SharePoint as a Company Intranet – Connected Digital Workplace
How a UK architecture and design practice built a modern intranet using Microsoft 365 SharePoint — cost-effective, scalable, and fully developed in-house to improve collaboration and knowledge sharing.
Built with Microsoft 365 SharePoint Online. Delivered entirely in-house. No external consultancy costs.
Story
In 2022, a UK architectural practice set out to improve internal communication, accessibility of information, and team collaboration. The goal was simple: to create a central intranet that would bring together everything from project standards and policies to HR resources and company news — all in one place.
The result was The Hub, a fully customised intranet built using Microsoft SharePoint Online, part of their existing M365 licence.
No additional software. No external consultants. Just thoughtful configuration, user-focused design, and internal expertise.
Solution
The Hub was designed, developed and deployed using standard SharePoint no-code tools and a lightweight layer of customisation to fit the practice's needs.
Key features include:
- A custom-designed home page dashboard with news, quick links, and announcements
- Company resources all in one place — templates, policies, and standards accessible to all staff
- Ecosystem of practice management Power Apps for HR, IT management, and more
- Management team landing page for all-in-one-place access to key dashboards and tools
- Department pages for HR, IT, Finance, QA, and Project Standards
- Integrated document libraries for controlled templates and forms
- A built-in news publishing system for internal updates
- Searchable knowledge base of FAQs, guides, and policies
- Embedded Power Apps for interactive tools
M365 Integration in Action
One of the strengths of building an intranet on SharePoint is the seamless integration with the wider Microsoft 365 ecosystem. The Hub demonstrates this through embedded custom applications that extend its functionality.
Example: Office Plan Power App
To streamline workspace management, a custom Power App was developed and embedded directly into the intranet. This app allows:
- Holiday and absence tracking integration — see who's on holiday to dynamically utilize hardware and workstations
- Facilities teams to track desk allocations and office capacity
- Remote machine communication for multi-location companies — report issues and coordinate hardware across sites
- Automatic syncing with SharePoint lists for centralized data storage
This is just one example of how Microsoft 365 Power Apps can be woven into the intranet experience, turning SharePoint from a static information hub into an interactive digital workplace. It is fully integrated with the existing M365 ecosystem and works as one connected ecosystem.
Impact - 3 years on
Since launch, The Hub has become the backbone of the company’s digital workplace, with measurable engagement and adoption:
| Metric | Result |
|---|---|
| Homepage views | 55,000+ |
| Most visited page | BIM Primer (2,500 visits) |
| News posts published | 150+ |
| Sub-pages and resources | 50+ |
| Consultancy costs | £0 (fully in-house) |
| Additional software costs | £0 (covered by M365 licence) |
Outcome
The Hub transformed SharePoint from a simple file store into a powerful, tailored intranet that supports day-to-day operations, onboarding, QA processes, and communication.
It demonstrates how organisations of any size can leverage Microsoft 365 to build high-impact internal systems — cost-effectively and sustainably.
"Everything we need is now in one place. Whether it's finding a template, checking project standards, or seeing who's in the office — it's all on The Hub"
Summary
This case study highlights the potential of SharePoint as a foundation for digital transformation within design and engineering practices.
With thoughtful planning and user-centred design, Microsoft 365 can power a connected, informed, and collaborative modern workplace — without the need for complex or costly software.
Need help building your modern workplace?
Get in touch: letstalk@systemais.co.uk