Customers may need somewhere to find documents, submit requests or approve work. SharePoint and a bespoke portal can be assessed against these tasks. The right choice depends on the complete customer journey and the staff process behind it.
Start with what customers must do
List the tasks before comparing platforms. Does a customer only need a document, or must they see an account-specific job history, approve a quotation and track an outstanding request? Include several users in one customer organisation, former employees and customers who need help signing in.
When SharePoint is worth assessing
SharePoint supports external sharing, controlled through organisation and site settings. For a business already using Microsoft 365, it is worth testing whether the available sharing and collaboration features meet the actual requirement. External access still needs deliberate administration; being able to share a file does not establish that a complete customer workflow is ready.
When a bespoke portal is worth assessing
Dedicated development may suit a journey that depends on your own operational records, unusual permissions or specific approvals. Staff might manage a repair internally while the customer sees selected progress and reports. Check existing products and supported extensions before deciding that a new build is necessary.
How do we compare access and permissions?
Test the same scenarios in each option. Can customer A access customer B’s document through a saved link? What happens when a user leaves? Can someone view a report without approving a charge? Check downloads and underlying data requests, not only the links visible on a screen.
What costs belong in the comparison?
Include configuration, licences, guest access arrangements where applicable, development, administration and ongoing support. Ask customers to complete representative tasks during a trial. Choose around usability and the full working process rather than assuming either an existing platform or a custom build is always better.
Further reading: Microsoft documentation: SharePoint external sharing.
Discuss your business requirements
Digital Solutions can help assess the workflow, access and development work involved. Explore our related development services or book a free 15-minute software review.