A SharePoint consulting company is an agency that customizes and integrates SharePoint, a Microsoft cloud-based document management platform, into a company's internal operations. This allows the company to organize information, automate workflows, and improve productivity, efficiency, communication, and security. 

SharePoint consultants also assist in migrating data and workflows from legacy systems or older platform versions to newer or cloud-based ones. Below are some of the shortcomings that SharePoint consulting companies help businesses address: 

• Large unorganized data volumes: Without a proper data infrastructure, businesses might experience challenges with data inaccuracy. SharePoint consulting companies will coordinate with clients when planning the information architecture to create a functional system that accommodates the request.  
• Siloed workflows: Siloed workflows often lead to limited project management visibility and bottlenecks. To eliminate these inconsistencies across departments, consulting companies introduce standardization techniques supplemented by SharePoint automation tools to create a centralized platform for tracking task progress and cross-department communication.  
• Document management and navigability issues: Businesses often lack a structured document management system which impedes their efficient access, storage, retrieval, and version control of documents. In that regard, SharePoint consultants can design a user-centric navigation system that facilitates intuitive information retrieval to minimize time wasted on document searching. 
• Legacy systems: SharePoint consulting companies can assist in migrating data from outdated systems to modern SharePoint platforms. By eliminating the reliance on cumbersome legacy systems, businesses streamline their information access and achieve greater business agility. 
• User adoption: Employees accustomed to older systems may resist using SharePoint. To help clients' employees overcome their apprehension, consultant companies schedule training sessions to ensure the team adopts the platform effectively.  

Findings show that 80% of Fortune 500 firms employ Microsoft SharePoint, ranking the platform as the third most favored mobile enterprise application. In terms of content collaboration software, SharePoint dominates with a substantial 75% market share. 

One example of a lucrative SharePoint deployment encompasses the collaboration between an exploration and production (E&P) company and Entrance Consulting to upgrade its content management system (CMS).  

The client's HR team struggled with a disorganized file-storing system and encountered issues with security, document versioning, and data accessibility. Its employee portal was also limited and ineffectual. Entrance Consulting migrated its CMS to SharePoint to relieve the client of these hindrances, allowing meta-tagging, document versioning, and easy sharing while providing high-security measurements. Additionally, the agency streamlined workflows, customized notifications, and site administrator settings and trained the client's HR team. 

As a result, the client has more control over their own data, leading to more informed decisions. 

A SharePoint consultant is responsible for the migration, architecture, development, deployment, and maintenance of the SharePoint platform across new and existing users alike. The consulting companies customize their approach to suit clients' needs, drawing upon Microsoft SharePoint's optimal techniques and considering practical functionalities and scaling opportunities. It also conducts workforce training sessions, equipping them with the necessary skills to fully utilize SharePoint and maximize its potential. 

Common services of SharePoint consultants include: 

• Custom SharePoint development: Tailoring the service scope to include specialized solutions aligned with the client's request 
• Workflow automation: Streamlining processes and setting automation features to improve communication and reduce manual tasks 
• Data and document management: Implementing and optimizing SharePoint for efficient data storage, organization, and retrieval, ensuring secure and compliant document management 
• SharePoint intranet design: Creating user-friendly SharePoint intranet portals and personalizing the document management system (DMS) to enhance collaboration, communication, and knowledge-sharing within an organization 
• Platform migration: Transferring workflows and communications from other platforms to SharePoint 
• SharePoint integration: Connecting SharePoint with a business's tech stack, including project management platform and enterprise software solution, to ensure a seamless workflow  
• Support and maintenance: Providing ongoing technical support and maintenance services to ensure good performance across SharePoint environments 
• Employee training: Offering training programs and workshops to help employees effectively use SharePoint functionalities, thus maximizing productivity 
• XML and HTML development: Developing custom solutions using XML and HTML to extend SharePoint's capabilities and improve user experience 

By providing these services, SharePoint consultants improve a business's document management system, increasing security, data accuracy, and collaboration; which improves their bottom line. A good representation of such an instance is when Modular Wind Energy consigned AllianceTek's services. 

Modular Wind Energy needed help in optimizing and simplifying its purchasing process, as it struggled with a fragmented database with a file system that couldn't be integrated with its tech stack. To accommodate the request, AllianceTek built a customized SharePoint solution containing vendor information, job codes, categories, account lists, shipping locations, material masters, and purchase-order masters. The solution served as a centralized database for all relevant documents, with customized permission levels, access rights, and automated workflows based on user roles. 

Through AllianceTek's SharePoint services, Modular Wind Energy gained a solution that fully integrates with its existing system, effectively managing its data and simplifying the purchasing process. This allowed the client to facilitate a better user experience for its team and clients and achieve a positive return on investment (ROI). 

