Intranet briefing

1.1 All the 'live', day-to-day information that is needed to make your business run is likely to end up on your intranet.

• For example, information used in marketing or HR management

1.2 Intranets can improve how you deal with customers.

• Every PC will give immediate access to new or changed information.
• You can use your intranet to log customer contacts. When a customer calls, whoever answers will be able to access the full history for that customer.

1.3 Intranets can help your in-house training.

• An intranet is ideal for leading new employees through an induction sequence - what your products are, who you sell to, who everyone is and what people do - because it is so easy to update.
• You can keep an audit trail to check that people are using your interactive material.
• You can make the business' general information available to every employee.

  This provides access to specialist know-how when an expert is unavailable.

1.4 The intranet can hold diaries for individuals and groups. This makes it easier to schedule people and facilities.

1.5 Your intranet can become an extranet, giving access to customers or suppliers.

• An extranet is an intranet that selected external users can access, usually over the internet.
• Allowing customers to view stock levels and place orders via your extranet will improve their view of your service, and could save you money.

2.1 Transferring data is quick and easy.

• Information can be exchanged electronically rather than on paper.

2.2 People in different locations can work together more effectively.

• 'Workspaces' can be set up within your intranet. They allow several people to view and edit the same files and send each other feedback.

2.3 An intranet can improve access to information in your business.

• Data expertise and project work can be easily shared.
• Links to FAQs, glossaries and other back-up resources can minimise mistakes.
• Information is available 24/7, making flexible working more practical.
• Intranet statistics can be analysed to reveal information about work patterns.

2.4 You can use existing IT systems efficiently.

• You can achieve guaranteed viewing of important documents (like new HR policies) by requiring employees to confirm through the intranet that they have read them.

2.5 The intranet gives you flexible control over what is seen and by whom.

• You can achieve guaranteed viewing of 'must' messages on the home page.
• You can have message bars on key pages, with company news in tickertape form.
• Important information can be given direct to each individual involved.
• Where necessary, access can be restricted by using password-protected pages.
• Email address lists allow quick, selective distribution.
• You can publish short-life information and set the system to remind you to delete it on a certain date.

2.6 An intranet may offer direct cost savings on printing and out-of-hours staffing.

3.1 You can build an intranet from scratch yourself (see 4).

• The technologies underlying an intranet are the same as those which power the web. This means you can build an intranet in the same way you build a website.
• You need a server to host the intranet. If your business does not already have a server, this could cost less than £1,000.

3.2 Use an off-the-shelf package (see 5).

• Many software firms offer intranet software which you can install onto your server.
• The cost could be as little as a few hundred pounds, or even free if you use open source software. The more functions and users you have, the higher the cost.
• It is generally easier to buy a package than to start from scratch, but costs are higher and flexibility may be more limited.

3.3 Use a hosted solution (see 6).

• With a hosted solution, you pay a company to host your intranet on their servers.
• You log in to the system to view and edit content and create the structure.
• Hosted solutions are charged monthly. You will pay from £15 a month, depending on features and storage space.

3.4 Pay an agency ().

• You can commission an agency to design and build your intranet from scratch.
• This can cost from £500 upwards.
• This is the best option if you need a highly customised intranet.

4.1 Setting up a simple intranet is similar to building a website. So if you run an office network and have web design expertise in-house, you should be able to create a basic intranet easily.

4.2 You can use web design software to build your intranet pages.

• For example, Adobe Dreamweaver or Microsoft Expression Web.

4.3 Costs may include buying hardware and software, plus the time of your employees.

• You may need help from a consultant to build more complex features, like creating a live feed from your customer database.
• Management costs can be significant, particularly if you need to keep a lot of information up-to-date.

5.1 You can install an off-the-shelf package onto your own server.

Most off-the-shelf packages simplify the process of creating an intranet by including templates and a graphical interface which is easier to use.

5.2 Although an off-the-shelf package is easier to set up, you will still need some knowledge of how to install the package onto your server.

• If you lack the knowledge to do this, you can employ a consultant to set it up.

5.3 You may need to budget for technical support as well as for the software and hardware (if necessary).

6.1 With a hosted solution, your entire intranet resides on a server outside your business.

• The hosting company takes care of technical issues, security, support and maintenance.
• You log in to it to add pages, content and other elements to your intranet.

6.2 Many web-hosting firms offer hosted solutions.

Choose a reputable supplier - ask for recommendations and search the internet for reviews before signing a contract.

• If a company already hosts your website, it may be best to use them for your intranet.

6.3 The main benefit of a hosted solution is that all the technical issues are dealt with by the hosting company.

• Look for a service agreement guaranteeing a fast response to technical problems.
• Remember that you may store customer details and confidential information on your intranet, so make sure the hosting firm is reliable and trustworthy.

6.4 Costs for a hosted solution are predictable and compare well with other options.

• You will probably pay a fixed monthly cost.
• Be wary of additional charges for support and data backups.
• You may be charged extra for additional users, or if usage exceeds set limits.

7.1 An agency can build an intranet to fit your precise requirements.

• Choose an agency carefully.
• Insist on seeing examples of previous intranet work for a company your size.

7.2 You will need to brief carefully, so that your business objectives stay to the fore.

• Design guidelines are important. An intranet must reflect your company's style.

7.3 Get quotes and set limits on cost and time.

• You may want to bring in an agency to do the initial work, then take over future updating and development yourself.

8.1 Make sure all users feel responsible for keeping pages that affect them up to date.

• Put the date created and date due for review on every page.

8.2 Content should come from all parts of the business.

• Encourage employees with writing skills to produce interesting material.

8.3 Some policing of the content will be necessary as the intranet grows.

9.1 Make things on your intranet easy to find.

• The user should never be more than three clicks away from the information.
• Include a search page, so people can find what they want quickly. Most off-the-shelf packages and hosted solutions will include search as standard.

9.2 Keep the technical aspects of your intranet as simple as possible.

• Look for the solution which is easiest to use while providing what you need.

9.3 Look for a solution with good content management features.

• If it is easy to change content, your staff will be more likely to use the intranet.

10.1 Train all employees to use the intranet.

• Demonstrate the benefits. Your staff must understand these.
• Basic training only needs to be an hour long to get people started.
• If you are using an agency, ask them to provide training as part of the deal.

10.2 Train non-IT people to use the authoring tools - at least one person in each office.

• Most packages include a simple editing option similar to a word processor.

10.3 Identify enthusiasts who will help others to use the intranet and come up with ideas for developing it.

• Find an 'intranet volunteer' to provide news and updates and be the local contact point.