Intranet Software

An intranet is a private computer network which can only be accessed by authorized personnel. Based on the communication standards of the Internet, intranet software allows companies to create miniature, manageable, and secure versions of the World Wide Web. It is important for the intranet software consumer to understand the benefits of this technology as well as what to look for when comparing software packages.

The Benefits of Building a Corporate Intranet

Building a corporate intranet is an effective means of encouraging collaboration while at the same time reducing paper cost, as all processes are now online. It has been said that 18% of all printed corporate material becomes outdated after thirty days. Intranet software technology makes it so your material is always online and current.

Intranet software is also inexpensive to implement and simple to use, merely requiring basic “point and click” knowledge. It has been proven both time and cost effective, providing faster access to better information, and is based on open standards. Intranet software is also popular in today's corporate environments because it puts users in control of their data.

• If you have never shopped for intranet software before, you may not know what to look for. Below are some features that can be found in many of today's quality intranet software systems.


• A fully customizable home page. Many of today's systems will allow you to design your own intranet home page in which you can add your own graphics, flash elements, custom messages, bookmarks, and corporate information.


• Employee search capabilities. Your intranet should enable you to perform employee searches directly from the home page so that you have quick, efficient access to contact information.


• Fast, easy installation.


• No user training required.


• Unlimited categories and menu items. Your new software should allow you to organize your content by creating unlimited application categories and menu items.


• Content archiving. You want a system that preserves older content and keeps it searchable.


• Scalable. Your system should be capable of expanding to accommodate a large user base, as the number of users may steadily increase with time.


• Technical support. Remember to inquire about technical support. Will you have constant access to customer service? How much will it cost you?


• Organizer. Your new software should enable all employees to organize their schedules.


• Bulletin board. Your intranet should allow all employees to share information with one another through the use of group bulletins.


• Online meeting room. Your system should provide a virtual meeting place where members can chat freely.


• Internal messaging and web mail capabilities. Your intranet system should allow users to send messages to one another directly, but you should also be able to send and receive emails from your local web browser.


• Projects manager. Your intranet software should enable you to manage the status of all projects in one central area.


• Filing cabinet. Your system should provide an online storage space for important documents and files.


• Internet search capabilities. In addition to enabling your new corporate intranet, your software should allow you full access to the Internet
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By Lindsay Rech