SharePoint consulting services cost an average of $75-$200 per hour, depending on the project scope, complexity, agency expertise and team size.  

Here are some key factors that affect SharePoint consultant's rates: 

• Number of users: SharePoint's pricing plan is defined by the number of users per month, which means your consulting fees increase with more users. You can choose between a monthly or annual payment plan. 
• SharePoint version: SharePoint On-Premise requires hardware upkeep and subscription fees, so you may be entitled to additional charges for the service. On the other hand, you will only need to pay the subscription fee of SharePoint 365, as all your files will be hosted on a cloud server. 
• Range of functionalities: Additional features like PowerApps, Power Automate, and Project Server impose extra fees, subsequently increasing the service price. 
• Third-party tools: Third-party tools and add-ons that improve SharePoint functionality may also call for additional charges.  
• Additional services: Services like legacy system updates, SharePoint migration, and employee training and development may not be included in the basic price plan of your SharePoint consultancy service and as such, might entail added charges. 

The top 50 SharePoint consultants on DesignRush charge an average of $47 per hour. 13% of SharePoint consulting companies accept a minimum project budget of less than $1,000, while only 3% accept projects with a $50,000 minimum budget. 

You should hire a SharePoint consulting company to obtain an all-encompassing solution that integrates existing processes into a single environment. On top of receiving practical guidance on using the platform to its full extent, you will achieve an expenditure reduction and efficient cross-department communication among your employees. 

Contracting a SharePoint consultant company provides numerous advantages, including: 

• Specialized expertise: SharePoint-specific skills are not always readily available. Hiring a SharePoint consulting company will help you harness the platform's full potential and provide specialized services like SharePoint intranet design. 
• Platform tailored to your needs: While you can get SharePoint without hiring an agency, the off-the-shelf version has limited functions that may not comprehensively support your business operation. In that regard, a SharePoint consultant can develop custom features and functions on the platform for higher practicality and productivity. 
• Improved user adoption: SharePoint consultants provide practical advice to the broader workforce on the platform's functionalities, addressing user apprehension and unfamiliarity. By providing guidance, troubleshooting, and support, consultants build confidence in platform utilization, propelling the adoption of SharePoint as an integral tool. 
• Reduced overhead costs: A SharePoint consultant's salary averages $68 per hour or approximately $141,000 annually. Considering this, opting for a subcontractor can be more cost-efficient than hiring a full-time employee as you pay solely for the services you need, bypassing added expenses like licensing, training, and onboarding. 
• Increased security: SharePoint consultants can create an advanced security setup, granting permission only to authorized personnel to access and modify sensitive documents and information. With their help, you can define granular permissions, assigning specific access levels to users and groups, thus safeguarding confidential data from unauthorized access. 
• Improved workflows and information accuracy: SharePoint consultants can introduce you to novel functionalities for automating workflows, enhancing data architecture, and streamlining processes. 
• Manage migration, updates, and issues: A consultant helps move your current workflows to SharePoint and ensures your system stays stable during updates or expansions. 
• Relevant updates and developments: SharePoint consultants' service extends to providing ongoing maintenance and system migration so you can easily navigate and keep abreast with the platform's novelties and intricacies. 
• Integration within your existing system: Integrating SharePoint with your HRMS, SAP, payroll, and other business processes allows you to set a single source of truth (SSOT) that contributes to data-driven insights and better data retrieval. 

One case study that illustrates the benefits of hiring a SharePoint consulting company is when United Refining Company partnered with HingePoint.  

Before hiring HingePoint, United Refining Company relied on hard-copy documents and an outdated on-premise file server. Additionally, its file server recently endured a ransomware attack, forcing it to save files on local drives. To solve this, HingePoint designed a document management system on SharePoint Online and customized seven document libraries for the Pipeline Center.  

By leveraging Custom Power, HingePoint automated the client's workflows, successfully migrating 15,746 files and 2,410 folders worth 100GB of data. United Refining Company also standardized its folder structure, which improved its file searching capabilities while gaining a secure internal and external collaboration platform and auditable system. 

You can choose the best SharePoint consulting service for your business by following a systematic approach: 

