Our company uses the solution for site creation on the collaboration side. We create sites and integrate collaboration components, layers, and forums.
Consultant at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
Tight integrations with Outlook, MS Teams, and all other collaboration tools
Pros and Cons
- "The solution tightly integrates with all other collaboration tools."
- "The record management and digital signature sides need improvement because we still need to rely on other third-party tools."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
The solution tightly integrates with all other collaboration tools.
The solution effectively helps with list storage, document storage, and document libraries.
Outlook and MS Teams are integrated with the solution and that is very useful for enterprise customers.
What needs improvement?
The record management and digital signature sides need improvement because we still need to rely on other third-party tools.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for five to six years.
Buyer's Guide
SharePoint Designer
October 2024
Learn what your peers think about SharePoint Designer. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: October 2024.
816,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We do not use any other solutions.
What other advice do I have?
I rate the solution an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Consultant DMS/ECM at Boint / Doc
Poor interface makes it complex to use, but the collaboration features are good
Pros and Cons
- "SharePoint has very good features for collaboration."
- "SharePoint is too complex to install and maintain."
What is our primary use case?
We are a consultancy and I am a project manager. We implement solutions for our customers and I have led several projects that involve SharePoint, as well as other similar technologies. My area of expertise is ECM, document management, information management, and related tasks.
The best business case for SharePoint is team collaboration. It can support a small team of people working on a project that involves an agenda, Wiki documents, and other related material. However, it's primarily used for temporary projects.
These days, I no longer work on SharePoint projects.
How has it helped my organization?
Using SharePoint helps our customers to better manage projects within their companies. Specifically, it allows them to easily connect people both internal and external to the organization and facilitates document exchange.
What is most valuable?
SharePoint has very good features for collaboration.
What needs improvement?
One of the problems with SharePoint is that it claims to have so many features that people think they can do everything, and that is not correct. If you want to do everything, you're going to spend a lot of money to achieve your goals. Essentially, the marketing from Microsoft is very positive but from a consultancy point of view, it gets us in trouble because people have unrealistic expectations of the solution.
SharePoint is too complex to install and maintain.
The admin interface is poor, making it too complex to manage projects.
The integration with other products is poor. There are too many instances where we needed to call a third-party software company because functionality tried by the user in the other solution was not covered by SharePoint.
In the future, SharePoint needs to cover more of our needs for us to continue using it. For example, the workflow is not correctly integrated.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have worked with SharePoint Designer for more than six years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability of SharePoint depends on the client's architecture. If it's a simple installation then it's stable. But, in a more complex deployment, it is less reliable.
For example, I have worked with SharePoint in a highly complex organization in the financial industry. Every week, the system would crash. The IT would have to tell the users that it wasn't working and then resolve the issue.
Overall, it's not the best solution in terms of stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
SharePoint is scalable, albeit complex.
We have approximately 10 customers that we have deployed SharePoint for. They have multidisciplinary teams, and people in many different roles use the software.
How are customer service and support?
There are two levels of support for SharePoint. The first is from the company that sells it, which is the main integrator. The second level of support is from Microsoft, which is quite different.
Most of the time, the support from the integrator is valuable, whereas the support from Microsoft is too basic. I would rate the support from Microsoft a two out of five.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have used several similar products including those from Alfresco, Laserfiche, and IBM.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is highly complex and the deployment strategy varies depending on the needs of the client. It requires between one and three IT architects for the installation, depending on the customer's environment.
I would rate the ease of installation and setup a one out of five.
What was our ROI?
In terms of ROI, I would rate SharePoint a one out of five.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Most of the time, our customer's license from Microsoft includes the cost of SharePoint. However, if you have to buy it then SharePoint is quite expensive.
I would rate the pricing a two out of five.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Based on my areas of expertise, I have to make recommendations to our clients about which solutions they should implement. I rarely advise my clients to use SharePoint. In fact, out of ten customers, on average, I would recommend SharePoint to two or three of them.
SharePoint is simply not dedicated enough to documentation management when people are looking for a real DMS or ECM solution.
What other advice do I have?
My advice for anybody who is considering SharePoint is to first define your needs and then take quite a good look at the market. For tasks including document management, ECM, or a platform content service (PCS), most of the time, you will be better served by a solution other than SharePoint. If, on the other hand, you are looking for team collaboration, then SharePoint may be a good option.
Overall, I am not very satisfied with SharePoint.
I would rate this solution a five out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Buyer's Guide
SharePoint Designer
October 2024
Learn what your peers think about SharePoint Designer. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: October 2024.
