Oct. 31, 2024 – Bo – Microsoft 365 Business Consultant
Are you looking for a new or replacement intranet and already using Microsoft 365? Then it makes sense to choose an intranet based on Microsoft 365. But what options are there and how do you choose the best solution for your organization? In this blog, we’ll tell you more about the different options and discuss the pros and cons of each choice.
During the corona pandemic, the importance of intranet became increasingly apparent. Teams were working remotely and it was crucial to keep everyone informed of important updates and company information quickly and effectively. This created a huge demand for intranet solutions. Now that hybrid working is the new standard, intranet remains an indispensable part of the modern workplace.
What exactly is an intranet? Opinions are divided on that one! Some think an intranet is outdated, especially with all these alternatives for employee engagement. Other organizations can no longer do without one. In any case, what they agree on is that an intranet provides a central place for communication and engagement. And you can set that up in many different ways.
You have several options when choosing an intranet based on Microsoft 365. We’ve highlighted three options for you:
1. Intranet with Microsoft Viva
More and more organizations are curious about the potential of Microsoft Viva as an intranet. At first glance, it seems like a great replacement for the traditional intranet; it’s free to anyone with a Microsoft 365 and Office 365 Enterprise license. Still, Viva Connections is not a full-fledged Internet platform. It does offer a nice additional way to strengthen internal communications, but its main purpose is to provide access to the Microsoft Viva suite, in which various modules and apps are cleverly connected. Keep in mind that other Viva apps do require a license. Some components are available for free, but for more advanced options you have to pay.
For smaller companies with simple digital needs, Viva Connections is a great option. But for most organizations, intranet and communication requirements tend to be more complex.
The benefits of Viva Connections are:
The disadvantages of Viva Connections are:
2. Intranet based on Standard SharePoint
Another popular option is to create an intranet based on standard SharePoint. Previously, organizations struggled with standard SharePoint styling, but now there are plenty of options to make your intranet attractive. Thanks to the new SharePoint Brand Center, you can fully customize the look and feel of your intranet to match your organization’s corporate identity. Think custom colors, fonts and graphics.
The advantages of Standard SharePoint are
The disadvantages of Standard SharePoint are:
3. Intranet based on SharePoint + Third Party
Finally, there is the possibility of creating an intranet with SharePoint in combination with a third party. In our case, we work with Fresh Intranet. This offers organizations the chance to benefit from additional functionality that is not standard in SharePoint. These include more extensive styling capabilities, a large amount of additional webparts and the integration of AI when searching for people and creating news items and intranet pages.
The benefits of Standard SharePoint + third party are:
The disadvantages of Standard SharePoint + third party are:
There are plenty of options for creating an intranet that fits your organization’s needs, whether you choose Microsoft Viva, standard SharePoint or a combination with a third party (Fresh, for example). Each of these options has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Are you interested and want to know more? Book a demo with me via this link. Let’s discover together which option best suits your needs!
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