In today’s workplace, collaboration is no longer a buzzword but a crucial piece of a business setup. With this strategy, there is a drive for a couple of advantages, including aspiring innovation, increasing productivity, and supporting excellent customer service. Employees and employers are always looking for tools that will allow them to create, manage, collaborate, and communicate without being present in the same physical area. Luckily, Microsoft has come to the rescue by offering tools that bring together and connect them to work toward similar and shared goals. High-performing individuals utilize Microsoft 365, which has major and effective tools that these far-flung employees utilize to reach the company’s set goals. One of the best and most well-known tools in Microsoft 365 is Microsoft SharePoint, which has reflected in the digital workplace by providing impactful transformations in business value and productivity. In this article, lets dive deep into Microsoft SharePoint, its benefits, and the top-rated books you should use to boost your skills and understanding in this sector.
What is Microsoft SharePoint?
SharePoint is a highly customizable web-based collaboration and document management platform that helps organize and manage corporate documents, media assets, records, and web content. It is a popular tool that is used by millions of people across the globe. Most organizations use it to store docs, which allows information sharing across the organizations. It is known for providing a secure space where users can create an intranet (an internal internet system), similar to other websites, and sub-sites can be developed for each department or team. It is available with Microsoft 365 but can also be installed on your servers in your data center. It fosters teamwork worldwide, helps employees and employers collaborate effortlessly, and ultimately increases productivity. You can use Microsoft SharePoint with other tools like PowerApps or Microsoft Teams. There is a lot that it offers, and with this fast-evolving tech world, its future is unimaginable. Notably, having SharePoint is the primary way to declutter tasks from individuals and the different teams in the organizations.
Key Features in Microsoft SharePoint
- Document Management: SharePoint provides robust document management abilities while allowing users to create, share, store, and organize documents in a structured and secure way. Additionally, it supports version control, co-authoring, metadata tagging, and document check-in/check-out and ensures data accuracy and accessibility. With the real-time co-authoring features, multiple users can work on a document simultaneously.
- Communication and Collaboration: Microsoft SharePoint facilitates seamless communication and enables teams to work remotely or from different offices. Team members can work on a specific document, edit it, and share their views through messaging tools, wikis, blogs, or discussion boards. It fosters a culture of sharing knowledge and skills while creating healthy organizational teamwork. Thus, it has a significant function that keeps information flowing throughout the sub-sites and the sites and lets the individuals stay updated with the current projects.
- Document Search: Microsoft SharePoint offers a powerful search engine that lets users find documents, files, lists, or any other content faster. It supports amazing tools, including full-text search, metadata-based search, search refiners, and federated search that will help you search for certain information in your organization’s vast data.
- Content Management: In any organization or business that wants to deliver top-notch productivity, content management is a major aspect to consider. SharePoint offers outstanding capabilities such as metadata, content types, and document sets that assist in organizing content in the best manner possible. It has made it easy for individuals to update website content such as blogs, news, and presentation stacks without much struggle. And when done, SharePoint securely stores the content and ensures seamless access and compliance.
- Intranet and Team Sites: SharePoint is an ideal platform for companies to create intranet sites and employee portals where news, resources, policies, and resources can be shared to promote internal communication, engagement, and interaction. Also, with Team Sites, it is easy to provide a dedicated space where teams can collaborate, and together, they will work on a specific task, project, or topic.
- Workflow automation: This is a key feature of SharePoint that enables the creation of customized business processes. It utilizes SharePoint Designer or Power Automate to streamline mundane jobs or tasks by automating business processes and ensuring operational efficiency.
Why should you Learn Microsoft SharePoint?
Microsoft SharePoint is an incredible and powerful tool that can keep a business running efficiently. Learning how this tool operates will expose you to many skills, including document management, collaboration, workflow automation, and the true impact it has on the organization’s productivity. In this digital age, SharePoint is widely used, and understanding it will open up new career opportunities. Particularly, those organizations that use Microsoft 365 are in high demand for professionals with SharePoint Expertise. If you want to learn how this tool works, consider thoroughly studying and practicing using the books listed below. Remember that learning is one of the best ways to pursue personal and professional development goals and dreams.
Recommended Books to Learn Microsoft SharePoint
In this section, let’s dig deep into Microsoft SharePoint books that are highly rated and match the interests of the learners:
1. SharePoint for Dummies
Microsoft is always ahead of time, and it did a good job introducing SharePoint since many people and businesses need it to improve productivity. It includes team sites that allow users to share ideas and work together on a document, file, or task. It is an outstanding tool that lets you work effectively and efficiently while allowing teams to collaborate when dealing with a complex project. If you want to master the effectiveness of Microsoft SharePoint and earn a reputable position in your organization, consider equipping yourself with the necessary skills with SharePoint For Dummies.
Ken Withee and Rosemarie Withee, authors of this book, have provided top-grade information and will walk you through how SharePoint operates. Remember that SharePoint 2019 is the recent version, and it will help you aggregate sites, data, information, and applications into a single portal. Hence, this highly recommended book will let you dive deep into the update and the new features. It lets you get up and running while ensuring you and your team are productive using SharePoint as a powerful tool. SharePoint for Dummies is the right book for those who want to start their journey in this area before moving into more complex or detailed content.
