SharePoint enables organizations to find solutions to common business problems using ready-made web parts and applications. Your unique business scenarios will determine the type of site and web parts that will be used.
Review the example story below to learn more about the site creation process. Use the stories to see how different types of roles and departments within any organization can work together to meet the needs of their users and business objectives. Understand the site creation stages - plan, build, and manage - and the types of tasks in each stage. Then, get started creating your SharePoint site.
Consider using and customizing the Project management site template to quickly get started.
More inspirational resources:
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See what's possible with the SharePoint look book
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Get step-by-step site creation instructions with Guided walkthroughs
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Read more SharePoint site creation stories
Scenario: A product team needs to create a shared and secure space to store documents, share status updates, and communicate
Megan is a project manager who is responsible for leading a team that's working towards releasing a new product in the next 6 months. She knows she needs a place to store team documents, collaborate on content, share updates on project news, and communicate with the team. Currently, Megan's team is using email as the primary form of communication and some project documents are stored in a shared place but can't be accessed securely outside of the office or on a mobile device.
New team site:
Scenario goals:
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Establish one unified place for project news, team collaboration, and project communication
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Enable more efficient ways of communicating by using real-time chat and video conferencing
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Unify team resources like a team calendar, email address, OneNote, and task management tool
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Securely store files and folders in one place that can be accessed remotely an on any device
Steps to create the site:
Plan the site - 1/2 day
Megan starts by brainstorming ideas with another project manager who has created a similar site in the past. She learns the best way to start her project site is to ask her team for feedback on how they prefer to communicate, collaborate, and the types of features that will be the most valuable for the new project site. Megan identifies her teams' top priorities and starts to gather documents, images, and other content.
Megan determines that a SharePoint team site will best fit the needs of her team and project. However, a SharePoint team site doesn't allow for real-time chat unless you integrate Microsoft Teams. Megan works alongside the SharePoint tenant administrator to ensure Microsoft Teams is available. She learns that her organization already has permission to use Microsoft Teams and all she needs to do is make sure her team site is connected to an Office 365 Group.
Now, Megan is ready to get started building her Office 365 connected project space and team site.
Build the site - 1/2 day
Megan builds a SharePoint team site, connects the site to an Office 365 group, and creates a connected Microsoft Team. By connecting to the group, she automatically gives her team access to shared resources like a group calendar, OneNote, Planner and email address.
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Using the Planner web part, the team can track and share project progress details
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The News web part helps communicate project updates and milestones to the organization
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The team has easy access to each other's availability by using the Group calendar web part
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Using the Quick Links web part, frequently used internal links are highlighted for easy access
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Integrating Microsoft teams enables new ways to communicate and collaborate with real-time chat, video conferencing, options to record meetings, and store shared resources form the SharePoint team site
Manage the site - Ongoing
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Weekly, Megan posts project status updates in the form of news posts that can be searched, displayed in the News web part, and automatically posted to the Teams channel
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Megan reviews the team site semi-monthly to ensure project deadlines and news are up to date
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When the project launches, Megan plans to revise portions of the site's content and web parts to adjust to the new rhythm of business of supporting the product
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Monthly, Megan hosts live Q&A sessions hosted by Microsoft Stream, and automatically synced to the Stream tab in the Teams channel
Results:
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Empowers team members to stay connected on key updates and extend conversations via persistent chat and video conferencing
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Increased team productivity by enabling team members to collaborate on content in Teams or SharePoint where ever they may be working
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Decreased the volume of meetings and email prior to the launch of the team site by increasing information awareness
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Enabled remote team members to work more effectively
More site creation inspiration:
Apply and customize SharePoint site templates
Guided Walkthroughs: Creating sites
Microsoft 365 productivity library
