Because I am a small business owner and part of my job entails working closely with co workers, contractors and clients, I have to frequently share documents with all parties involved. Sometimes I am just unable to get a file to someone even though I try to keep abreast with the increase of bells and whistles available. The majority of the times I am trying to race against time and usually this would result in a “life or no invoice” scenario. Now and then I would ponder about my corporate days when I could do this with ease using the intranet. Things were a lot easier then. What is stopping me from having an intranet setup and what is the cost involved?

Some of the tech persons may be saying that it is ignorance that makes a small business owner ignores the availability of an intranet in their business. A next set of persons may know all about the intranet but worry about the price involved to implement the setup. Then lastly, there are some persons like myself who needed the intranet badly but was in the dark about its existence.

I was enlightened and amazed at a piece of intranet software when a fellow business owner added me to there intranet network. The application is superb; you can create a virtual office involving several users and also created storage capacities all of which you define. It has tons of options and the interface is very professional and sleek which your collaborators will surely enjoy working with.

All of the users on the intranet are given their own private working space and also have the ability to access a public working space. All of the permissions defined can be set by the administrator. Features include A Shared Calendar, Shared Contacts, Shared Task list, Shared Documents and a personal email account for each user. This makes an ideal working environment that your users will love and it will make your business flourish

I recommend that any company, whether large of small should have there own bespoke intranet network. Without this you are not only putting your company at risk, but you are also showing a potentially unprofessional side of your business to your clients. Instead of throwing your money away you should wisely spend it on intranet software, which could alternatively end up being the best investment you ever made.

Providers of Web Based Project Management Software and Process Management Software Solutions

CUSTOMER PORTAL - This is an extranet designed to offer services and information to a specific customer. Support, training, product specification documents, contracts, reports, updates etc are some examples of the things offered on the extranet for a specific client. This service makes all customers very happy and also provides cross selling and feedback opportunities.

Broad Benefits of Intranets/Extranets/Customer Portals
1. Increased Productivity: The intranet and extranet provides on the spot information when it is needed. Access can be gained with just a few clicks allowing employees to work at a faster pace and more efficiently.

2. Communication: The intranet and extranet provides a strong bridge for communication with all parties involved regardless of their location. This can include transmitting a company policy to working with another client.

3. Auditing: The intranet and extranet provides a perfect way to track all information transmitted along its network at each point. All details can be captured and if needed can be adjusted and also traced.

4. Operations & Management: The intranet and extranet offers project management tools which can be used to convene cross functional and cross organizational teams regardless of their location. Also managers have the opportunity to work from one location instead of visiting all the users to create projects, assign responsibilities and track progress.

5. Enhanced Collaboration: Teams of persons can quickly collaborate in a virtual environment without actually being there.

6. Capture & Share Knowledge: The intranet and extranet can also be used as a forum to share and learn from each other.

Are they a Big Business Thing?
Modalis Research Technologies conducted a study which reported that 70 percent of small and medium-sized U.S. businesses feel that an intranet is important.

The Hosted, SAAS Model - Considering cost benefits a few years back, it might have not been a good idea for a small to mid sized company to get the system. However in present times these technologies are available to small businesses for a small price thanks to the hosted, SAAS, approach.

Changing Environment - Because of changes in the business world it is necessary that companies to manage their distributed teams and be ready for increased client expectations. Whether it is traveling, outsourcing teams, work from home executives or a key client, it is very beneficial to have an intranet/extranet portal to collaborate.
Possible Uses - There are numerous uses for the intranet/extranet including uploading policy documents, sharing employee directories or managing projects and even listing the lunch menu as reported by Modalis research.

Beats Email! - Being aware that an intranet costs little more than to implement a business email, logically it is the next step when compared to sharing information via mail.

(Former?) Disadvantages
1. Expensive - While Intranets/Extranets were expensive to implement and maintain because of software development costs, costs of hardware, training costs, costs of specialized technical staff etc the new hosted model provides a solution by charging a monthly fee considering the number of users.

2. Security - Many companies offer a strong security solution to intranet/extranet based users since a lot of sensitive information is transmitted along the network. As a result it is important to choose a good service provider to get the maximum security.

Introduction to Selection Criteria
KEY FACTORS
- Features/Customizability

- Company Background

- Cost

- User Friendliness

- Security

Choosing a good provider is always important for all of the above discussed reasons especially if you are a new business now implementing an intranet/extranet.

Unique Content Management Software and Extranet Solutions

The terms “Intranet” and “Extranet” are common technical terms appearing in the media, interactions and business everywhere but the meaning of them is often confused. Another often similar confused term is “Customer Portal”. Let us first examine the definitions of Intranet” and “Extranet” so you can get a clear picture of what they are.

INTRANET - many times persons confuse this with the “internet”. The distinction is that the internet is a global network of computers interconnected while the intranet is a private network which is operational within an organization. Another major difference is the audience and objectives they target. It is important to note that even though the intranet may occasionally use the internet as a means of connecting across facilities and locations it is still not accessed by the public.

Audience & Objectives of an Intranet
Audience - Employees
Objectives

- Information Repository

- Communication

- Automation of Processes

- Training

- Team Collaboration

The intranet, in previous times acted mainly as an alternative for the back and forth medium of mails and as a central point for employees to access company resources.
Some Practical Uses

- Company Policies

- Development & Training

- Employee Directories

- Project Management

- In-house Social Network

In present times the intranet is an important part of an organization. It facilities real time communication within the organization, efficient information flows and provides a means for real time team work for groups that are spread across different locations. Mainly the staffs are the persons using an intranet for efficiency in staff work, forum for social communication and mutual learning. Managers may also use it to transmit objectives and policies information to lower levels of the organization.

