Month: November 2023

Sharepoint: Empowering Collaboration and Streamlining Workflows

Posted on by Jake Boase

In today’s fast-paced and interconnected business environment, efficient collaboration and streamlined workflows are essential for success. To meet these demands, businesses are turning to Sharepoint, a powerful collaboration platform offered by Microsoft.

SharePoint enables teams to work together seamlessly, share information, and automate business processes, ultimately boosting productivity and driving business growth.

In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the fundamentals of Sharepoint, its benefits, and its various applications.

We will also delve into the latest features and updates in Sharepoint 2019, highlighting its enhanced capabilities and improved user experience.

So, whether you are new to SharePoint or looking to optimise your existing implementation, this guide will provide you with valuable insights and practical tips to leverage the full potential of Sharepoint in your business.

What is SharePoint?

Sharepoint is a collaboration system that empowers business teams to work together effectively. It utilises workflow applications, “list” databases, and other web parts and security features to facilitate seamless collaboration and information sharing across the organisation.

SharePoint also offers robust access control mechanisms, allowing businesses to control who can access specific information and automate workflow processes across different business units.

Microsoft offers Sharepoint in both on-premises and cloud-based versions. SharePoint Online, the cloud version, is part of the broader Office 365 suite, which integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft applications. This integration provides users with a comprehensive suite of tools to enhance collaboration, communication, and productivity.

Benefits of Using SharePoint

Implementing SharePoint in your organisation brings numerous benefits, empowering your teams and driving efficiency. Some key benefits of Sharepoint include:

Increased Productivity and Visibility

SharePoint provides a centralised platform where employees can access and collaborate on documents, projects, and tasks. With features like document co-authoring, version control, and real-time updates, SharePoint enables teams to work together more efficiently and effectively. It also offers visibility into project progress, facilitating better coordination and ensuring everyone is on the same page.

Secure Sharing and Content Management

SharePoint’s robust security features allow businesses to control access to sensitive information and protect their data. It enables secure sharing of documents and files within the business, ensuring that only authorised individuals can access and edit them.

Sharepoint also offers extensive content management capabilities, allowing businesses to organise, categorise, and tag documents for easy retrieval.

Workflow Automation

SharePoint enables businesses to automate repetitive and time-consuming tasks through its workflow capabilities. By defining custom workflows, businesses can automate document approvals, notifications, and other routine processes, saving time and reducing the risk of errors. This automation streamlines business operations and enables employees to focus on more strategic tasks.

Customisability and Scalability

SharePoint is highly customisable, allowing businesses to tailor the platform to their specific needs. It offers a wide range of templates, web parts, and integrations that can be customised to match the organisation’s branding and requirements. Sharepoint is also scalable, accommodating organisations of all sizes, from small businesses to large enterprises.

Sharepoint Use Cases

Sharepoint has been widely adopted across various industries and sectors, serving as a versatile platform for collaboration and content management. Some common use cases of SharePoint include:

Intranet and Document Management

SharePoint serves as an efficient intranet platform, enabling businesses to create a centralised hub for company-wide communication and information sharing. It allows employees to access important documents, policies, and announcements, facilitating seamless knowledge sharing and improving internal communication.

Project Management and Team Collaboration

SharePoint provides a collaborative environment for project teams, enabling them to share documents, track project progress, and communicate effectively. With features like task lists, shared calendars, and discussion boards, Sharepoint empowers teams to work together efficiently and ensures everyone is aligned towards project goals.

Records Management and Compliance

SharePoint offers robust records management capabilities, allowing organisations to maintain compliance with regulatory requirements. It provides features like document retention policies, version control, and audit trails, ensuring the integrity and security of important records.

Business Process Automation

SharePoint’s workflow capabilities enable organisations to automate business processes, reducing manual effort and improving efficiency. By defining custom workflows, organizations can automate tasks like document approvals, contract management, and employee onboarding, streamlining operations and minimizing errors.

External Collaboration and Client Portals

SharePoint allows businesses to collaborate with external stakeholders, such as clients, partners, and suppliers. It provides secure external sharing capabilities, ensuring that sensitive information is only accessible to authorised individuals. Sharepoint’s client portals enable organisations to provide a personalised and secure platform for clients to access relevant documents and communicate with the organisation.

