Comparing Your Intranet Requirements with Microsoft 365, SharePoint, and Viva Connections

Download this free guide to explore how Microsoft 365's suite of tools addresses common intranet requirements, including:

✔ Branding and Customization: Assess the flexibility in tailoring the intranet's look and feel to reflect your organization's identity.​

✔ News Management: Understand the capabilities for creating, distributing, and managing company news and updates.​

✔ Navigation and Search: Evaluate the ease of navigating content and the effectiveness of search functionalities.​

✔ Content Targeting and Personalization: Examine how well the platform delivers relevant content to different user groups.​

✔ Templating and Consistency: Explore options for creating consistent page layouts and templates.​

✔ Mobile Accessibility: Determine the quality of the mobile experience for users on various devices.

By understanding these aspects, you can make an informed decision about whether Microsoft 365, SharePoint, and Viva Connections suffice as your intranet solution or if supplementary intranet software is required to meet your organization's unique needs.

Download this fully featured guide to:​

✔ Identify Potential Gaps: Recognize areas where Microsoft 365 may not fully meet your intranet requirements.​

✔ Explore Enhancement Options: Learn about additional intranet software solutions that can complement Microsoft 365.​

✔ Align with Organizational Goals: Ensure your chosen intranet platform supports your company's communication and collaboration objectives.​

Download your free copy and take the next step toward optimizing your intranet solution. This guide is designed for organizations seeking to evaluate their intranet platform options thoroughly.​ 

While Microsoft 365 is a powerful foundation for productivity and collaboration, it wasn’t designed to be a full-featured intranet solution. IT teams often run into challenges when trying to meet real-world intranet needs using only SharePoint and Viva Connections. Common limitations include:

✔ Branding & Governance: Limited support for consistent branding and centralized templates.

✔ Navigation & Search: No centralized navigation or unified search across the platform.

✔ News & Targeting: Basic content targeting and lack of filtering/subscription options.

✔ User Experience: Inconsistent UI across Microsoft 365 apps and complex editing tools.

✔ Personalization & Recognition: Minimal content personalization and no built-in recognition features.

✔ Onboarding & Preboarding: No structured onboarding or automation support.

✔ Analytics & Reporting: Short data retention, no integrated dashboards.

✔ Permissions Management: Complex site-level permissions and governance gaps.

✔ Mobile Optimization: Incomplete mobile experience for frontline or remote workers.

✔ Digital Signage: No built-in tools for screen-based or non-desktop communication.

For organizations that prioritize personalization, governance, and long-term scalability, enhancing Microsoft 365 with a specialized intranet solution—like Omnia—can close these gaps and deliver a complete digital workplace experience.

Who should read this guide?

This guide is for anyone involved in evaluating, selecting, or managing an intranet platform—whether you're in IT, internal communications, HR, or digital workplace roles. It's especially useful for organizations currently using Microsoft 365 and looking to understand how SharePoint and Viva Connections measure up to real intranet requirements.

What are the limitations of using Microsoft 365 for an intranet?

Microsoft 365 offers essential tools for collaboration and communication; however, it may have limitations in areas like centralized news management, advanced customization, and delivering personalized content experiences. Organizations often seek additional intranet solutions to address these shortcomings and better align with their specific requirements.

How does Omnia enhance the intranet capabilities of Microsoft 365?

Omnia is an intranet-in-a-box solution that integrates with Microsoft 365 to provide enhanced features such as personalized content delivery, seamless mobile access, and optimized search functionalities. It addresses the limitations of Microsoft 365, enabling organizations to create a more engaging and efficient intranet experience. ​

Is additional intranet software necessary if we already use Microsoft 365?

The necessity for additional intranet software depends on your organization's specific requirements. If Microsoft 365 and its components like SharePoint and Viva Connections meet all your intranet needs, additional software may not be necessary. However, for advanced features such as enhanced branding, sophisticated content targeting, rich analytics, mobile support, comprehensive governance, and more a supplementary intranet product can be beneficial.

Can SharePoint alone serve as a comprehensive intranet solution?

While SharePoint provides a robust foundation for intranet development, organizations with complex needs may find it lacking in areas such as advanced content management, personalization, and user engagement features. In such cases, integrating additional intranet software can help bridge these gaps and deliver a more comprehensive solution. ​

What is Microsoft Viva Connections, and how does it integrate with SharePoint?

Microsoft Viva Connections is a customizable app within Microsoft Teams that serves as a gateway to your organization's intranet. It integrates seamlessly with SharePoint, allowing users to access company news, resources, and personalized content directly within Teams. This integration enhances the employee experience by consolidating communication and collaboration tools in a single interface. ​