Linking Your Office Computers With Intranet Software

Long gone are the days where one worker would copy files onto a CD or hard drive and then hand it off to his co worker. Today, businesses use secure online networks called Intranets to share files, announcements, discussion threads and ideas instantaneously within the organization.

Your Own Private Network

An intranet system provides linked computers with the tools and applications to facilitate effective communication between all authorized members. It is fairly analogous to the Internet and employs the same technology to operate. The difference is the Internet is a “global” system while an intranet is created for a specific “closed” environment.The Internet is accessible to everyone whereas an intranet has access limited to your internal organization members.

Mimicking the Internet

There are many Internet-based tools people use to share documents and information. Businesses and organizations set up intranets for the automatic sharing of information and for providing a central platform for work communication such as:

– Company or Organization news presentations, eliminating hard copy or verbal transmissions as well as overuse of emails for important or vital alerts. Announcements can be posted with automated alerts to all members for immediate viewing.

– Log-ins for tracking and access monitoring purposes.

– Management can also post opinion polls and surveys that cannot be disregarded/ignored, thus ensuring vital employee feedback on important initiatives.

– Other features such as blogs and wikis can be incorporated into an intranet, further enhancing the sharing of knowledge and opinions among your team members.

• An effective Intranet system can also integrate with certain social media applications that your team members are already actively using for business, such as Twitter and Facebook.

Customization is Key to Effectiveness

Yes, there are quite a few marketed intranet software choices available to you today. However, off the rack applications may have limited functionality when it comes to your specific group’s needs. Your wisest investment would be to select an intranet solution that can be customized by someone with advanced coding skills if needed. You may start out with a basic intranet, but as your business and team grows, your solution will need to scale along with it. There are many solutions out there that offer flexibility & enhanced functionality, but at the pace your company needs.