SharePoint Apps: Extending Functionality

SharePoint offers a wide range of apps that can be integrated with the platform to extend its functionality and cater to specific business needs. These apps can add features and options that are not available in the standard Sharepoint platform. Some popular Sharepoint apps include:

Document Management Apps

Document management apps enhance SharePoint’s document management capabilities by providing additional features like advanced search, metadata tagging, and document analytics. These apps facilitate better organization, retrieval, and analysis of documents, making it easier for employees to find the information they need.

Workflow Automation Apps

Workflow automation apps enable businesses to automate complex business processes and streamline operations. These apps provide intuitive interfaces for designing and deploying workflows, allowing non-technical users to automate tasks without relying on IT support. They can automate processes like document approvals, employee onboarding, and contract management, improving efficiency and reducing manual effort.

Communication and Collaboration Apps

Communication and collaboration apps enhance SharePoint’s collaboration capabilities, enabling teams to communicate and work together seamlessly. These apps provide features like instant messaging, video conferencing, and virtual whiteboards, facilitating real-time collaboration and fostering teamwork.

Custom Development Apps

Custom development apps enable organisations to build custom solutions on top of SharePoint. These apps provide development frameworks, APIs, and tools that allow developers to create tailored solutions that meet specific business requirements. Custom development apps empower businesses to extend Sharepoint’s functionality and integrate it with other systems and applications.

SharePoint 2019: Enhanced Features and Updates

SharePoint 2019 introduces several new features and updates that further enhance its collaboration capabilities and user experience. These updates cater to the evolving needs of modern workplaces, empowering employees to work more efficiently and effectively. Some key features of Sharepoint 2019 include:

Modern Team and Site Pages

SharePoint 2019 introduces modern team and site pages, allowing users to customise their pages with modern web parts. Users can embed videos, incorporate feeds from external sources, and add documents and images to create engaging and interactive pages. These modern pages provide a visually appealing and user-friendly interface for sharing information and collaborating with team members.

Improved Lists and Libraries

Lists and libraries in Sharepoint 2019 have a modern look and feel, providing a faster and more intuitive user experience. Users can easily manage columns, interact with lists and libraries on mobile devices, and gain informative insights from data. The improved lists and libraries also offer advanced features like conditional formatting, making it easier to highlight important information and drive data-driven decision-making.

Enhanced Communication Sites

SharePoint 2019 introduces communication sites, which serve as a platform for sharing news, stories, and announcements within the business. These sites provide a customisable and visually appealing interface for showcasing content and engaging employees. Communication sites can be easily created by users, empowering them to share information and collaborate with colleagues without relying on IT support.

Mobile and Desktop Experience

SharePoint 2019 enhances the mobile experience for users, allowing them to access and engage with the business’s group from anywhere, on any device. The improved Sharepoint mobile app provides a seamless and intuitive interface for accessing documents, sites, and lists on the go. SharePoint 2019 also offers improved sync clients for OneDrive for Business, enabling users to sync files and access them offline.

Expanded Customisation Options

SharePoint 2019 provides expanded customisation options, empowering organisations to tailor the platform to their specific needs. Integration with Power Apps and Power Automate (formerly known as Flow) allows organisations to create custom workflows and automate business processes with ease. Sharepoint 2019 also supports SharePoint Add-Ins, providing a flexible and scalable approach to extending Sharepoint’s functionality.

Hybrid Solutions and Integration

SharePoint 2019 enhances its hybrid capabilities, enabling seamless integration between Sharepoint Online and Sharepoint Server. The improved search function offers an intuitive layout and real-time search results, improving the user experience. Sharepoint 2019 also supports hybrid taxonomy, allowing organisations to maintain a centralised managed metadata term store across both cloud and on-premises deployments.

Compliance and Security Enhancements

SharePoint 2019 extends its compliance capabilities, enabling organisations to effectively manage sensitive content and ensure regulatory compliance. The new version provides automatic content detection, central reporting for incidents, and enhanced sensitive content types. Administrators can search for sensitive information in real-time and apply policy templates to control and monitor content, aligning with industry standards and regulations.