1. Audit your current system: Are you looking to redo your entire document management system, or do you simply need a few plugins? Assess your system's shortcomings and goals to specify the Microsoft SharePoint consulting services you need.  
2. Familiarize yourself with the different versions of SharePoint: SharePoint 365, SharePoint On-Premise, and other versions of SharePoint entail different benefits. Learn about each to decide on a version that aligns with your operations. 
3. Set a budget: SharePoint implementation can be a significant operational investment. Define a feasible budget range, considering factors such as project scope, platform licensing, and third-party APIs and plugins. 
4. Define your project scope: Set a timeline, project requirements, and key success metrics based on your long- and short-term project goals. 
5. Research and gather references: Search online directories, marketplaces, and agency listings for potential Microsoft SharePoint consultants. List developers that are highly recommended by credible third-party agencies. 
6. Do your due diligence: Read their portfolios, case studies, client testimonials, reviews, and awards on marketplace websites and platforms like DesignRush and Google My Business. 
7. Look into their Microsoft accreditations: Look for agencies that are certified Microsoft solutions partners. Inquire about specific Microsoft 365 certificates, such as Teams Administrator Associate and Enterprise Administrator Expert. 
8. Check their technical prowess: In addition to having an extensive knowledge of Microsoft systems, search for agencies with expertise in HTML, XML, CSS, JavaScript, and Big Data. Proficiency in these fields is a good indicator that the agency can customize features and plugins to your specifications and integrate SharePoint with other operational tools and technology in your business. 
9. Assess their service scope and expertise: Pinpoint consultants with experience in your industry and ensure they offer the specific SharePoint services and features you need. 
10. Send your request for proposal (RFP): Once you have shortlisted potential agencies, send them an RFP outlining the project scope, timeline, costs, and strategy. Assess proposals from various agencies to understand value for money, the extent of work, and projected outcomes. 
11. Interview your potential agencies: Schedule an interview with SharePoint consultants to better assess their soft skills, like team dynamics, communication style, and organizational values. 
12. Negotiate and finalize the contract: Review and negotiate the payment and terms of service and ensure there are clauses that allow you to exit the partnership without severe penalties if it does not meet your expectations. 
13. Prepare for deployment: Implementing a new SharePoint system can disrupt daily business operations. Considering this, you need to schedule the deployment after business hours and prepare for potential system downtime. 

Need help finding SharePoint consultants? Contact us, and we will connect you to the most suitable agencies based on your project requirements at no cost. Visit DesignRush's Marketplace to jumpstart your partner search. 

You can find the best SharePoint consultant on DesignRush that fits your budget using our search filters. You can refine your search according to hourly rates, minimum budgets, agency region, company size, and client type. 

Below are five SharePoint consultants with the most affordable hourly rates on DesignRush: 

• Retrix: $5/hour 
• Gtechwebindia: $8/hour 
• Hills Dot: $8/hour 
• Zaag Systems Ltd: $10/hour 
• ETSPL: $10/hour 

You can ask SharePoint consultants the following questions before hiring one: 

Its Relevant Background 

1. What SharePoint versions, features, and products are you most familiar with? 
2. What are your relevant SharePoint consulting certifications? 
3. Are you familiar with other tools and technologies aside from SharePoint? 
4. What is your experience working with a business in our industry? Can you provide examples of successful case studies? 
5. How do you ensure your team's skills and knowledge are updated with the latest SharePoint and Microsoft advancements? 

Its Services and Processes 

1. How do you manage task workflow? For instance, how do you differentiate event activity and method activity? 
2. What permission types exist on SharePoint? Which ones do you recommend for my business? 
3. What is your problem-solving process? Please explain a situation when you were troubleshooting a SharePoint problem and how you solved it. 
4. What is your migration strategy and data management approach? 
5. How do you conduct risk assessment, and how do you avoid the potential risks for your clients? 
6. What are your security, data privacy, and emergency protocols to avoid breaches and errors that lead to data leaks? 

Related to Your Project 

1. What steps do you take before customizing SharePoint to our organization's unique needs? 
2. How will my SharePoint be hosted? How will it impact my IT infrastructure?  
3. How will you integrate SharePoint into my current business systems and operations? 
4. How do you ensure that SharePoint is user-friendly, even to our most technologically challenged employees? How do you encourage system adoption? 
5. How do you ensure that my solution is scalable and remains relevant with each SharePoint update? 
6. What is your turnover process? Do you offer training, maintenance, and support? 

• HingePoint 
  • 5.0 stars on Google (8 reviews) 
  • Top clients: Continental Property, Parsons, Marriott, GE Renewable Energy 
• Entrance Consulting 
  • 5.0 stars on Google (9 reviews) 
  • Top clients: Jones Energy, Toshiba, United Rentals, BioTech Inc. 
• Affirma 
  • 4.7 stars on Google (32 reviews) 
  • Top clients: Colorado Mountain College, Port of Seattle, Time Magazine, Microsoft 
• AllianceTek Inc. 
  • 4.8 stars on DesignRush (5 reviews) 
  • 4.6 stars on Google (14 reviews) 
  • Top clients: NFL, Johnson & Johnson, Cox Communications, Reliance Standard
• Kanda Software 
  • 4.7 stars on DesignRush (15 reviews) 
  • 4.8 stars on Google (8 reviews) 
  • Top clients: Accenture, Verizon Media, Bayer HealthCare, Dell EMC