SharePoint
by Microsoft · Document Management
Cloud document management and intranet platform built into Microsoft 365
- Works with
- Dynamics 365, Microsoft Dataverse, Power Platform
- Deployment
- Cloud, On-premise, Hybrid
- Company size
- SMB, Mid-market, Enterprise
- Pricing
- Per user / per month, licensed through Microsoft 365 bundles
Overview
SharePoint is Microsoft's cloud-based document management and content collaboration platform, delivered as part of Microsoft 365. It provides document libraries with version control, granular permissions, metadata, and full-text search, organized into team sites and communication sites that act as intranets for departments, projects, and the wider organization. Files are stored centrally, co-authored in real time through the Office apps, and surfaced across Teams, Outlook, and SharePoint's own web experience.
For companies running Microsoft Dynamics 365, SharePoint is the native document store. Through server-based SharePoint integration, Dynamics 365 model-driven apps (Sales, Customer Service, Field Service and others built on Dataverse) store and manage documents attached to CRM records directly in SharePoint, with single sign-on and no additional software to install on the SharePoint side. This keeps large files out of the Dataverse database while retaining version history, check-in/check-out, and document properties against the originating record.
SharePoint sits within Microsoft's broader compliance and governance estate, inheriting data loss prevention, retention, and the certifications that cover Microsoft 365 cloud services. It is positioned less as a standalone DMS and more as the content layer of the Microsoft ecosystem: powerful and highly customizable, but typically requiring administrative setup and governance to use well. As of mid-2026 Microsoft no longer sells SharePoint as a standalone product to new customers; it is licensed through Microsoft 365 business and enterprise bundles.
Screenshots & demo
Demo video from the vendor's YouTube channel. Screenshots sourced from Microsoft.
Features & capabilities
Document libraries and content management
Core storage, organization, and lifecycle of files.
- Document libraries with folder and metadata-based organization
- Version control and version history
- Check-in / check-out to prevent edit conflicts
- Microsoft Lists for structured information alongside documents
- Document properties and custom columns
- Content archiving via Microsoft 365 Archive to lower-cost tiers
Collaboration and co-authoring
- Real-time co-authoring in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
- Team sites for project and department collaboration
- Communication sites for news and organization-wide content
- Deep integration with Microsoft Teams for files and channels
- Offline files and folders for editing without a connection
- Sharing links with configurable access scope
Search and AI
- Full-text search across libraries and sites
- AI-enhanced search that interprets user intent
- Copilot-assisted page and site creation from natural language
- Custom agents for knowledge discovery and content summarization
Security, permissions, and governance
- Granular permissions at site, list, and item level
- Restricted access control and conditional access policies
- Data loss prevention (DLP) and retention policies
- SharePoint Advanced Management for data governance
- Ransomware protection via Microsoft 365 Backup
Extensibility and automation
- Power Automate workflows triggered by document events
- Server-based integration with Dynamics 365 and Dataverse
- Power Apps embedding and custom forms
- REST and Microsoft Graph APIs for custom development
- SharePoint Framework (SPFx) for custom web parts and extensions
Common use cases
- Native document store for Dynamics 365 CRM records
- Company and departmental intranet / knowledge base
- Centralized document library with version control
- Contract and policy document storage with retention
- Project collaboration sites for teams
- Records management and compliance-driven document retention
- Front-end content hub for Microsoft Teams collaboration
Strengths & considerations
Strengths
- Native, server-based document management for Dynamics 365 and Dataverse records
- Bundled with Microsoft 365, so most Microsoft customers already have it
- Deep co-authoring and integration with the Office apps and Teams
- Highly customizable via Power Platform, SPFx, and the Microsoft Graph
- Inherits Microsoft 365's broad compliance and security certifications
Considerations
- Interface and information architecture are complex for new users and often need training
- Effective setup and governance typically require dedicated IT or admin resources
- Permissions across many sites can become difficult to manage at scale
- Performance can degrade with very large libraries or complex workflows
- No longer available as a standalone product to new customers; requires a Microsoft 365 license
ERP integrations
Server-based SharePoint integration stores and manages documents against Dataverse / Dynamics 365 records (Sales, Customer Service, Field Service, etc.) with single sign-on.
Document management for specific Dataverse tables/entities routed to SharePoint document libraries.
Power Automate flows triggered by SharePoint document events for approval routing and automation.
Pricing
SharePoint is included across Microsoft 365 business and enterprise plans. Microsoft retired the standalone SharePoint Plan 1 and Plan 2 for new customers as of May 31, 2026; access now requires a qualifying Microsoft 365 license. A one-month free trial is available on Business plans. Prices verified from Microsoft's pricing pages; bundles vary by region and plan. Get an independent shortlist with pricing guidance below.
Technical & security
- Hosting
- Microsoft-hosted on Microsoft Azure (SharePoint Online); SharePoint Server available for on-premise/hybrid
- Compliance
- ISO/IEC 27001, ISO/IEC 27017, ISO/IEC 27018, ISO/IEC 27701, SOC 1, SOC 2, SOC 3, HIPAA/HITECH
- Mobile app
- Yes
Alternatives to SharePoint in Document Management
SharePoint — frequently asked questions
Does SharePoint integrate with Dynamics 365?
Yes. SharePoint is the native document store for Dynamics 365 model-driven apps. Through server-based SharePoint integration, documents attached to CRM records (in Sales, Customer Service, Field Service and other Dataverse apps) are stored and managed in SharePoint with single sign-on, keeping large files out of the Dataverse database while retaining version history and check-in/check-out.
Can I still buy SharePoint as a standalone product?
No. As of May 31, 2026 Microsoft retired the standalone SharePoint Plan 1 and Plan 2 for new customers. SharePoint is now licensed through Microsoft 365 business and enterprise bundles.
What document management features does SharePoint provide?
SharePoint offers document libraries with version control, check-in/check-out, metadata and custom columns, granular permissions, full-text and AI-enhanced search, retention and data loss prevention policies, and real-time co-authoring through the Office apps.
Is SharePoint cloud-only?
No. SharePoint Online is the Microsoft-hosted cloud service within Microsoft 365, but SharePoint Server supports on-premise and hybrid deployments for organizations that need to keep some content on their own infrastructure.
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