Conclusion

In conclusion, SharePoint is a powerful tool for businesses looking to enhance collaboration, streamline workflows, and improve data management. Its potential is truly transformative. However, realising the full benefits of SharePoint requires expert guidance and support, which is where ATS Connection’s IT Support services come in.

Our team of experienced professionals can help you leverage SharePoint to its maximum potential, ensuring a seamless integration into your business processes.

Whether you’re just starting with SharePoint or looking to optimise your existing setup, ATS Connection is here to provide tailored solutions, ensuring that your technology works for you, not the other way around. Contact us today to explore how we can elevate your business with SharePoint and comprehensive IT Support.

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How to Plan Your IT Budget for 2027: A Guide for UK Small Businesses

Posted on by Jake Boase

The short answer: For most UK small businesses, an IT budget is mostly per-user running costs: managed IT support (our packages run from £30 to £90 per user per month), Microsoft 365 licences (£5.40 to £16.90 per user per month on an annual plan), plus device replacement, cyber security, internet and phones, and a contingency. For 2027, three changes are already known: analogue phone lines close on 31 January 2027, Windows 10 extended security updates double in price for year two, and Cyber Essentials assessments now automatically fail if multi-factor authentication is missing on cloud services that offer it. Build the budget from the bottom up, per person and per site, rather than as a percentage of turnover.

Last updated: 7 October 2026. Microsoft, Openreach, IASME and GOV.UK figures checked on that date. Prices exclude VAT.

In this guide

What should an IT budget include?

A small business IT budget should cover everything you pay for to keep people working and data safe: support, software licences, devices, security, connectivity and phones, plus a contingency for the things that break. Most of it is predictable once it is written down, because many of the largest IT costs are now charged per user, per month.

Budget lineWhat it coversHow it is usually charged
IT supportHelpdesk, monitoring, patching, endpoint protection, starters and leaversPer user per month, or per device, or by the hour
Microsoft 365 or Google WorkspaceEmail, Office apps, file storage, Teams, and security features on higher plansPer user per month, annual or monthly commitment
Other softwareAccounts, CRM, practice management and design softwarePer user or per licence, usually annual
DevicesLaptops, desktops, monitors, phones and tabletsBought outright, or leased
Cyber securityBackup, email security, Cyber Essentials certification, staff trainingPer user, per device or annual fee
Connectivity and phonesBroadband or leased line at each site, mobiles, VoIP phone systemMonthly per line or per user, on fixed-term contracts
ProjectsOffice moves, migrations, new systems, replacing a serverOne-off, quoted per project
ContingencyUnplanned repairs, replacements and urgent workA set amount held back each year
A typical structure for a small business IT budget.

How much should a small business spend on IT?

We know of no reliable UK benchmark for how much a small business should spend on IT as a share of turnover, and the answer varies too much by sector to be useful. A five-person accountancy practice with sensitive client data needs more security than a five-person trades business that lives on mobiles. It is more accurate to add up what each person and each site actually needs.

The two largest recurring lines for most small offices are support and Microsoft 365. Our own published prices are £30 to £48 per user per month for Core support and £55 to £90 per user per month for Complete IT and security, which adds managed cyber security, Microsoft 365 management, backup and disaster recovery, and Cyber Essentials guidance (see our IT support packages and pricing). Microsoft 365 is billed on top, at these UK list prices:

Microsoft 365 planPer user per month, annual planPer user per month, monthly plan
Business Basic£5.40£6.48
Business Standard£10.80£12.96
Business Premium£16.90£20.28
Microsoft UK list prices excluding VAT, with Teams, checked 7 October 2026. Versions without Teams cost less.

For a fuller comparison of the plans, see our Microsoft 365 business prices guide, which also covers the price changes Microsoft made in July 2026.

A worked example: IT budget for a 15-person office

This is an illustration using our own published prices and Microsoft’s UK list prices, for a single office of 15 people on Microsoft 365 Business Premium. Your figures will differ, especially for devices and connectivity, which depend on your own quotes.

LineMonthly (ex VAT)Basis
Core support£500 to £700ATS published range for a team of 15 (rounded)
Or Complete IT and security£850 to £1,350ATS published range for a team of 15 (rounded)
Microsoft 365 Business Premium£253.5015 users at £16.90, annual plan
DevicesYour quotes, spread monthlyReplacement cost divided by the months you expect each device to last
Broadband and phonesYour current contractsCheck end dates and the analogue line switch-off
Cyber Essentials£440 a year IASME fee (10 to 49 staff)Plus any help with preparation
ContingencyYour choiceHold back an amount for unplanned work
Illustrative only. ATS ranges from our pricing page; Microsoft price from Microsoft UK; Cyber Essentials fee from IASME.

If you are moving from another provider, add a one-off onboarding fee. Ours is typically £500 to £2,000, covering auditing, documenting and taking over your systems properly. You can get a quick per-user estimate for your own headcount from our IT support cost calculator.

What changes should you budget for in 2027?

Three changes are already fixed and will affect many small business budgets over the next 12 months:

  • Analogue phone lines close on 31 January 2027. Openreach says “the deadline is locked” (Openreach, February 2026). Budget for moving phones to VoIP, and check anything else that uses a phone line: alarms, lift lines, card machines and door entry. Our Big Switch Off guide covers what is affected and what happens after the deadline.
  • Windows 10 extended security updates double in price. Microsoft charges commercial customers $61 per device for year one, and the price doubles each year, so $122 for year two and $244 for year three. The updates are cumulative, so joining in year two means paying for both years (Microsoft Learn). Microsoft publishes these prices in US dollars; UK partners usually invoice in pounds, so check the sterling price in your quote. For most businesses, replacing or upgrading the PCs is better value. See our Windows 10 end of life guide.
  • Cyber Essentials is stricter. For assessments started after 26 April 2026, missing multi-factor authentication on any cloud service that offers it, or not installing high-risk or critical updates within 14 days of release, is an automatic fail (IASME). If you need the certificate for contracts or insurance, budget for the work to meet those rules as well as the fee. Our Cyber Essentials cost guide sets out the fees.

One cost is optional rather than fixed: Microsoft now sells Copilot alongside its Microsoft 365 business plans. Treat it as a project with a trial group and a clear purpose, rather than adding it for everyone at once.

Cyber insurance renewals are also worth planning for, because insurers now ask detailed questions about your IT before quoting. Our guide to whether you need cyber insurance explains what they ask.

How to build your IT budget, step by step

The quickest way to an accurate IT budget is to start from what you already have, then add what is changing:

  1. List every person and device. Headcount now and planned hires, and every laptop, desktop, phone and server, with its age and operating system.
  2. List every subscription and contract. Microsoft 365, other software, broadband, phones and support, with the cost, the renewal date and the notice period.
  3. Remove what nobody uses. Licences still assigned to people who have left, and software nobody opens, are common and easy savings.
  4. Plan device replacements. Anything that cannot run a supported operating system needs replacing or upgrading this year. Spread the rest evenly so you are not replacing every laptop in the same month.
  5. Set your security baseline. Multi-factor authentication, endpoint protection, patching, separate tested backups and staff training. If you hold client data or bid for contracts, add Cyber Essentials.
  6. Add the known changes. The analogue line switch-off, any Windows 10 machines, and price rises at renewal.
  7. Add projects. Office moves, new systems or migrations, each with its own quote. If a project needs scoping first, our IT consultancy service can plan and price it.
  8. Hold back a contingency. Something will break or need replacing early. A set amount stops that becoming an argument about budget.

Your IT provider should be able to give you most of this from their own records. If they cannot produce a list of your devices and licences, that tells you something too.

How do you budget for IT across more than one site?

For a business with several sites, per-user support and licence costs stay the same, but each site adds its own connectivity, network equipment and possibly visits. Budget these per site:

  • An internet connection at each site, and a backup connection where downtime would stop work.
  • A firewall and Wi-Fi equipment at each site, and their support.
  • A phone system that works across sites. A single cloud phone system usually replaces separate on-site systems.
  • On-site visits. Ask whether they are included, capped or charged per visit, because this varies between providers and between sites.
  • Shared files and systems. Moving them to Microsoft 365 or another cloud service avoids running a server at each site.

Our support is billed per user, so a 15-person business split across two offices pays the same per-user rate as one in a single office. Whether visits are included depends on location and package, and we set that out in the quote.

Annual or monthly: how does billing affect the budget?

Paying for Microsoft 365 on a monthly plan costs 20% more than committing for a year: Business Standard is £10.80 per user per month on an annual plan and £12.96 on a monthly plan (Microsoft UK), and Business Premium is £16.90 against £20.28 (Microsoft UK). The monthly plan is worth paying for only on licences you expect to add and remove during the year, such as for seasonal staff.

Support contracts and phone contracts work the same way: longer terms are often cheaper per month but harder to leave. Note each contract’s end date and notice period in your budget, so a renewal never rolls over by accident. Our own support is a rolling annual agreement billed per user.

Can you claim tax relief on IT equipment?

Usually, yes. Computers and other equipment bought for the business generally count as plant and machinery (HMRC helpsheet HS252). Businesses that claim capital allowances can usually use the Annual Investment Allowance, which is £1 million a year and lets you deduct the full cost of qualifying plant and machinery from profits. Companies can also claim full expensing on new and unused plant and machinery (not cars), deducting 100% of the cost from profits in the year it was bought. Sole traders and partnerships using the cash basis normally deduct equipment as an expense instead (GOV.UK).

This affects when the cost hits your profits, not how much you pay the supplier. It is general information, not tax advice: your accountant can tell you which allowance suits your business, and whether buying or leasing works out better.

Where can you save without adding risk?

  • Unused licences. Remove licences from leavers promptly, and downgrade people who do not use the features they pay for.
  • Annual commitments. Move stable licences from monthly to annual billing.
  • Duplicate tools. Many businesses pay for file sharing, video calls or security tools that Microsoft 365 already includes on their plan.
  • Licences at cost. Ask your IT provider whether they add a margin to licences. We pass Microsoft and software licences through at cost.
  • Planned replacement. Replacing devices on a schedule usually costs less in lost time than waiting for them to fail.

The one place not to save is the security baseline. Multi-factor authentication, backups and patching cost little compared with recovering from an attack. Cyber Essentials now requires multi-factor authentication and prompt patching, and many insurers also ask about backups.

How ATS Connection helps

We publish our prices so you can budget before you speak to anyone: Core support from £30 per user per month, Complete IT and security from £55, licences at cost and no charge per ticket. Our small business IT support page explains what smaller teams get, and our guide to what outsourced IT support costs compares the pricing models used across the UK.

If you want to know where to spend first, book a free IT review. A senior engineer will review your setup, security, backups and Microsoft 365, and tell you what is worth fixing first. For a price, tell us your headcount and setup through our pricing page and we will give you one figure in writing.

Frequently asked questions

How much should a small business budget for IT?

We know of no reliable UK percentage-of-turnover benchmark for small businesses. Build it per person and per site instead. Managed IT support with us costs £30 to £90 per user per month depending on the package, Microsoft 365 is £5.40 to £16.90 per user per month on an annual plan, and devices, connectivity, security and a contingency are added on top.

What should be included in an IT budget?

IT support, Microsoft 365 or other software licences, devices, cyber security including backup and Cyber Essentials, internet and phones at each site, one-off projects, and a contingency for unplanned work.

Is Microsoft 365 cheaper if you pay annually?

Yes. Monthly plans cost 20% more. Business Standard is £10.80 per user per month on an annual plan and £12.96 on a monthly plan, and Business Premium is £16.90 against £20.28, excluding VAT.

Do I need to budget for the Big Switch Off?

If you still use analogue phone lines, yes. Openreach is closing them on 31 January 2027 and says the deadline is locked. Budget for moving phones to VoIP and for checking alarms, lift lines, card machines and door entry systems that use a phone line.

How much do Windows 10 extended security updates cost?

Microsoft charges commercial customers $61 per device for year one and $122 for year two, and the updates are cumulative. The price doubles each year and is published in US dollars; UK partners usually invoice in pounds. Replacing or upgrading the PC is usually better value.

Can I claim tax relief on computers for my business?

Generally yes. Businesses that claim capital allowances can usually use the £1 million Annual Investment Allowance, and companies can also claim full expensing on new and unused plant and machinery. Sole traders and partnerships using the cash basis normally deduct equipment as an expense instead. Check with your accountant, as this is not tax advice.

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