Corporate Training on SharePoint Services - E-Learning Industry

SharePoint Consulting is known for many things, especially its content management and collaboration features. Some refer to SharePoint as Microsoft's 'O.C.' It might be called that, but don't let that fool you. If you're part of the 80% of businesses that currently have SharePoint, it's worth considering the training capabilities at your disposal that rival any learning management system. His article outlines key areas and recommendations ripe for corporate training on SharePoint. How to enhance the training functionality of SharePoint Services USA.

Corporate Training on SharePoint: Use SharePoint 'off-label' for training?

Have you ever bought something for one specific purpose and realized it works better for something completely different? Sometimes this happens in the pharmaceutical industry, for example. That is why the term 'off label' is used, which means using a drug for a condition it was not originally intended for. A similar situation occurs with SharePoint Services. Although it was originally purchased for its incredible content management capabilities, businesses are quickly discovering that SharePoint excels in the training arena as well.

Companies using SharePoint 'off-label' have discovered a great secret in training!

Training is always evolving and changing, but eLearning is here to stay. In fact, analysts estimate that the corporate e-learning market will grow to nearly $31 billion by 2020. New technologies offer the advantage of being able to reach large numbers of trainees at a fraction of the cost of the traditional instructor-led classroom model.

7 Key Training Features of SharePoint

Right out of the gate, SharePoint's core features are very useful for training efforts.

1. Content management

Content management may not be the focus of the learning and development department, but is a very important factor to consider. As the e-learning market grows, so does the volume of training materials. There is no question that content is king and the backbone of any learning program. Trainers spend hours assembling learning materials in person or online in preparation for class. Often, this involves multiple people and multiple versions of documents. Connecting both content management and LMS makes uploading training materials much easier. Version control and approval workflows ensure a well-managed compliance system.

2. Permissions

There are more and more regulations on companies every day. SharePoint makes it easy to maintain compliance by setting very strict permissions within the system so only the right people can access training materials.

3. Social

Social features are the most sought after feature of LMS. SharePoint already has a complete social system from blogs, communities, wikis, discussion boards and RSS feeds.

4. Working in teams

These days we work in teams and learn in teams. SharePoint Services team sites are the perfect solution for project-based learning with features like task lists, calendar, reminders and newsfeed.

5. Single Sign On and Active Directory

The headache of remembering multiple passwords is over with SharePoint as it synchronizes with your Active Directory and other systems.

6. Training feedback using surveys

One of the best ways to optimize your training program is through surveys, and SharePoint Services offers many ways to get valuable feedback from your employees.

7. Anytime, Anywhere

SharePoint and Office365 allow trainers to access key training materials from anywhere and on a variety of devices.

Also Read About: 7 Reasons To Use SharePoint For Contract Management

These features provide a good training foundation, and for some it may be sufficient for their basic needs. However, SharePoint as a stand-alone LMS has its limitations when it comes to more complex training needs. Companies with the resources to customize may be able to get a little more functionality, as CorVel did in the case study 'Implementing a SharePoint Services'.

Increased functionality of SharePoint and LMS

When all is said and done, there are still critical LMS features that SharePoint does not provide. Adding an LMS built for SharePoint further closes the functionality gap while delivering a profitable total cost of ownership. Here are some of SharePoint's feature deficiencies and where adding an LMS can accommodate: