The SharePoint safety management system software model has swiftly become an industry standard for EHS data management. A number of safety departments use SharePoint thanks to its ready availability and high profile, but the truth is that SharePoint may not be the best option for your EHS program.
In fact, alternatives in the form of modern day cloud-based EHS software have a number of advantages over a local SharePoint installation. Here’s what you need to know about these differences.
If you’re maintaining a SharePoint installation on a local server, there are a number of resources you need to allocate and then manage in order to keep your software running.
First and foremost, a local installation requires the presence of a physical server on location. The installation, maintenance, and upkeep of that server represent a major investment of both physical resources and in time and energy on the part of your IT department.
Meanwhile, a cloud-based EHS software paradigm removes these resource allocation and management requirements. The time and money you save by not having to physically maintain a server on-site—and everything that entails—will often be more than you end up spending on a monthly cloud-based subscription fee. This makes the choice to go cloud-based even more attractive, especially when you can re-invest your cost savings back into the safety department.
Related to the point above, differences between maintaining a local SharePoint safety management system software installation and relying on a cloud-based EHS software model include those of scaling and growth.
If you need additional data storage capacity with a locally-maintained SharePoint server, for example, you need to physically upgrade the hardware. Likewise, you will need to apply any software upgrades or updates manually as well. This need to personally handle upgrades and growth is not nearly as efficient a model as a cloud-based software solution.
With your EHS software managed and maintained by a service provider, the responsibility for keeping the platform patched and updated is squarely on their shoulders, not your own. Additionally, expanding your service needs in the form of adding data storage capacity in a cloud-based environment usually involves simply agreeing to pay a slightly higher subscription rate.
Again, with resource management at a premium in a business environment, a cloud-based EHS software platform is an economical choice.
The SharePoint safety management system software platform is, without a doubt, a popular choice for many safety departments. That being said, the SharePoint model is beginning to show its age when it comes to the limitations in how it handles infrastructure and access.
If you feel your safety department needs an upgrade to its EHS software, switching to a cloud-based option instead of a local SharePoint installation is a viable choice that can result in short-term and long-term savings.
With an agile and cost-effective cloud-based EHS, your business can leverage these cost savings into better safety equipment and more robust workplace prevention measures.
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