price
SharePoint is designed for the enterprise, which unfortunately means a higher price tag than other solutions. SharePoint requires you to purchase a license for every user, so for smaller companies or startups it can be quite a barrier.
Is a SaaS knowledge base software a better choice?
SharePoint and knowledge base software can both be excellent tools for organizing content, documents, and other assets. SharePoint is a more robust software platform that can serve multiple purposes, from creating SharePoint intranets to developing SharePoint online solutions such as Office 365. On the other hand, a knowledge base software is designed specifically to streamline and simplify the detection of information through searchable databases of documents and answers. Each solution offers its own unique strengths and will deliver best results when chosen depending on the type of project or business you are working on.
When it comes to the advantages of a standalone knowledge base software over SharePoint, we can think of a few.
1. A knowledge base software can help you to centralize all of your company's information in one place. This can be extremely helpful for employees, who will be able to quickly find the information they need without having to search through multiple different sources.
2. A knowledge base can also help you to keep your information organized and up-to-date. You can easily add new articles and update existing ones as needed, which will ensure that your employees always have access to the most current information.
3. A knowledge base can also be a great way to share information with other departments or companies. If you have a knowledge base that is accessible to everyone, it can help to improve communication and collaboration between different groups.
4. A knowledge base can also help you to track the performance of your employees. You can see how often employees are accessing the knowledge base and what kinds of information they are looking for. This data can be extremely helpful in identifying areas where training may be needed.
5. Finally, a knowledge base can help you to save money on support costs. If your employees are able to find the answers they need in the knowledge base, they will be less likely to need to contact customer support for assistance. This can lead to significant savings over time.
Conclusion
Choosing between SharePoint and a knowledge base tool is ultimately up to you, but if you want the best of both worlds then a knowledge base is the way to go. It will instantly make the work process easier and help to improve collaboration, communication, and information sharing within your organization. With a simple search bar, ample database storage, and useful tools such as custom feedback forms, it’s clear that any company looking for an effective solution should consider going with a knowledge base tool. With KnowledgeBase in particular, you get all the benefits of SharePoint without the complicated setup process or costly extras.
So if you are looking for an easy yet cost-effective way to add versatility to your data management system, take some time to explore what KnowledgeBase has to offer. If you want to quickly build a knowledge base with organized data sharing capabilities and access them from anywhere in the world with secure connection options then KnowledgeBase is definitely worth a try!a
