How to Transform
SharePoint into a Fully Functional
Content Management System
How to Transform SharePoint into a Fully Functional Content Management System
Many organizations rely on enterprise content management (ECM) systems like OpenText and Documentum to manage critical business documents. However, these traditional ECM platforms often come with high costs, complex implementations, and limited integration capabilities. As businesses transition to Microsoft 365, they need a scalable, cost-effective solution that integrates seamlessly with their existing workflows.
The solution? Microsoft SharePoint. With the right configurations and integrations, SharePoint can function as a fully-fledged ECM system, providing governance, compliance, automation, and AI-powered content management. The following article explores how organizations can leverage SharePoint to replace traditional ECM platforms while improving efficiency and reducing costs.
Why Choose SharePoint as Your ECM Solution?
Organizations looking to modernize their document management strategy should consider SharePoint for its:
Scalability
SharePoint can manage millions of documents and scale with your organization’s growth.
Compliance & Security
Advanced retention policies, access controls, and audit trails ensure regulatory compliance.
Intelligent Search & AI Capabilities
AI-powered content discovery and automated metadata tagging improve findability.
Workflow Automation
Native integration with Power Automate streamlines document approvals and lifecycle processes.
Cost Efficiency
Reduce ECM costs by leveraging existing Microsoft 365 licenses instead of investing in third-party platforms.
Essential Capabilities for Transforming SharePoint into an ECM System
To make SharePoint work like an enterprise-grade ECM system, businesses must leverage the following Microsoft 365 tools and features:
- Automatically Classify and Tag Documents Using AI-Powered OCR
Manual tagging and indexing are inefficient. SharePoint, integrated with AI and Optical Character Recognition (OCR), can automate document classification:
Microsoft Syntex AI
extracts text from scanned documents and PDFs, making them searchable and structured.
Azure Cognitive Services OCR
converts images and non-editable files into readable, indexed content.
Automated metadata tagging
applies intelligent labels, reducing manual effort and improving search accuracy.
Example: A financial institution processes thousands of scanned invoices. With Syntex, invoices are automatically categorized by vendor, date, payment status, invoice number, and invoice amount to name a few—eliminating manual data entry.
- Build a Structured Document Foundation with Metadata & Content Types
Traditional file structures can be cumbersome. SharePoint provides a metadata-driven approach:
Use Content Types
to standardize document templates with predefined metadata fields.
Leverage Managed Metadata Services
to maintain consistent taxonomy and classification.
Utilize Document Sets
to group related files under a single metadata-driven structure.
Example: A legal department manages contracts by client, contract type, and expiration date. SharePoint’s metadata and content types allow users to retrieve relevant contracts instantly, instead of navigating complex folder hierarchies.
- Enforce Compliance with Retention Policies & Audit Controls
Regulatory compliance is a top priority for ECM solutions. SharePoint provides:
Version history
tracking to maintain full auditability.
Retention labels and legal holds
through Microsoft Purview to prevent unauthorized deletion.
Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
policies to protect sensitive information from leaks.
eDiscovery and audit trails
for legal and compliance readiness.
Example: A healthcare provider ensures HIPAA compliance by using retention labels to automatically archive patient records after seven years.
- Automate Document Workflows and Approvals
Manual document routing is slow and error-prone. SharePoint integrates with:
Power Automate
to streamline approvals, notifications, and document lifecycle workflows.
Power Apps
for creating custom document submission portals.
AI Builder
to extract and validate key information before documents enter business processes.
Example: A manufacturing company automates purchase order approvals using Power Automate, reducing processing time from days to hours.
- Enhance Search & Discovery with AI and Metadata Filtering
Legacy ECM platforms offer sophisticated search—SharePoint does too:
Microsoft Search & Cognitive Services
deliver AI-powered search results.
Search Refiners & Custom Filters
help users find documents faster.
Syntex (Content AI)
auto-classifies documents, improving findability and governance.
Example: A marketing team quickly retrieves campaign assets by searching “Q3 social media ads” using metadata-driven filters.
- Enable Seamless Collaboration with Microsoft Teams & OneDrive
Unlike traditional ECMs, SharePoint fosters collaboration by integrating with:
Microsoft Teams
for instant document sharing and discussions.
OneDrive
for secure, cloud-based document access from anywhere.
Co-Authoring in Microsoft 365 Apps
for real-time document editing.
Example: A project team collaborates on a proposal in real time, eliminating the need for multiple email attachments and conflicting versions.
- Integrate SharePoint with Business Systems
For companies using ERP, CRM, or legacy ECM solutions, SharePoint provides:
Power Automate & Power Platform
for API-based connectivity.
Azure Logic Apps
to automate multi-system workflows.
Graph API
to facilitate structured data synchronization.
Example: A customer support team syncs service tickets from Dynamics 365 with SharePoint, ensuring all case documents are stored in a single repository.
Best Practices for Implementing SharePoint as an ECM System
Plan a Strong Information Architecture
Conduct a content audit and define metadata before migration.
Develop a Governance Framework
Establish policies for document lifecycle, security, and user access.
Train Users for Effective Adoption
Provide hands-on training on metadata, search, and workflows.
Monitor & Optimize Compliance
Use Microsoft Purview to track security and retention policies.
Ensure Backup & Disaster Recovery
Implement Azure backup solutions to protect against data loss.
Don’t let outdated ECM systems slow you down—modernize with SharePoint today!
Traditional ECM solutions are expensive and complex, often limiting collaboration and automation. By leveraging SharePoint’s AI, metadata-driven architecture, and seamless Microsoft 365 integration, businesses can create a modern ECM that enhances compliance, searchability, and workflow automation. At Vigilant, we help organizations transform SharePoint into a powerful ECM system tailored to their needs. Schedule a free consultation today to discover how we can optimize your document management strategy.
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