SharePoint Online Intranet Modernization

Overview

The client is the largest food distribution organization in the St. Louis region, supporting a network of partner agencies and programs focused on addressing food insecurity. To support its mission, the Foodbank relies on effective internal communication, access to information, and collaboration across teams and departments.

As the organization continued to grow and evolve, leadership recognized the need for a modern intranet experience that could serve as a central hub for employees. The existing SharePoint environment required modernization to improve usability, governance, and consistency. They engaged Oakwood Systems Group to design and implement a SharePoint Online intranet that would improve access to information while supporting long term sustainability and adoption.

Business Challenge

Their existing intranet structure lacked consistency in site design, navigation, and permissions, making it difficult for employees to find information efficiently. Content was spread across multiple locations, and there was no standardized approach for managing departmental sites, dashboards, or shared resources.

In addition, the organization needed clearer governance around permissions, site creation, and ongoing maintenance. Training and communication were also important considerations, as the new intranet needed to be adopted by users with varying levels of technical experience. The client required a solution that balanced ease of use with structure and governance, without disrupting day to day operations.

Solution

Oakwood partnered with the client to design and deliver a modern SharePoint Online intranet aligned with the organization’s operational needs and culture. The engagement focused on creating a centralized digital workplace to support internal communication, content sharing, and collaboration across departments. Stakeholder discussions helped identify how teams accessed information, managed content, and collaborated, as well as where friction existed in the existing environment.

Oakwood reviewed the current SharePoint structure, permissions, and navigation patterns to establish a clear understanding of the starting point. Based on this assessment, Oakwood worked with the stakeholders to define an updated intranet architecture, including a primary home site, hub sites, dashboards, and standardized departmental site templates. Navigation structures and content groupings were designed to improve discoverability and provide a consistent experience across the intranet.

Governance considerations were incorporated into the solution to support long term sustainability. Oakwood helped define standards for site creation, permissions management, and content ownership, ensuring the environment could scale without introducing unnecessary complexity. These standards were documented to support internal accountability and consistent site management. To support adoption, Oakwood provided guidance and knowledge transfer for content owners and administrators. Training materials and rollout planning helped prepare users for the new intranet experience and ensured internal teams were equipped to manage and evolve the platform as organizational needs change.

Outcome

The SharePoint Online intranet provided them with a centralized, user friendly digital workplace that improved access to information and internal communication. Employees gained a consistent experience across departmental sites, dashboards, and shared resources, reducing time spent searching for content.

Defined governance standards and permissions improved security and made the environment easier to manage over time. Training and documentation enabled internal teams to confidently maintain and extend the intranet as organizational needs evolve. With a modern collaboration platform in place, the client established a scalable foundation that supports its mission and the teams that carry it out every day.

About Oakwood

Our Team of seasoned professionals delivers unparalleled expertise in consulting and implementation services across the Microsoft Azure stack, ensuring our clients harness the full potential of their technology investments. With a commitment to excellence and a passion for driving business success, Oakwood Systems stands at the forefront of technological innovation, helping businesses navigate and excel in today’s fast-paced digital landscape.