Introduction

      Microsoft has started another transition. Previously, SharePoint was a product designed for only the largest enterprises. Then, Microsoft shifted SharePoint to the cloud and made it available to any size organization for as little as $5 per month. Now, Microsoft is transitioning SharePoint once again to simplify it and make it more accessible to smaller organizations. What does this mean? It means that getting started with SharePoint is easier than ever. And when you are ready to dig deeper into the more advanced features of SharePoint, they are still available, too.

      This book covers SharePoint Online as of the calendar year 2021 and also touches on the SharePoint Server product. You can think of SharePoint Server as a snapshot of SharePoint Online that is designed to be installed by large IT departments at your organization. SharePoint Online, on the other hand, is the online service–based version of SharePoint that Microsoft delivers to you over the Internet. SharePoint Online is constantly changing. SharePoint Server is a glimpse of SharePoint Online at a specific point in time.

      It is important to note that if your organization uses an on-premises version of SharePoint, you need to check what version you are running. On-premises means your IT team members have installed the software and they are the ones who manage it for you. It’s common for an organization to be running an older version of SharePoint when it is installed on-premises. So be sure to check what version you are running. Past versions of SharePoint On-Premises include SharePoint Server 2013, SharePoint Server 2016, and SharePoint Server 2019.

Microsoft understands that people are attached to their smartphones, and as such, they created a SharePoint Mobile App to accommodate everyone. The SharePoint Mobile App is covered throughout the book. In addition to the SharePoint Mobile App, you will also find new service integration for creating workflows using Microsoft Power Automate (Chapter 15), building forms with Microsoft Forms (Chapter 16), building your own mobile-based apps with Power Apps (Chapter 17), and creating data dashboards with Power BI (Chapter 24). All of these are new since the last edition of this book. Don’t let the complexity of these types of features fool you. SharePoint is intended to be a self-service environment, and this book helps you get the most out of the platform without the need for years of experience.

      We’re not saying that SharePoint is easy; in fact, like any enterprise software system, you can expect to have a bit of a learning curve. Microsoft is on a mission to make the curve as easy as possible. However, if your organization uses SharePoint, you have a wealth of solutions to solve your particular needs, and you don’t need a degree in computers to do it.

About This Book

      This book is intended for anyone who encounters SharePoint or is curious about using the product. SharePoint is a vast software application with many nooks and crannies, and no single book can cover everything. This book is designed to provide an introduction and an overview of the platform. It shows you how to get the most out of the product, whether you have never used SharePoint before or are deeply familiar with specific aspects it.

      Others who may benefit from this book include