SharePoint Online is a cloud based services that helps organizations share and collaborate with clients, partners, and customers. With SharePoint Online, you can get access internal sites, documents, and other information from anywhere-at the office, at home, or from a mobile device. SharePoint Online, built on top of Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007, it offers a single, integrated location where users can efficiently collaborate on tasks such as finding organizational resources, searching a site, managing content and workflow, and leveraging business insight to make better-informed decisions.

SharePoint Online enables the users to easily create and manage custom and project-focused sites for collaboration including document sharing. Microsoft handles setup, provisioning, ongoing maintenance, and improvements. This reduces the workload on your IT resources and help them work on core strategic initiatives that help you to move your business forward.

SharePoint Online provides the following features:

·        Use of http for secure Internal access

·        Standard templates including Internet access

·        SharePoint Online site creation with online discussion areas, shared documents and meeting workplaces, document libraries with version control, and surveys.

·        Off-the-shelf content management features for documents and Web content

·        Ability to create custom workflow from standards workflow activities and actions with Microsoft Office SharePoint Designer

·        Site-wide search capability

·        E-mail alerts when documents and information have been changed or added to be site

·        Sign in application provides single-sign-in-capability

·        Built-in recycle bin

·        Simple per-user monthly fee

·        99.9% scheduled uptime with financially secured service level agreements

·        All upgrades and maintenance handled transparently

·        Web form and round-the-clock phone-based tier-2 support for IT administrator

Capabilities of SharePoint Online

·        The use of Office SharePoint designer to create and deploy no-code workflow, customize content types, taxonomy, and branding via master pages and layouts. You can also create and deploy site templates.

·        Use the Data Form Web Part to create applications to mash up, filter , roll up, and render SharePoint data or data consumed from a Web service such as RSS feeds in new ways.

·        Use Microsoft Office InfoPath to design forms for workflows, provide the forms contain no custom code.

·        Use the Office SharePoint Server Web services to access and manipulate SharePoint data remotely.

Limitation of SharePoint Online

·        Use inline code, build coded workflows, or develop Office InfoPath forms with coded business logic.

·        Deploy features, solutions, pluggable authentication providers, Web Parts, site definitions, or other modifications that require deployment and configuration on the server.

·        Modify built-in SharePoint files, web configure setting, security policy, and other elements.

·        Make configuration changes that affect the Web server or the Microsoft .NET Framework.

·        Make changes or add capabilities that require a custom database or changes to the database schema.

Comparison between SharePoint Online vs SharePoint on-premises

Advantages of SharePoint Online

·        Managing external user access is much easier

·        Kill off that network share with OneDrive for Business

·        Get New SharePoint Features and Updates First!- Choose to be on the bleeding edge or more stable

·        You can access SharePoint Online anywhere

·        You can easily scale your farm up and down

·        Reliability

·        Turn CAPEX into OPEX

·        Security

·        Free up IT staff – No More Maintenance

·        Compliance