Top SharePoint Features Most Businesses Aren’t Using But Should Be

Microsoft SharePoint is a powerful platform widely used by businesses for document management, collaboration, and content sharing. However, many organizations only scratch the surface of what SharePoint can do. There are numerous features that can significantly improve productivity, streamline workflows, and enhance communication, yet these capabilities often go underutilized.

At SummitPoint, we help businesses unlock the full potential of SharePoint by identifying key features that deliver real value. Whether you’re new to SharePoint or looking to optimize your existing setup, understanding these underused tools can transform how your team works.

1. Version Control and Document History

While most users save and update files, many don’t fully utilize SharePoint’s robust version control system. This feature tracks every change made to a document, allowing you to review or restore previous versions easily.

Using version history helps prevent data loss, resolve conflicts, and maintain an audit trail, especially valuable in regulated industries or teams with frequent document collaboration.

2. Automated Workflows with Power Automate

SharePoint works smoothly with Microsoft Power Automate, allowing businesses to automate repetitive tasks easily without any coding. Automated workflows can include:

• Document approval processes

• Notifications when files are updated

• Automatic archiving of outdated content

Many organizations miss out on this feature, continuing manual processes that automation could streamline.

3. Custom Lists and Metadata

Instead of relying on simple folders and filenames, SharePoint allows the creation of custom lists enriched with metadata fields. This helps categorize, filter, and find documents or data more efficiently.

For example, a project management team might create lists tracking project status, deadlines, or assigned personnel, all searchable and sortable within SharePoint.

4. Secure External Sharing

Sharing documents with clients, vendors, or partners is critical, but it needs to be secure. SharePoint’s external sharing features let you control who accesses files, how long they can view them, and what permissions they have.

Businesses often overlook these granular controls and resort to less secure file-sharing alternatives.

5. Integration with Microsoft Teams

Many companies now use Microsoft Teams for communication, but not everyone realizes how closely SharePoint integrates with Teams. Every team channel in Teams has a dedicated SharePoint site behind the scenes for file storage.

Leveraging this integration means your files stay organized and accessible while conversations happen in real time, boosting collaboration without extra steps.

6. Personalized Content and Newsfeeds

SharePoint can deliver personalized content experiences based on user roles, interests, or departments. The newsfeed and dashboard tools help keep employees updated with important announcements and relevant information.

This enhances engagement and ensures teams stay aligned with company goals and initiatives.

7. Powerful Search Functionality

SharePoint’s search capabilities go far beyond basic keyword lookups. Advanced search lets users filter by document type, author, date, metadata, and more. Custom search configurations can further tailor results to your business needs.

Effective use of search saves time and reduces frustration, especially in large organizations with vast amounts of content.

8. Mobile Access and Responsiveness

With more remote and mobile work than ever before, accessing SharePoint on smartphones and tablets is crucial. SharePoint’s mobile apps provide nearly full desktop functionality, allowing teams to review, edit, and collaborate on documents anytime, anywhere.

Despite this, many companies fail to promote mobile adoption, missing out on increased flexibility and productivity.

How SummitPoint Helps Businesses Harness SharePoint Features

At SummitPoint, we specialize in helping organizations fully leverage SharePoint’s capabilities. We assess your current environment, identify gaps, and implement solutions tailored to your workflows and goals.

From setting up automated workflows to customizing metadata and enhancing security settings, our team ensures you get maximum value from your SharePoint investment.

Making the Most of SharePoint Features

To unlock these powerful SharePoint features, consider:

• Training teams on lesser-known tools and best practices

• Regularly reviewing your SharePoint setup for optimization opportunities

• Partnering with experts like SummitPoint for strategic guidance

• Encouraging feedback from users to tailor SharePoint to their needs

These steps help transform SharePoint from a simple file repository into a dynamic collaboration platform.

Unlocking Business Potential with SummitPoint and SharePoint Features

Understanding and utilizing the full spectrum of SharePoint features can redefine how your business manages information and collaborates. From enhanced security to automated workflows and personalized content, these capabilities drive efficiency and engagement.

By working with SummitPoint, you gain access to the expertise needed to harness SharePoint’s potential fully. Let us help you unlock hidden features that your team isn’t yet using but should be, taking your productivity and collaboration to the next level.