The quarterly publication of the International Legal Technology Association
Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/230349
CHAT AND EDIT SIMULTANEOUSLY While SharePoint isn't always the best document management system for high-volume law firms, you might still find value in its collaborative editing capabilities. With SharePoint 2013, users will be able to co-author documents simultaneously, while also chatting in real time. explore — in a central location. While many non-legal enterprises might find this a valuable asset to their legal, compliance and audit teams, legal-specific e-discovery platforms are more likely to fit your needs. SHOULD YOU UPGRADE? Not all firms are created equal, and not all features within SharePoint 2013 are equally relevant. This makes the decision to upgrade a business decision that only your team can make. Start the process by answering these questions: 1. Are you currently running SharePoint 2010? If you're already running SharePoint 2010, upgrading to SharePoint 2013 is a good option. Anyone who has gone through a SharePoint upgrade can tell you it can be challenging. However, if your SharePoint 2010 environment is customized with mostly out-of-the-box features, there is a good chance of upgrading without a major incident. WORTH NOTING, BUT NOT WORTH UPGRADING FOR Social: New social functionality provides users with the ability to: • Communicate and share with teammates instantly • "Like" and "Follow" statuses and discussion boards • Create relevancy with @ mentions and hashtags • Follow microblogs • Collaborate within dedicated team sites With a sound strategy, an enterprise social network (ESN) can add value to your firm, making social a potential game changer. Without a well-thought-out strategy in place, it might just end up as a disruption. Business Intelligence (BI): With Power View, SharePoint's newest BI tool, users can visually interact with data that's been aggregated from multiple sources. Reports can be customized and published quickly within Excel. Data are interconnected among charts, maps and graphs, creating a unique BI experience. Cloud: In addition to deploying SharePoint on-premise, there are a number of options for leveraging the platform in the cloud. Microsoft's Office 365 platform provides a multitenant environment, including email and communication options. For organizations looking to reduce IT spending and complexities, this might be of interest. The Microsoft Azure service allows organizations to deploy and manage dedicated virtual machines and configure a SharePoint farm within Microsoft's data centers. E-Discovery: The new E-Discovery Center allows users to perform a two-step approach — 1) identify and hold, and 2) search and 2. Do you have a good understanding of what SharePoint 2013 can do for your firm? Before committing to SharePoint 2013, make sure you understand how the new functionality will add value to your firm. If there is value to be derived, allocating resources to the migration might make financial sense. Try to gauge the magnitude of the expected migration effort before jumping in. 3. Do you have adequate IT resources available to implement the migration? Migrating to SharePoint 2013, regardless of which version you are currently running, requires adequate IT resources. If you are going to upgrade, make sure you have the resources and budget necessary to do it properly. 4.Are you currently using antiquated search technology? If so, upgrading to SharePoint 2013 should be a serious consideration. The vast improvements in search could be a game changer in your firm. 5. Would you consider technology an important part of your firm's vision? Microsoft has put significant resources behind SharePoint innovation. Upgrading to SharePoint 2013 can give your firm an edge in optimizing your business operations. 6. Can SharePoint 2013 solve a specific problem you are having? Identify your need for SharePoint 2013. If there is a specific gap in your current technical environment that SharePoint 2013 can fill, you'll want to evaluate an upgrade with your technology partners. If you answered "yes" to the majority of these questions, upgrading to SharePoint 2013 is likely to be worth your firm's resources. Take the time to weigh your options and consult with your IT partners on the best approach for moving forward. Peer to Peer 67