IBM B2B Cloud Services vs. Microsoft SharePoint

We have just started to use IBM B2B Cloud Services within our department. We were looking for a cloud-based solution to manage all of our partner's B2B processes within a single interface. We did not want to have to go through the hassle of managing any sort of solution ourselves; thus, we came to the conclusion that a cloud-based solution would work best for our department. So far, we have found that the product has been reliable, and not having to worry about maintenance and patch cycles is always a good thing.

Incentivized

SharePoint Document Management excels as a central repository for storing, organising, and retrieving documents. It supports version control, metadata tagging, secure access, and integration with tools like Power Automate. At our organisation, it's used for managing contracts, policies, and supplier documents. SharePoint Workflow Automation integrates with Power Automate to streamline approvals, gather feedback, and automate recurring tasks. This reduces reliance on email chains and manual trackers.

Incentivized

• Document process management
• Transition services, including planning, design, project management and testing
• Translation, community and visibility service
• Trading partner community support

Incentivized

• Making collaboration easier via a better connection between accounts. You can share anything from a file to events with just a couple of clicks.
• All services are connected and switching between services is a breeze[.]
• Solutions to the majority of everyday business problems.

Incentivized

• Can't rely on huge data sets
• Organizations is huge, it's tough to handle
• Limited feature sets

Incentivized

• Windows Explorer users have some difficulty having to constantly UPLOAD / DOWNLOAD files. Specifically on the DOWNLOAD when they are used to Drag & Drop in & out of LOCAL folders via Window's explorer.
• Microsoft SharePoint supports multiple "library" types. When implementing our "image" library the search function is done via "tags" and boolean logic. This is challenging to most end users. I'd like our users to be able to search our Microsoft SharePoint image library without having to enter KEYWORD or other BOOLEAN logic.
• Microsoft SharePoint can also be an internal website for each department or company wide communication tool but I believe these features are geared for much larger organizations. Since we are a SMB we really aren't using these features. So maybe something more useful to SMBs would be nice.

Incentivized

It's integral to our business. It's already included with most of the Office 365 licensing we buy, so the cost is effectively zero. It stores our files, it is the foundation for custom applications, and Microsoft only continues to enhance its functionality and its connections to other Microsoft tools. SharePoint just keeps getting better and better.

Incentivized

No usability issues reported. Individual teams also have allocated areas which replace legacy shared drives on local LANs. Access to Sharepoint resources is fully integrated with corporate Active Directory with additional two-factor authentication required for administrative users. Users have access to Microsoft Services Hub which allows you to create, manage, and track support requests while staying current on Microsoft technologies with access to select self-paced learning paths

Incentivized

Support for SharePoint is quite good. Microsoft provides good support. Microsoft offers

• Quick turnaround time for issues
• A range of support services
• Access to a network of resources
• Escalation of issues
• Ongoing development and commitment to produce enhancement

The majority of support is required for initial installation. Once complete and the system is operating we have had very few support issues.

Incentivized

The face to face training I received was on SharePoint Administration. It was rushed as there was a lot of information to cover and the application of the labs weren't that great either. I like to be able to relate what I am learning to what I am currently doing.

I like to learn at my own pace and online training allows for that. Additionally, you can skip through pieces of content that you already know or are already comfortable with. Microsoft actually offers great videos on their website for basic fundamental SharePoint Training. I have used these training videos in some of my own training sessions with end users.

Planning to the last detail would be advised. SharePoint is a very large application that takes a lot of finesse to get operational

IBM B2B Cloud Services stands out among the competition with its solid performance, wealth of features, and multiple platform compatibility. While it can be more expensive than competitive services, its core components are powerful enough to work with multiple levels of marketing campaigns and outreach efforts. The service works well among different levels of clients and can be utilized better across different viewing devices

Incentivized

The reasons for selecting MS SharePoint are: SharePoint provides ease of use and web design assistance and support SharePoint helps you schedule your content for publishing. enables users to share documents with external parties and offers a better internal structure of the content and better indexing and searching capabilities.

Incentivized

• We feel that IBM B2B Cloud Services will drive down our maintenance costs because my group is no longer responsible for patching and maintaining infrastructure.
• High availability of IBM B2B Cloud Services will allow us to have a greater up time with less downtime.
• Having a single platform where all B2B integrations are shown and presented in a single interface will allow us to quickly and effectively manage those integrations and see which ones are really needed. A single view will provide instant visibility into any sort of problems that may arise as well.

Incentivized

• A timesheet application isn't necessary, and the company saves money on internal Web development because it doesn't need to purchase one.
• As part of a larger Microsoft bundle, the company saves money by reducing document and storage costs and increasing productivity.
• The company saves money by eliminating the need for face-to-face meetings and increasing project productivity and maintainability.
• The practical application and integration and a safe and convenient way to store files contribute to a high return on investment.