More details on SharePoint For Dummies include:
- You will find high-level, need-to-know information for “techsumers” and admins
- Dive deep into how SharePoint Online can get you started quickly without the hassle and frustration of building out your servers
- Learn about the latest release of SharePoint Online and SharePoint Server
2. Microsoft SharePoint 2016 Introduction Quick Reference Guide
Microsoft, through Microsoft 365, created SharePoint as an ecosystem that allows you to create and share information, content, or knowledge while empowering collaboration and productivity in an enterprise. SharePoint 2016 is a tool that you can use to immerse yourself in the world of easy collaboration, team-driven workflows, and less complex Intranet publishing. Its features are amazing, thus making it a more secure, reliable, scalable, and high-performing tool. If you want to learn more about how this tool works, consider going through the Microsoft SharePoint 2016 Introduction Quick Reference Guide. In this guide, you are given step-by-step instructions on navigating and using Microsoft SharePoint 2016.
Beezix Inc. was dedicated to writing this book in a well-organized manner that explains every topic to make it easy for the learners to understand. Notably, the author aims to deliver clear, accurate content in favor of the user’s perspective. Thus, the book walks you through the major points that will enhance your proficiency in using Microsoft SharePoint 2016. It is a valuable training handout and a suitable reference guide for the end users of this version of SharePoint. Gain more skills and knowledge on how to streamline and increase your data management.
From this book, you will cover the following topics:
- How to access a SharePoint site
- Expand the main content area
- Tips on adding pages to expand content
- Manage and share documents; OneDrive for Business versus SharePoint
- More information on SharePoint document libraries
- How to rename or delete documents or folders
- Sharing documents and inviting People to Share a document
- Checking SharePoint documents out and back In
- Effectively collaborating with others
- Tagging and adding notes to documents and pages
- Searching for documents and people
- Engaging in newsfeed conversations
- Using E-mail alerts
- Creating a list or library
- Deleting a list or library
3. Microsoft 365 and SharePoint Online Cookbook
Microsoft 365 is an integrated suite that offers intelligent tools to help manage everyday organizational tasks such as content management, communication, creating reports, and automating business processes. In this book, prepare to cover one of its tools that mainly focuses on allowing workspace collaboration with Microsoft SharePoint Online. From the over 100 practical recipes, learn how to improve collaboration and enhance business intelligence for your organization. Gaurav Mahajan, who is a technology evangelist with a focus on Microsoft 365, SharePoint, and AI and 19 years of technical consulting experience, and Sudeep Ghatak, who has over 17 years of experience working with Microsoft technologies, are determined to equip you with your dream skillset on SharePoint.
Additionally, these two talented authors will let you dive deep into the plethora of scenarios, examples, and tasks you will encounter in SharePoint Online and Microsoft 365. It is a cookbook for anyone, considering you will find content for beginners and more complex topics for the intermediate and experts. Being a straightforward learning material, it will take you straight to the key points and help you take your skills to the next level after learning the relevant topics. Thus, by the end of the book, expect to learn SharePoint Online and Microsoft 365 using a broad set of tools that will help boost collaboration and productivity in your organization.
Microsoft 365 and SharePoint Online Cookbook covers:
- How to use SharePoint Online to create or manage content
- Understand how to store and share documents using SharePoint Online
- Learn how to improve your search experience with Microsoft Search
- Leveraging the Power Platform to create business solutions using Power Automate, Power Apps, Power BI, and Power Virtual Agents
- Improve native capabilities in SharePoint and Teams using the SPFx framework
- Explore Microsoft Teams to collaborate with colleagues or external user
4. Microsoft SharePoint: The Most Complete and Updated Guide
Microsoft SharePoint is a game changer in collaboration and information management. It is a super-powerful tool that streamlines teamwork by making it seamless and efficient. SharePoint has an appealing and easy-to-use interface with a combination of a multitude of features that help increase the productivity of a business or an organization. It is a valuable platform for companies of all sizes, and its effect is felt after employers and employees undergo training or learning. If you want to acquire the ins and outs of Microsoft SharePoint, dive deep into the Microsoft SharePoint book.
James Holler aims to enlighten you on storing, organizing, sharing, and accessing information on any device using Microsoft SharePoint. From the 141 pages, you will learn how to effectively manage information on a business’s level and more content on the functionalities of SharePoint. By going through this book, you will hone your passion for achieving collaborative teamwork and fully understand the critical role that SharePoint is playing in most organizations.
