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A Check List of
Must Have Features For Your Intranet
Your intranet can be anything
that you want it to be. It can
merely contain a list of
company polices and a picture of the
employee-of-the-month. Or it can be
an all-inclusive, high-tech wonder
that transforms an otherwise
overwhelmed organization into a
well-oiled machine. Ready to embrace
efficiency? Carefully consider
including the following intranet
features into your organization's
intranet:
- Shared access to
documents -- This one is
really a no-brainer. If an
intranet doesn't do this, it's
really not an intranet. In fact,
this is the only universal
function among leading corporate
intranet software. Documents
should be saved in a standard
file format so that all
employees can open files without
having compatibility issues.
Many intranets allow links to
outside Websites. The Web
contains a plethora of useful
business tools and it makes
sense to make them as readily
accessible as possible.
Employees are sure to save time
when resources such as phone
directories, travel reservation
sites and shipping vendors are
only a click away.
- Controlled access -
Intranets should be password
protected. Human resource
records, corporate
communications and other
proprietary information should
be carefully guarded from
intruders. Strict security
policies should be set bearing
in mind that former or current
employees are potential
trespassers.
A sophisticated intranet will
also allow for different levels
of access. Top-level executives
might have exclusive access
while most other employees will
he excluded from viewing
confidential accounting and HR
information. However, mid-level
managers may need access to
department level accounting and
HR records.
Controlled access also makes an
intranet more flexible and
greatly widens the range of
uses. For example, the interface
can be customized to a user and
other components can contain
individualized information.
- Flexible organization
- Do you store the toner with
the janitorial supplies? Of
course not, no one would ever be
able to it. Likewise, your
intranet should be organized in
a logical and precise manner. To
do this effectively you will
need to be able to control how
the content in your intranet is
classified.
Look for an intranet that allows
you to create and name an
unlimited number of departments.
The ability to add
sub-departments will give you
the option to organize content
in an easily searchable
hierarchical fashion. This type
of organization will allow you
to accurately establish security
parameters.
- Events Calendar,
Scheduler - A centralized
scheduling system ensures that
everyone stays on the same page.
It allows meetings and events to
be scheduled from a company,
department and team level. When
such meetings are posted all
affected personal will be
notified. Additionally, if the
intranet is set up with
appropriate controlled access,
it's possible to give
individuals the flexibility to
schedule their own meetings and
tasks.
- Message boards --
Message boards allow employees
to express frustrations and
workout solutions. This unique
forum promotes the sharing of
ideas that may not occur in
face-to-face discussions. It
also fosters communications
between departments and peer
groups that might not otherwise
communicate. Having these
discussions on the intranet,
rather than on outside service,
keeps discussions focused and
positive.
- Address Book - A
comprehensive list of client,
vendor and employee contact
information makes a great
addition to a company intranet.
Not only is it easier to search
through than its paper
counterpart, it's also faster
and less expensive to update.
With the right technology, an
address book can become an
important communication tool.
Batch email functionality can be
implemented so that mass emails
can be sent based on search
criteria. Furthermore, messages
could be sent to wireless
devices, such as PDAs or cell
phones.
- Intranet Search Engine
- No matter how well things
are organized, sometimes a key
word search is the fastest way
to find something. An Intranet
Search Engine is a text field
where you type in a key work and
click "search." The intranet
will be scanned and a list of
matching results will appear
within a couple of seconds.
The search function should be
easily accessible, ideally
available from every page on the
intranet. A search field and
button take up less space than a
pinky finger on the screen. So,
non-obtrusive yet convenient
placement is a cinch.
- Task Management -
Think of this as an interactive
"To Do" list. Managers can add
tasks for their direct reports
to complete. Employees can check
for new tasks and prioritization
by checking their list on the
intranet each day. Tasks can
easily be reassigned or
reprioritized by the manager by
simply changing the employee or
the date associated with the
task.
- Customizable Interface
-- Another common feature of
many intranet systems is that
the interface is customizable.
This often means that colors can
be modified, a logo can be
uploaded and the company name
can be displayed. It may seem
like a minor feature, but it's
actually an important branding
tool. It's the difference
between handing out plain white
T-shirts to employees and
handing out t-shirts emblazoned
with a bright company logo.
- Individualization -
Intranets should ideally conform
to the individual user. The idea
is that intranets should be
comfortable and convenient for a
variety of employees with a
varying range of
responsibilities. Our company
intranet includes a couple of
slick features that achieve this
end.
The above features will prove to
be extremely useful. However,
your intranet should also be
able to accommodate
functionality specific to your
business. Remember, intranets
that allow for add-ons and
customization tend to be wise
investments. Change is
inevitable and being prepared is
all part of being a well-oiled
machine.
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