816,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.
The solution is user-friendly and makes it easier to share documents, but adding guest users to it is a bit difficult
Pros and Cons
- "The product is very user-friendly."
- "Adding guest users is a bit difficult on SharePoint."
What is our primary use case?
I am not a heavy user. I have a team that does it. We use the solution to set up sites within the teams we have. We do it for clients as well.
How has it helped my organization?
The product helps us with document control and sharing within the organization. It also helps us with versioning.
What is most valuable?
The product makes it easy to share documents. We do not rely on emails anymore. The product is very user-friendly.
What needs improvement?
Adding guest users is a bit difficult on SharePoint.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for at least eight years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I never had any issues with the tool’s stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The product has a high scalability. I rate the scalability an eight out of ten.
How are customer service and support?
The product does not have a technical support team. It’s hard to connect with Microsoft and Google. They will send you to a third party. We have to work with their partners.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Negative
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was straightforward. The solution is deployed on the cloud. All the solutions from Google and Microsoft are meant for non-IT personnel.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing is fair. We would always want to negotiate, but the pricing per user is acceptable. We get the whole system.
What other advice do I have?
We use Microsoft 365 because it is easy and user-friendly. We don't need to customize it because we use the solution as is. The product works the way we use it. People should not get a solution based on what they see out there. They need to understand their users' needs first, then, based on that, they must select the right system. Overall, I rate the solution a seven out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
System administrator at Export-Import Bank of Malaysia Berhad
A useful tool known for its sharing capabilities that can be deployed easily
Pros and Cons
- "When you have a group project and you want to share your document with your group members, the solution is very useful."
- "In the solution, if you have a case of accidental deletion, there's no restoration, which should have been there."
What is our primary use case?
When you have a group project and you want to share your document with your group members, the solution is very useful. You can share anywhere but within your organizations.
What is most valuable?
The valuable feature of the solution is that it can be shared with your colleagues, and then you can share it with everybody around the globe. You can share as long as you have been authenticated with SharePoint.
What needs improvement?
It's a web-based tool that is sufficient enough for me.
In the solution, if you have a case of accidental deletion, there's no restoration, which should have been there. This can help in restoration in case of accidental deletion happening.
Pricing and stability could be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using SharePoint Designer for a year and a half. Also, I am using the solution's latest version.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Stability-wise, I rate the solution an eight out of ten depending on the internet access.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution's scalability is fine. I don't have much confidence in SharePoint. It's easy for me to use.
There are 360 users of the solution in my organization.
It is extensively used, but we have no plans to increase its usage.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have only used a shared folder.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was not very complex. The setup phase was easy.
It took half an hour to deploy the tool.
Regarding the setup phase, it's easy and simple to use. There is nothing much to complain about.
It is based on one's experience and use cases that one reaches SharePoint. Then, you may want to share it with your colleagues based on the project. If you have a department and you want to share it among your department, you need to identify the use case before you post it with SharePoint. Once you establish the use case as a requirement, then it's easy, and it's like a sharing folder.
Two people are used for deployment and maintenance. We only have one system administrator and security team to support us on deployment.
What about the implementation team?
We used the help of a consultant or integrator to install it and for the briefing on how to use it.
What was our ROI?
I have not seen any ROI using the solution.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The entire package is expensive. There is no extra cost in addition to the standard license.
What other advice do I have?
The solution's stability has certain shortcomings that need improvement.
To others, I would like to say that they must know what they want to do before they embark on SharePoint.
Overall, I rate the solution a ten out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Client Support Team at WIT
Useful file sharing collaboration, integrates well, and supportive agents
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable features of SharePoint Designer are integration and collaboration capabilities, such as allowing more than one person to edit a file."
- "The search function should improve in the solution."
What is our primary use case?
We are using SharePoint Designer for file sharing and collaboration.
The solution can be deployed on-premise and on the cloud.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features of SharePoint Designer are integration and collaboration capabilities, such as allowing more than one person to edit a file.
What needs improvement?
The search function should improve in the solution.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using SharePoint Designer for approximately one year.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I have never had a problem with the stability.
I rate the stability of SharePoint Designer a ten out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I rate the scalability of SharePoint Designer a five out of ten.
How are customer service and support?
I am extremely satisfied with the assistance I have received. I have some uncertainty regarding SharePoint or, more precisely, Microsoft's collaboration. It is exceptionally remarkable to me, and I am exceedingly content with the support provided.
