Microsoft SharePoint is one of the most widely used platforms for collaboration and information management. This immediately indicates its strength and weakness. The original objective of SharePoint was to allow people to collaborate better in all kinds of (changing) contexts. That is very well organised in SharePoint. As can be seen from an investigation from Nucleus Research however, SharePoint has somewhat limited functionality when it comes to ECM. Specific functions for document management, document classification, security and monitoring are underexposed or even non-existent. We see that, in order to apply enterprise-wide document management, SharePoint therefore needs additions, especially in document-intensive organisations. With M-Files, we seamlessly fill the ECM gaps in SharePoint.

SharePoint + M-Files = best of both worlds

SharePoint was never intended to facilitate comprehensive ECM. It is a collaboration platform. If those excellent collaboration capabilities in SharePoint can be merged with highly developed ECM functionality, as in M-Files, users will have the functionality available to add more value to the organisation. Advanced document management features, with archiving, version control, digital signing, security, monitoring, workflow, etc., can perfectly support users in their work, while collaborating and communicating smoothly in their SharePoint environment. The best of both worlds under one button. M-Files adds full-fledged ECM to SharePoint:

• M-Files adds a complete set of document management features to SharePoint: With the metadata-based approach to document management in M-Files, we always provide the user with the right document in the right version. The organisation of documents within M-Files is based on what the document is and not where it is. This sets us apart from other solutions: You search and find by the nature of the document and by what it contains.
• M-Files provides advanced, yet flexible content security: At a time when many stakeholders need to be able to access content, it is vital that the same content is properly secured. With features such as access security, encryption technology, detection of 'intruders', authentication, etc., M-Files takes SharePoint users to a higher level of security.
• M-Files provides quality and progress monitoring for compliance legislation: Being able to track exactly who took what action, when, around a given document and within a specific process is crucial in the context of compliancy (transparency and reconstructability of processes to comply with laws and regulations). With M-Files, we offer the right functionality for all those insights and thus enable an organisation to make a big quality leap. Especially with all the extensive and changing collaborations within SharePoint, this functionality gives extra added value. Keep a grip on your content and your processes.

You don't need to replace SharePoint. But it might be a good idea to complement it with the ECM qualities of M-Files. That makes the difference between working together and collaborating...