As we await the arrival of a preview version of SharePoint 2016, we can only speculate about the full slate of features and functionality that will drive the platform. Of course, SharePoint users and integrators know what they would like to see in the new version.
Following is the first in an occasional series of articles that presents a wish list for SharePoint 2016, based on the experience and insight of the people who use it every day.
Scott Money, director of technology and solutions, DocPoint Solutions, is certified in SharePoint 2010 & 2013, and has more than 25 years of experience in IT infrastructure, project management and systems integration. DocPoint specializes in the implementation, migration, governance, design, training and ongoing support of Microsoft SharePoint and its integrated suite of products.
According to Money, SharePoint 2016 should include:
1. Improved connectivity: “SharePoint’s Business Connectivity Services should be simplified and developed for easy database connection/integration with external systems. This would enable SharePoint to seamlessly connect with existing solutions and help make SharePoint the hub for correspondence with other enterprise solutions. In turn, this will also have a positive impact on easier and expanded reporting options within business intelligence.”
2. Better search functionality: “As an ECM solution, SharePoint 2016 should feature expanded search and result options for easy content retrieval. Although there were some improvements in 2013’s search, I’d like to see 2016 evolve to be more in tune with other ECM solutions.”
3. Support for acceptance of hybrid solutions: “There is a huge push for the cloud right now, yet acceptance rates are low. Since we cannot force customers into a cloud environment, hybrid solutions will likely be the model for the near future. SharePoint 2016 should support this model, helping increase organization’s comfort with the cloud with a blend of on-premise and cloud-based deployment options.”
What would you like to see in the next version of SharePoint? If you would like to contribute, please email me at [email protected], or comment in the space below.
