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We never expected SharePoint to reach such widespread popularity. Yet, its search engine can reach over 200 million worldwide, comparable to Google's US business.
Given this scope, many have either an overwhelming love/hate relationship with SharePoint Online search. This article details how administrators can address common problems with SharePoint search functionality and enhance overall user experiences by improving SharePoint search functions.
Understanding The Basics Of SharePoint
Before delving into troubleshooting techniques, it's vital that we first grasp the fundamentals of SharePoint. What is SharePoint? SharePoint requirement is a web-based collaboration platform designed for organizations looking to store, share, and organize information between team sites or departments.
Serving as a central repository for document sharing, allowing access from anywhere at any time - users have instantaneous access and can work on them from any location - SharePoint also features document libraries, version control, and customizable automated workflows to suit individual organizations' needs and can even be tailored specifically according to individual organizations needs.
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Identifying Common SharePoint Issues
SharePoint users often experience various performance and functional issues that interfere with its proper functioning, including slow page load times, document types access problems, and search functionality that could perform better.
It is imperative that SharePoint administrators quickly recognize these problems to take appropriate actions to resolve them. Here are some typical SharePoint issues and solutions:
Improper Planning
Your organization risks information clutter in SharePoint without an effective content management organization strategy.
Poor planning could create an inconvenient SharePoint environment and hamper its smooth running.
Resolution: Plan your information architecture carefully, considering your diverse business requirements, data types, and teamwork business processes.
Draft an informed decisions plan outlining relevant content types, metadata fields, and sharing access hierarchy structures - for optimal results, consult a top SharePoint consultant who can implement best practices while customizing IT solutions to ensure success.
Forgetting To Add Metadata
Metadata is essential in categorizing and filtering data, making information access difficult otherwise. Failing to implement metadata will further hinder information dissemination efforts.
Resolution: Metadata can help organize and filter data efficiently. We suggest employing consistent metadata and access control vocabulary or taxonomy for optimal use.
Inadequate Permission Settings
SharePoint allows you to manage who has access to your content securely, but proper permissions can help avoid data leakage and confusion; they could even prevent security breaches.
Resolution: Establishing and employing SharePoint groups is an effective solution to common SharePoint issues.
Permissions should be assigned based on job roles to avoid providing unnecessary privileges using this group, with regular permissions checks to ensure no mistakes have occurred.
You Are Not Making Use Of The Features.
SharePoint includes tools and features designed to aid teams in improving productivity and collaboration, increasing efficiency while uncovering missed opportunities.
When used properly, SharePoint's tools and features can assist teams in becoming more productive while increasing collaboration across their organization.
Resolution: Utilize SharePoint's built-in features effectively while limiting unnecessary customization.
When in doubt, consult a SharePoint Consultant or in-house expert to comprehend less commonly better utilized yet useful features.
Improper Training Of Users
SharePoint can be an immensely helpful and powerful tool. Yet, some users may find its functionality confusing and challenging to master.
Organizations may require employees to receive proper SharePoint training - this may make the software harder for employees to utilize than anticipated and become an issue more frequently found within most companies using it. Poor employee training practices are one common area in which organizations fail when adopting SharePoint solutions.
Resolution: SharePoint users should receive comprehensive training in basic features and organization-specific customizations, along with ongoing support and education for SharePoint users.
We strongly suggest providing ongoing training.
Using Folders Unnecessarily
Too many folders in SharePoint can simplify navigation and information search, making the environment difficult for large teams requiring a clear search for vital knowledge.
Having too many folders may become increasingly problematic over time.
Resolution: An effective solution for this dilemma lies in using metadata effectively. Metadata refers to data about data that can help classify and organize it - you could even use metadata to develop your taxonomy to locate information quickly.
Limit the number of folders you create; if necessary, keep each new one one or two levels deep for easier navigation and usability. Achieving simplicity through less folder depth helps maintain an intuitive navigation structure.
Negligible Use Of Third-Party Apps And Integrations
SharePoint includes many built-in features and allows integration with third-party apps, making SharePoint even more flexible for collaboration and functionality enhancements.
These integrations may increase SharePoint's information repository and collaboration hub efficiency.
Resolution: If your organization requires additional functionality, consider third-party applications as a solution.
Reliable and compatible apps must be chosen before installing any app; evaluation should include features and security concerns before installation.
Unfavorable Conditions For Performance And Scalability
SharePoint can be an effective platform for handling large volumes of information; however, paying attention to performance and scalability considerations could result in crashes and slow response times.
Resolution: Performance and scalability should always be top of mind as part of an effective troubleshooting SharePoint environment planning strategy.
When selecting custom lists or libraries to include on SharePoint environments, avoiding large ones is wise. At the same time, load testing tools detect potential performance issues that could hinder its operation.
5 Common SharePoint Issues And How To Resolve Them
Poor User Experience
One of the primary complaints about SharePoint is its usability issues, particularly its calendar view, which can be challenging to navigate and edit, not to mention hard to customize due to frequent searches not leading to desired destinations and time-consuming configuration of offline unauthorized access.
Thus, an initial launch requires significant time and energy - from designing an appropriate structure tailored specifically for you through user training that familiarizes employees with this platform.
Access Denied
An increasingly frustrating error message in SharePoint Online is "Access Denied." Usually, this indicates incorrect administrator and user permissions.
There are two approaches available to correct an "Access Denied" situation: running check user access diagnostic (this option requires Microsoft 365 administrator access); alternatively determining permission levels on SharePoint sites directly (follow these steps to do that);
- Select Settings > Site Permissions
- In the top ribbon, select Check Permissions
- Enter the user's name in the User/Group field
- Select Check now
Check a user's site permissions. If the required rights have not been assigned, navigate to SharePoint files or sites and grant user rights; otherwise, if error messages persist, remove and add the user, then grant their necessary user permissions again
View In File Explorer Issues
While browsing a SharePoint Online library, you may have encountered an error message reading, "Your client does not support opening this list with Windows Explorer." There are multiple solutions to this SharePoint problem - ensure your M365 authentication.
SharePoint Online Sync Problems
Sync issues in SharePoint can significantly diminish external user experiences. To enhance it, take note of these tips for optimizing it:
- Ensure you are syncing only a few files at a time.
- Examine your folder names and files for unsupported characters and invalid file types.
- Ensure you're within the storage limit and have enough computer disk space.
- On all mobile devices, mark files as offline.
This allows them to be read (in read-only mode) even while offline.
- Ensure you're using the latest version of OneDrive.
SharePoint Is Slow
Are your SharePoint documents taking too long to open? This is one of the more frequently heard complaints regarding SharePoint, yet there are ways you can increase performance and speed - this includes taking these steps:
- Optimizing images
- Avoiding unnecessary content search queries.
- Use Content Search Web Part (CSWP) for your search queries.
- Keep your documents and files at manageable sizes.
Conclusion
SharePoint can be an extremely effective way of increasing organizational productivity and collaboration. However, understanding its potential pitfalls is vital; organizations can maximize SharePoint by avoiding the common pitfalls outlined.
CIS can assist your organization in avoiding common SharePoint issues and ensure the success of its SharePoint project as a top IT solution provider with decades of experience in SharePoint development, support, and consulting.
