If you eventually need to move away from your third-party solution, are there options for content migration? Are there hidden costs or complexities involved?
Fresh Intranet and SharePoint vs. SaaS Alternatives
Choosing the best-intranet provider that aligns with your Microsoft 365 investments.
Shortcomings of Using Third-party SaaS Intranets with Microsoft 365
Third-party Software-as-a-Service intranets can be attractive alternatives to pursuing a SharePoint intranet; however, these come with trade-offs that may include:
- Lack full compatibility with Microsoft 365 and often requires hidden work to authenticate or secure integrations for employees to sign in.
- Provide the same features that you are already licensed for on Microsoft 365.
- Create overlapping or confusing digital experiences for employees getting work done on Microsoft 365.
- Lack of extensibility support via common Microsoft tools such as the Power Platform, Microsoft Azure and SharePoint web parts.
- Introduce licensing issues (known as multiplexing) when content is moved from SharePoint into a third-party app for unlicensed user access, which is common in frontline worker scenarios.
Challenges with SaaS Intranets in a Microsoft 365 Environment
Introducing a SaaS intranet into your IT infrastructure can be disruptive due to:
- Requiring your data to live outside the organisations network creating data storage, security and other risks.
- Introducing bespoke content management solutions that can create duplication of effort and content.
- May be viewed as “Shadow IT” by the IT department and therefore left unsupported.
- SaaS intranet vendors may not always be able to keep pace with the volume of change from Microsoft.
- Exit strategies are unclear or not possible.
Not keeping pace, leaving integrations with Microsoft 365 uncertain or broken.
Isolating an important internal communications channel as a “point solution” rather than integrating it into the existing employees’ digital experience.
Advantages of a Fresh Intranet
An intranet built specifically for SharePoint and Microsoft 365 stands out as the superior option.
Reduces complexity associated with setting up a SharePoint Intranet
A scalable solution that provides tools to manage growth inside SharePoint.
Makes a SharePoint intranet feel like a third-party product, offering plug-and-play setup and intranet scenario-based features.
Your IT department will support your choice and you’ll benefit from continued investment in Microsoft 365 that you won’t have to fight or budget for.
Integrates natively with SharePoint, Viva Connections, Viva Engage, Teams and other Microsoft services.
Six Reasons our Clients Choose Fresh Intranet
Fresh offers seamless integration with Microsoft 365, providing benefits such as:
- Consistent user experience across your intranet and Microsoft 365, bringing internal communications into the flow of work.
- Full control over data.
- Create a single place for content, including news posts, content pages, events, videos and documents.
- Aligned update cycles with Microsoft 365.
- Future-proof solution that evolves alongside your strategy.
- Compliance with the WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standard and best security practices. Fresh is ISO certified for the following accreditations, ISO 27001 (Information Security), ISO 22301 (Business Continuity), ISO 9001 (Quality) and ISO 45001 (Health & Safety).
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Time invested in relationships with our key suppliers is extremely important to us”. In Fresh we have found an intranet partner who really aligns with our values and that matters to us. The team has formed a great relationship with internal comms, but also with our store operations and IT teams.
“While integrating a third-party SaaS intranet might initially seem appealing; remember that this approach isn’t without its share of significant risks.
Choose Fresh because:
Built for Microsoft 365
Fresh is an enterprise-class, AI-powered intranet solution designed for SharePoint and Microsoft 365.
Secure
Powered by Microsoft enterprise-ready technologies, Fresh runs in your Microsoft environment.
Competence that makes a difference
Built by Microsoft experts such as Microsoft MVPs.
Consolidated with your Microsoft strategy
Fresh leverages the capabilities of Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Azure for various business operations, like communication, data management and user management.
Seamless interplay
Fresh is designed for SharePoint and Microsoft 365, which prevents the problems that arise from using a separate SaaS intranet solution with Microsoft 365.