Lou Franco's ECM Imaging Blog

Here’s a good article in Computerworld for determining the true cost of SharePoint. Key message, it’s just like any other enterprise software, don’t treat it like off-the-shelf software:

If CIOs treat SharePoint as off-the-shelf software, the costs will indeed be onerous. However, if CIOs treat it as an enterprise information platform and content management system, SharePoint will yield tremendous value-and potentially at a fraction of the cost of comparable ECM solutions.

Absolutely right. SharePoint can be managed and added on to by end-users, but there should be some sort of central control to set standards and provide common customizations.

For example:

• If you care about branding SharePoint, then that is something that should be done by IT or consultants for the entire installation.
  
• SharePoint comes with some built in workflows, but new ones need to be created in code or SharePoint designer – best to have IT provide the ones you need.
  
• Obviously, if you have any kind of complex storage requirements, IT is going to have to deal with that.
  
• IT should find and install 3rd party components that meet common needs. For example, if you have a bunch of departments that each need to incorporate paper-based processes via scanning, viewing, and collaborative editing then you want to standardize on a document imaging SharePoint solution.
  
• The Computerworld article makes a good point about governance. Depending on your requirements, you may need more than just a written policy, and it might be important to build or buy a solution to enforce your rules.

Given a good foundation, users will be able to create a lot of functionality on their own, and they will be able to think about it like they think of other Office apps (like Excel), but there are some things that IT will have to set up to make this possible.