Key criteria and related questions compared across the four main options
| Criteria | Key questions | Native | In-a-box SharePoint | Custom | Standalone in-a-box |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Security and compliance | Does it support my existing security and compliance policies? Is my data kept on my existing 365 tenant? | Data on tenant, supports existing security policies | Data on tenant, supports existing security policies | Data on tenant, supports existing security policies | Data not on tenant, may not support existing security policies |
| Deployment speed | Will the implementation take three or four months, or nine or ten months? | Quick | Quick | Longer | Longer |
| Integration with M365 | Will the SharePoint intranet integrate seamlessly with Microsoft 365? Is there access from Microsoft Teams? | Yes, Teams integration | Yes, Teams integration | Yes, Teams integration, conditional on what has changed | Far less integrated experience, Teams access varies |
| Adoption | Will there be barriers to adoption and usage with my intranet? | Barriers due to low number of features | Fewer barriers to adoption | Fewer barriers to adoption | Possible barriers, dependent on solution |
| Functional requirements | Does the software have all the features to run a successful intranet? Will it meet requirements specific to my business? | No, will not meet requirements for most organisations | Yes, will meet requirements for most organisations | Varies depending on solution, but will meet specific requirements | Varies depending on solution |
| Communications and engagement | Will it support effective internal communications? | No, will not meet requirements for most organisations | Yes, will meet requirements for most organisations | Varies depending on solution | Varies depending on solution |
| Branding flexibility | How flexible is the branding? | Limited | More flexible | Depends if customisation is around look and feel | More flexible |
| Total costs | What is the total cost of ownership of the intranet? | Medium to high | Low to medium | Medium to high | Medium to high |
| Management and improvement | How easy is it to manage the intranet? Does it support continual improvement? | Hard to manage from a business perspective | Easier to manage | Harder to manage from a technical perspective | Easier to manage |
| Copilot readiness | Can the intranet integrate Copilot easily? | Yes | Yes | Depends | No |