EXTRANET - This is also a private network but focuses outward on a wider range of audience. It is used to securely transmit information with suppliers, vendors, partners, customers or other businesses. Because these persons and companies are located at distant locations the extranet uses the internet to connect with them. It should also be noted that an organization can have different extranets dedicated to different companies. The extranet can also be viewed as an extended intranet where companies have access to an organization’s private network.

Audience & Objectives of an Extranet
Audience - Suppliers, Vendors, Partners, Clients
Objectives

- Share Information

- Communication

- Integration of Processes

- Training

- Collaboration

Information technology has given birth to new technologies like the “supply chain” approach which has created new ways of interacting. This birth moves towards a greater system of information exchange with external persons and organizations; the extranet.
Some Practical Uses

- Client Support

- Product Demos

- On-Line Catalogues

- Joint Project Management

Similar to the intranet, the extranet provides a way of interacting and information sharing. However, the information in the extranet is based on the needs vendors, partners, or clients e.g. an extranet implemented for a specific software services provider. The users of this extranet will utilize it for managing project timelines, communicating specifications, sharing project resources, providing deliverables etc. Other examples include offering knowledge bases, training materials, discussion forums and an interactive help desk with the extranet.
In 2001 Highbeam Research reported with top Times organizations that 38% of companies offered online access to information to its users. An added 23% plans to make use of the extranet by the end of 2002.
Uses

- Share Information

- Joint Projects

- Product Training

- Customer Support

- Cross Selling

- Feedback Mechanism

Unique Content Management Software and Extranet Solutions

The Intranet is always about providing faster information and sharing in a cost effective manner in a private network. The organization is only successfully faster if it conveys the information in the right time and right place. It is only possible if a business organization has some important tools to share information with its employee effectively.

The coordination of intranet software is the backbone of any business organization among its employees and intranet software is providing the best collaboration between managers and employee throughout organization. Intranet software is the key solution to communicate and transfer information to the desired department on time. The core features of this type of software are to manage the documentation of a company in a systematic way so that the internal stake holders of the company get the information on time.

The main feature is to share information and documentation to the stake holder of the company and electronic sharing is always an effective medium to share information and process documentation. The information sharing is so powerful and faster that a new employee can adjust quickly as they can get easier access to all the documentation and information of the company.

The private network remains private for an organization as the information is circulated on this private network and people cannot take the important notes and pieces of information outside the organization. The administrator can easily set the parameters and tools that are provided to the employee to make use of it and all the employees of the organization can have easy access to the information placed on the intranet website. Security is the most important issue and the intranet is a private network and its range is not opened for any outside users; only company employees can access the information.

The group assignment and projects are handled much easier as the group can communicate and share information with the presentation of an idea on a website. The information flowing throughout the organization is watched and backed by experts who manage the information and process it with regular editing and updating.

The file and data can be transferred to the concerned employee or department by making it manually and filing it in one document. The navigation and searching of desired information is advanced up to the easiest availability level. The language and operating system are compatible with this product and it helps to process information for convenience.

Full bespoke Intranet, Intranet Software and Extranet Software

Documents written by two or more authors are often stronger than single-writer works. Each team member brings different assets and the finished product can be more comprehensive and detailed.

Collaborative authoring with someone down the hall can be difficult enough. Collaborating on a project with someone in another office or even another country can seem impossible! Using today’s online collaboration tools, many of the difficulties of collaboration can be eliminated no matter where your partners are located.

Use Collaboration Features in Word

Microsoft Word has a number of features designed specifically for writing collaboratively. The basic word processing tools have become so effortless that they barely need explaining. Spelling and grammar correction aid, although don’t replace, manual proofreading. Document layout, automatic generation of tables of contents and indexes, and easy footnotes make the creation of professional-looking documents a snap.

Many people well-versed in Word’s features haven’t explored the collaboration tools. Tracking changes, creating new versions, adding editing notes and more allow multiple authors to not only modify the document but to understand other people’s changes.

Most people think that group authoring or versioning with Word means emailing the document to all authors with every change. Everyone’s inboxes get clogged with multiple versions of the document and it is easy to lose track of which version is the most current. People on slow connections have to wait while the document is downloaded even if they don’t plan to make any edits. However, there is a far easier way that most of today’s progressive companies are using to implement document sharing.

Upload To an Online File Sharing Service

By putting the current master document onto a central server, access is streamlined. Authors or editors who need the document can get it and multiple versions can be stored online. Furthermore, users can make notes and add comments about their versions for the rest of the members to see. Online file sharing can be made even more powerful by using online project workspaces.

Online task management simplifies team collaboration no matter where in the world team members are located. As long as each member has an internet connection, all activities can be coordinated through a central source.

These tools go beyond simple online file sharing. All communication can be carried out through the online workspace, making it easy for all members to see changes in the project. Task assignments and calendars mean each team member has a clear idea of duties and deadlines. As members are added or removed from the project, no one needs to update email lists since communications are coordinated through the project workspace.

Learning to use a full-featured online collaboration tool doesn’t have to be hard for team members. Look for an application with an intuitive interface so your team members can get up to speed quickly. Encourage everyone to use the workspace so that the entire team remains fully apprised of important changes to the document. Team collaboration through an online tool is easy to implement and makes any project with multiple contributors easier to manage!

Author is a freelance copywriter. For more
information on Online File Sharing,
please visit http://www.projectspaces.com.