From this book, you will learn:
- Step-by-step instructions for setting up and configuring SharePoint
- Understand the fundamentals of Microsoft SharePoint
- Some of the best practices applied in storing and organizing documents make sure there is easy retrieval and reducing information clutter
- Learn how to leverage metadata and tagging to improve searchability and discoverability
- Advanced security measures to protect sensitive data
- Master the techniques to maximize collaboration using team sites, document libraries, and workflows within SharePoint
- Seamless integration using other Microsoft tools such as Office 365 and Microsoft Teams to streamline workflows and enhance productivity
- Mobile optimization strategies for accessing and working with SharePoint from any device, anytime, anywhere
5. SharePoint Online from Scratch
Have you ever found yourself wasting precious time finding an important document, or have you ever had difficulty collaborating with your team? Microsoft SharePoint is your solution to these problems, but there is a need to learn how it works and its effectiveness. SharePoint Online from Scratch is an interesting book that will reshape how you access, store, and share information while ensuring seamless collaboration and high productivity across your organization. Prepare to unleash your full potential from the provided content and get a chance to revolutionize your information management. Learn how to stop drowning in the sea of digital chaos and acquire tips for accessing and managing an organization’s vast information resources.
Peter Kalmström and Kate Kalmstrom, authors of this guide, will make you appreciate the impact of Microsoft SharePoint in your organization. They have used the appropriate examples and systematic approach to ensure the readers fully understand the concept behind SharePoint. Here is a book that offers a starting point for anyone new to SharePoint or who has Office 365 and would like to gain knowledge on this tool. It is well-written and easy to follow, allowing you to learn from basic to complex topics in SharePoint.
More about SharePoint Online from Scratch book:
- Gives hands-on instructions on how to make use of a SharePoint tenant practically
- It is almost entirely no-code and intended for SharePoint admins and other power users
- The author aims to provide a deeper understanding of how to take advantage of SharePoint
- It covers best practices, admin settings, and security and includes changes in SharePoint Online.
6. Microsoft SharePoint Online for Office 365
Microsoft SharePoint is an essential tool that will let you say goodbye to information overload and an unproductive working environment in your organization. Since it is an ever-evolving environment, it is necessary to keep updated on how this platform works and why many business set-ups prefer it. There are plenty of learning materials that you can use, and this book is among the top-rated resources, well-explained and organized. Microsoft SharePoint Online for Office 365 is a comprehensive guide that dives deep into SharePoint Online and how it offers today’s advanced collaboration capabilities without locally managing your infrastructure.
Bill English has created this concise reference that will assist you in configuring and managing SharePoint Online to meet performance, functionality, and compliance requirements. Some topics he covers include security, search, user profiles, records management, App Catalogs, metrics, and other topics that will help you derive maximum value from SharePoint Online. By the end of the book, you will master the essential skills needed to deploy and run SharePoint Online.
Microsoft SharePoint Online for Office 365 will walk you through:
- Choosing the version of SharePoint Online that is best for you
- Managing profiles, properties, audiences, permissions, policies, and MySite settings
- Using Business Connectivity Services to make SharePoint Online your central hub for all business information
- Making the most of SharePoint search, indexing, and records and document management
- Creating and managing security and App Catalogs
- Solving the core issues of governance, risk, compliance, taxonomies, and training
7. Implementing Microsoft SharePoint 2019
As organizations aim to digitize operations — including content management — they should know their options. In this digital era, many organizations are digitizing most operations, including content management. Microsoft works day and night to ensure that the customer’s needs are well catered for and their demands are met. SharePoint is one of the tools this top-grade company has provided, and it serves as the central repository for digital assets. Notably, there are different versions, the latest being Microsoft SharePoint 2019. Since it is an update of the previous versions, its features are outstanding, and most businesses are using it. If you want to master and implement it in your organization, here is the right book.
Implementing Microsoft SharePoint 2019 is a book by Lewin Wanzer and Angel Wood to guide users on using SharePoint Server, specifically architects, administrators, and project managers. It is an interesting book that will let you understand the challenges, planning, installation concepts, migration steps, and configuration involved in providing this platform for your organization. Get up to speed with this version of SharePoint, which brings on-premise and cloud collaboration features to life. By the end of this book, you will be informed in Microsoft SharePoint 2019 and have the understanding and skillset required in the real world.
After digging deep into this book, you will:
- Explore changes to the platform and how to migrate from other versions of SharePoint
- Understand infrastructure planning and governance relating to collaborative environments
- Installing and configuring network components, servers, and desktops
- Master monitoring and troubleshooting SharePoint platform after it’s implementation
- Discover the tools used with SharePoint 2019 for BI and reporting
- Delve into social features and collaboration
- Tips on using SharePoint services and other Microsoft product servers and apps
- How to maintain, monitor, and support the rollout of the platform in your organization
Concluding Remarks
When running a business, you might try to keep files or documents organized. Also, it might be hard to coordinate teams and get everyone involved and up to date. Microsoft SharePoint came to rescue anyone or any organization facing such troubles by providing a platform that ensures a business runs smoothly. However, there is a need to master how this tool works, from document management to team collaboration. Fear not, since in the above section, we have listed the top-rated books that will equip you with the skills you have always yearned for and help you get the most out of the software. You will find different topics exposing you to the SharePoint tips and tricks required in the real world. By clicking on the Buy Now button, you will make a purchase and enjoy reading the book of your choice.
More Resources:
