Posted by Dave Greten on Mon, May 24, 2010 @ 04:13 PM
Companies considering the upgrade to SharePoint 2010 are asking "What's in it for me?"
To answer this question, Microsoft commissioned Forrester Consulting to research the return on investment. After interviewing 11 organizations using the product, Forrester created a "composite" organization based on the organizations interviewed. Using this composite organization, Forrester was able to estimate costs and savings over a three year period.
The results? Based on an organization with 5,000 SharePoint users and a billion in revenue, a conservative estimate pegged benefits at $3.1 million at a cost of $1.5 million. The software pays for itself in only 10 months.
A compelling argument to upgrade. But it is wise to keep in mind this was a report commissioned by Microsoft. And, given the large amount of variables involved, results may vary widely. Both of these points are noted in the official report.
Also, if you are making a case for SharePoint in your organization, this writeup clearly outlines how to make the calculations for your CFO.
Posted by Dave Greten on Mon, May 10, 2010 @ 12:30 PM
Calling California SharePoint users -
Join us in celebrating the release of SharePoint 2010!
When: May 12, 2010 @ 4pm- 10pm
Where: VLounge
2020 Wilshire Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90403
(310) 829-1933
What: Food, Drinks & Prizes!
Register here!
Let's get together to celebrate the biggest, most important SharePoint event ever: the LAUNCH of 2010! The LA SPUG invites you to join members of our community in welcoming SharePoint and Office 2010 into the world and to honor the hard work that went into this release!
Free beer, wine, and food with music provided by a DJ
4:00pm – 7:00pm : Drinks, food and socializing; DJ
7:00pm – 8:00pm : Launch program – Broadcasted live to the world!
8:00pm – 10:00pm : Drinks, food and more socializing; DJ
If you are not on this list, you will not be admitted to the venue. Hurry – space is limited and you don't want to miss out!
For more information, see the FaceBook or LinkedIn event pages!
Posted by Dave Greten on Fri, Apr 23, 2010 @ 08:45 AM
Ease of use, strong document management and a powerful search have combined to make SharePoint popular with law firms. But will law firms be fond of SharePoint 2010?
Mark Gerow tackles this question in an informative article for law.com. Given the costs and potential disruption in upgrading, Gerow runs through the new features that might compel law firms to move.
Among the features he lists:
- Large Document Library Support - Of critical big importance to law firms, SharePoint 2010 can now support millions of documents. The new version also features enhanced tagging and reporting capabilities.
- Improved Records Management - Records in SharePoint 2010 can be listed in multiple repositories. These documents can be accessed by designated users on the network for reference but not edited.
- Improved Search - With the purchase of an additional license, SharePoint administrators can power their searches with FAST, a search technology acquired by Microsoft in 2009. FAST search features the ability to index billions of documents, search by client name, industry or area of law, and a thumbnail preview that allows users to see relevance at a glance.
- Easy to Use Workflows - With a new interface, workflows (automated processes for opening a new client case, adding a new employee, etc.) are more easily created by non-programmers.
- Improved Document Editing - Users of SharePoint 2010 can more easily edit documents without the help of IT. Gerow points out this feature may be a double-edged sword, "As more users assume responsibility for authoring their own pages, increased governance around style and content will be required."
- Offline Access - SharePoint 2010 documents can be taken offline, edited and synchronized later. This may be of good use for traveling attorneys.
You can read the
entire article here.