SharePoint implementations in a big firm are complex and costly; however, the effective strategies involved assist in reducing costs without necessarily compromising features, scalability, or security. They make SharePoint deployment possible without raising the budget, considering how to use the optimal budget for the deployment to maintain the success of any such on-premises-based SharePoint solution.
In this blog, we will discuss the top cost-saving strategies for deploying SharePoint in large organizations so you can maximize your investment.
1. Streamline Your SharePoint Licensing Model
One of the most critical decisions in SharePoint deployment is selecting the right licensing model. To avoid overpaying, it is therefore important to choose the correct Microsoft 365 plan that matches your organization’s specific needs. Look into using Microsoft 365 Business Basic or other lower license types for employees who only need to access documents and have a few collaboration features.
2. Automate Workflows and Reduce Costs of Custom Development
While custom development can be beneficial, it often leads to high costs, extended timelines, and system maintenance difficulties. Instead, look to leverage built-in capabilities like Power Automate to build automated workflows and integrate SharePoint with other Microsoft 365 applications. These out-of-the-box solutions often reduce the need for expensive custom development and improve the efficiency of operations.
Use built-in SharePoint features such as lists, document libraries, and collaboration tools to avoid expensive third-party tools or custom development efforts.
3. Use existing resources for user training and support
Training your team to use SharePoint effectively is the key to really unlocking its benefits, but this doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Most big companies already have experienced internal trainers or resources that can provide some basic SharePoint training and support, thereby helping to eliminate external consultants or expensive training sessions.
Moreover, SharePoint deployment offers a wide array of free online materials and documentation through Microsoft, not to mention community forums and user groups.
4. Establish Effective Data Governance and Storage Management
An effective data governance plan that includes classification, retention, and proper storage management is crucial to keeping costs as low as possible.
SharePoint offers the ability to establish automated retention policies that can help manage and reduce data clutter. By applying such policies effectively, you ensure that only relevant and current information is retained and help prevent unnecessary data build-up, thus optimizing storage expenses.
5. Adopt a Phased Deployment Strategy
SharePoint should not be deployed to all departments at once but instead implemented in the departments that would benefit most from it. This approach would help the organization test its effectiveness, address any problems as early as possible, and eventually scale it up while saving money.
A phased rollout also minimizes disruption to ongoing business activities and allows modifications of your approach depending on the reactions of first-time users. Fewer resources could go towards fixes, user retraining, or unfocused customizations.
6. Look into Hybrid Rollouts for Maximum Flexibility
Many organizations find that a hybrid approach to SharePoint deployment is fiscally attractive. A hybrid model allows you to take advantage of both on-premises and cloud environments, so you can house sensitive or legacy data onsite while leveraging the scalability and reduced costs of SharePoint Online for newer projects and collaborations.
Conclusion
However, it does not have to be expensive to deploy SharePoint to large organizations. Thoughtfully choosing your licensing options for SharePoint Online, automating the workflow, using existing resources, and applying a data governance strategy will help you cut significant costs associated with your SharePoint deployment. Moreover, having it phased or hybrid will afford more flexibility and scalability, hence having an efficient, effective, and budget-friendly SharePoint implementation.