I rate the support from SharePoint Designer a ten out of ten.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have prior experience using Box. Microsoft develops SharePoint Designer, and numerous companies rely on Microsoft's solutions. In my opinion, integrating SharePoint with Microsoft 365 makes it highly user-friendly. Due to its widespread adoption by many companies, SharePoint Designer offers a greater range of features and support options. However, I believe that even without an expensive subscription, Microsoft still provides a solid foundation of features. If cost reduction is a priority, I recommend considering SharePoint as a suitable choice.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is simple.
I rate the initial setup of SharePoint Designer a ten out of ten.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price is reasonable.
I rate the price of SharePoint Designer an eight out of ten.
What other advice do I have?
I highly recommend SharePoint Designer for those who frequently utilize quick and convenient file-sharing tools and cloud-based licensing tools. Especially if they are already using Microsoft email or other Microsoft services, SharePoint seamlessly integrates with their existing infrastructure. However, if individuals primarily rely on Google apps or related products, I believe there is no obligation for them to adopt SharePoint Designer.
I rate SharePoint Designer an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Senior delivery manager at a healthcare company with 10,001+ employees
Great tool for internal and external communication
Pros and Cons
- "If you're working in a communication channel team, SharePoint Designer is a great solution because it helps to have some customized solutions in terms of communication and to create web experiences for external teams."
- "SharePoint Designer's integration with Microsoft tools could be improved."
How has it helped my organization?
If you're working in a communication channel team, SharePoint Designer is a great solution because it helps to have some customized solutions in terms of communication and to create web experiences for external teams.
What needs improvement?
SharePoint Designer's integration with Microsoft tools could be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using SharePoint Designer for two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
SharePoint Designer's stability is really good.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
SharePoint Designer is scalable.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
SharePoint Designer's pricing is okay.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend SharePoint Designer for those building a solution for communication with audiences across the globe because SharePoint Designer will ultimately be a complete one-stop solution for customers. I would give SharePoint Designer a rating of nine out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Assistant consultant at Vvolve management consultants
Valuable solution for reporting and storing files
Pros and Cons
- "We mostly used this solution for file storage and basic functions, etcetera."
- "Microsoft could include more applications in this. And if more applications are included, then it can be scalable that way."
What is our primary use case?
SharePoint Designer is used for reporting and storing files in SharePoint. Additionally, we have other applications in there, like Power Automate.
What is most valuable?
We mostly used this solution for file storage and basic functions, etcetera.
What needs improvement?
Microsoft could include more applications in this. And if more applications are included, then it can be scalable that way.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using SharePoint Designer for one year. I currently use the latest version.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I would rate the stability a nine out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I would rate scalability a nine out of ten. There are more than 10,000 users using this solution in our organization.
We have possible plans to increase the usage.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward. Actually, it's just a system to create profiles, and it has applications. So that's all.
The solution comes with Microsoft 365 itself.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It's a Microsoft product, so it will need licensing.
What other advice do I have?
I would definitely recommend using this solution, it's useful to store the data and files.
Overall, I would rate the solution a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Program Manager at Tereta
Easy to set up and reliable but needs less frequent updates
Pros and Cons
- "The initial setup is very straightforward."
- "We'd like it if we got less frequent updates."
What is our primary use case?
I primarily use the solution for collaborating on work.
For web applications, you can use it to customize some of your designs for your website or your application.
What is most valuable?
The one thing I just love is having a platform that is easy to collaborate on and see my work. It's easy to do, and I can even navigate without many technicalities. That's what I've been getting from it. It's easy to use. You can just play around with it and get things done. You get to get your output easier.
The initial setup is very straightforward.
It is stable and reliable.
The solution likely can scale, although I haven't tested its limits.
What needs improvement?
We'd like it if we got less frequent updates.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using SharePoint for roughly a year now.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable. It's very good. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. It's reliable, and the performance is good.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
While I find it scalable, my use case is not something where I really use it on a large scale and enterprise level. I wouldn't be able to give a definite answer to scalability for large-scale operations.
I just use the product on a personal level. I don't have any large projects that are ongoing.
How are customer service and support?
I've never reached out to technical support. I cannot speak to how helpful or responsive they are.
How was the initial setup?
The solution is simple to set up. The fact is that most of the initial setup I didn't handle. I just had somebody who walked me through it and did the setup, and made it easy for me. I didn't need to go and research how to do this stuff.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
If you are a designer, you've likely looked at a few options, including, for example, Visual Studio.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend the solution to other users and companies.
I'd rate it six out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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Updated: October 2024
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Download our free SharePoint Designer Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros
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