SharePoint Online
Introduction
SharePoint Online is a cloud-based service provided by Microsoft that enables organizations to store, organize, share, and access information from any device. Integrated with Microsoft 365, it offers a collaborative platform for teams to manage content, knowledge, and applications. SharePoint Online supports document management, intranet portals, workflow automation, and integration with tools like Microsoft Teams and OneDrive.
It is widely used within companies to centralize resources, streamline communication, and facilitate collaboration across departments and teams.
SharePoint Sites are the foundational containers for content and collaboration in SharePoint Online. Each site serves a specific purpose—whether it's a team workspace, a communication hub, or a project portal.
There are two main types of sites:
- Team Sites: Designed for collaboration among members of a group. They include document libraries, shared calendars, task lists, and integration with Microsoft Teams.
- Communication Sites: Intended for broadcasting information to a wider audience. These sites are ideal for company-wide announcements, newsletters, or policy updates.
At SpinetiX, SharePoint Sites are used to host department-specific resources, project documentation, and internal communications. Sites can be customized with web parts, branding, and navigation to suit the needs of each team.
SharePoint Pages are customizable web pages used within SharePoint sites to present content in a structured and visually engaging format. They serve as the foundation for building intranet portals, team collaboration spaces, and communication hubs.
The primary purpose is to create persistent, evergreen content such as home pages, departmental landing pages, “About Us” sections, and resource centers. Users navigate to pages directly through site navigation, links from other pages, or search. They are not automatically aggregated. In digital signage context, SharePoint Pages can be used to display curated content such as KPIs, yearly schedules, or internal dashboards on screens in lobbies or meeting rooms.
Here is a guide to create and use modern pages on a SharePoint site.
Tip: SharePoint Pages can be integrated into digital signage screens using the SharePoint News widgets provided by Elementi 2025 (or later).
SharePoint News is a feature within SharePoint that allows users to create and share news articles across their organization. It is a powerful tool for sharing important updates, events, and announcements in a visually appealing and easily accessible format. SharePoint News can be accessed from SharePoint sites and is integrated with other Microsoft 365 applications, making it easy to share news across different platforms.
The primary purpose is to disseminate timely information, announcements, updates, and stories to a broad audience. The News posts are automatically aggregated and prominently displayed in various locations, including the SharePoint start page, the News web part on sites, the SharePoint mobile app, and can be sent in email digests. In digital signage context, SharePoint News post are ideal for showing dynamic, frequently updated content like company announcements, HR updates, or event highlights.
Here is a guide to create and share news on your SharePoint sites.
Tip: SharePoint News Posts can be integrated into digital signage screens using the SharePoint News widgets provided by Elementi 2025 (or later).Comparison
While both SharePoint News and SharePoint Pages serve as canvases for content within your intranet, they are designed for distinct purposes and come with unique functionalities. Think of it this way: a SharePoint Page is a static, foundational element of your site, like a permanent exhibit in a museum, while a SharePoint News post is a timely announcement or story, akin to a special event promotion that's front and center for a limited time.
At their core, both are built on the same "modern page" technology and reside within the same Site Pages library in a SharePoint site. This means you use the same web parts and editing tools to add text, images, videos, and other content to both. However, the key differentiator lies in their intended use and how they are surfaced to users.
Here's a breakdown of the fundamental distinctions:
| SharePoint News Posts | SharePoint Pages | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Timely updates and announcements | General content presentation |
| Structure | Predefined layout optimized for news | Flexible layout with multiple web parts |
| Use Case | Company news, event announcements | Intranet landing pages, team dashboards |
| Audience | Entire organization or public | Internal teams or departments |
| Lifecycle | Prominent when new and gradually gets replaced by more recent news | Typically long-lasting and updated as needed to reflect changes in information |
In essence, while SharePoint News posts are a specialized type of SharePoint Page, their unique features for distribution and visibility make them the ideal choice for dynamic, time-sensitive communication. SharePoint Pages, on the other hand, provide the foundational structure and static content that form the backbone of your SharePoint site.
SharePoint Lists are structured containers for data, similar to tables in a database or spreadsheets. They allow users to store, manage, and share information such as tasks, contacts, inventory, or issue tracking.
Key features include:
- Custom columns: Define data types such as text, number, choice, date, or lookup.
- Views: Create filtered or sorted views to display relevant data.
- Integration: Lists can be connected to Power Automate for workflows or Power Apps for custom forms and applications.
SpinetiX teams use SharePoint Lists for tracking support tickets, managing hardware inventory, and organizing internal requests. Lists are especially useful for creating lightweight applications without needing complex development.
Here is an introduction to lists.
Tip: SharePoint Lists can be integrated into digital signage screens using the spreadsheet widgets provided by Elementi 2018 (or later).