Picture this: You manage a Fortune 500 company with multiple teams that need to access useful organization information, from regular reports, events calendars, and business files to announcements.
While you can administer all this through a siloed site, it can be costly and inefficient. Plus, you can run into security issues; it’s sensitive company data we’re talking about here.
Instead, you want to use a secure app that encourages collaboration, information sharing, transparency, task scheduling, and more within your company website.
Microsoft SharePoint makes this possible.
This app features site templates for creating collaborative websites that you can use to manage different company activities, such as employee onboarding, training, crisis management, retail management, and more.
Let’s learn about SharePoint a bit more. We will also take a look at some of the best SharePoint site templates.
What is Microsoft SharePoint?
SharePoint is a powerful web-based collaboration platform integrated within Office 365 that enables members of a group or team in an organization to communicate, share data and files, and work together on projects or tasks.
It is mainly designed to enhance team collaboration and make it easy for members to find and share data from any location.
It allows you to create your internal website using featured templates that can be configured and fully optimized depending on your business modules and processes.
With over SharePoint users as of December 2020, organizations typically use SharePoint to improve workflow processes and securely consolidate information.
Microsoft provides you with pre-designed SharePoint site templates that can be completely customized depending on the model of your business.
The SharePoint site templates contain predefined libraries, web parts, a set of lists, and other elements for a quick and easy setup.
Check Out: Best SharePoint Intranet Site Examples
How Much Does Microsoft SharePoint Cost?
You can buy SharePoint as part of Microsoft 365 plans or as a standalone online app from any of its three plans. Plan 1 costs $5 per user/month. Plan 2 costs $10 per user/month, and Office 365 E3 costs $23 per user/month.
Now, let’s explore some wonderful SharePoint templates.
Communication Site
A Communication Site relays information to a broad audience. This means that only a few team members contribute to what is consumed by a greater audience.
Some of the Communication Site templates include crisis management, human resources, and leadership connection.
1. Crisis Management Site Template
Crisis management is a crucial function of any organization. A crisis management plan can help an organization contain the impact of an unexpected occurrence and minimize any damage that may occur.
The Crisis Management SharePoint site template is crafted in a way that helps your company maintain productivity and stay connected in case a crisis occurs.
The site template allows you to share the latest updates and news, highlight important information, provide quick and easy access to information, and connect the leadership teams with viewers.
Features
- Customizable site with pre-populated web parts, images, and content that you can use when customizing the site to fit your company’s requirements.
- Pre-set pages that enable you to organize resources and information easily
- Web parts that assist viewers to stay in touch with crucial contacts, staying informed, and acquiring resources that will help them manage a crisis
2. Leadership Connection Site Template
The Leadership Connection SharePoint site template is designed as an internal homepage for your organization that helps promote effective leadership insights and practices and create a community of leaders.
The site template connects the leadership and team members across different levels and departments to facilitate information sharing.
Features
- Customizable site template with pre-installed images and web parts
- Pre-populated web parts and pages that display your engagement opportunities and leadership teams
- Yammer Conversation web part that allows team members to engage in Yammer conversations while still on your SharePoint page
3. Department Site Template
The Department site template is a communication site that is structured to be used by divisions, departments, or regions in your business. This SharePoint site template provides a consistent user experience and structure across the various departments.
Viewers and team members can access files, document libraries, calendars, upcoming events, and departmental news through the department site templates.
Features
- Site template with images that is customizable to fit your organization’s needs
- Web parts and pages that display the company’s culture, departmental profiles, leadership teams, and access to all departmental files and resources.
- News post templates for publishing and sharing news in the department
4. New Employee Onboarding Site Template
The New Employee Onboarding SharePoint site template is a guideline the Human Resource Department usually uses to integrate and welcome new employees into your organization.
The template is designed to serve as a structure for introducing new employees into the company’s policies, culture, and workflows and ensuring the onboarding process is streamlined.
The template, therefore, is key to improving overall employee satisfaction and retention rates.
Features
- Customizable New Employee Onboarding template with pre-set images and web parts
- Microsoft List can be used to create a new employee checklist that sets them up for success.
- News Post template that is ready-made for new employee introductions
5. Human Resource Site Template
The Human Resource site template is designed to help companies manage HR-related activities such as onboarding, recruiting, performance management, benefits administration, and employee records.
It acts as a central hub for HR functions of the organization, where employees can improve their collaboration and increase efficiency within the department.
In addition, the HR SharePoint site template helps improve data security by ensuring that employees’ sensitive information is only accessible by authorized personnel.
Features
- Pre-built features, images, and web parts that you can customize to your company’s needs.
- Pre-populated pages, workflows, and document libraries allow employees to access onboarding resources and training while staying informed on events and news.
6. Learning Central Site Template
The Learning Central SharePoint site template is a framework created to provide companies with a centralized location where team members can learn and participate in development initiatives.
The template provides your organization with a platform that showcases development and learning programs, training schedules, assessments, certifications, news, events, and extracurricular activities, all under one roof.
I recommend pairing this template with Training and Development Team and Training and Courses team site templates for maximum efficiency.
Features
- Customizable template with installed web parts and images that can be edited to align with your organization’s learning center
- Pre-filled pages showing different learning objectives, deadlines, and access to essential learning resources
7. Volunteer Center Site Template
The Volunteer Center site template is instrumental in an organization’s volunteer programs. The site template is designed as a central portal where recruitment, training, scheduling, reporting, and tracking volunteer activities can be managed.
Through the Volunteer Center SharePoint site template, a company can share information and resources with volunteers who will engage with your team and prepare them for upcoming support missions.
Overall, the Volunteer Center site template enhances the company’s community outreach activities by increasing volunteer engagement and collaboration between respective departments and improving the organization’s social impact.
Features
- Personalized site template with web parts and images that assist you when making any edits
- Pre-filled pages that help volunteers efficiently access information and resources
8. Event Site Template
The Event SharePoint site template simply acts as a homepage for important upcoming events in your organization. The template typically helps the company manage an event’s entire lifecycle, from planning, registration, and attendance to post-event follow-up.
The Event site template provides attendees with necessary information on guests, available sessions, and answers to any unclear questions about an event.
Whenever you need to plan or organize an event, the Event site templates are a valuable tool for proper planning and managing the event.
Features
- Site template that has web parts and images
- Partly populated pages that display the event information, frequently asked questions, and a list of attending speakers
- Preset form to add activities and sessions to the calendar that attendees use when planning for the event
- List settings that you can use to add any field of your choice
9. Topic Site Template
The Topic site template acts as the default SharePoint communication site template. The site template provides a starting point where you can customize the fields to satisfy any topic needs.
The Topic SharePoint site template allows you to create subsites that help you focus on specific subjects or topics. For example, a group working on an advertising campaign can create a particular subsite in the Topic site template with its web parts, lists, and libraries.
Features
- Pre-configured libraries and lists such as announcement lists, discussion boards, and documents library
- Web parts such as news web part used to display relevant information to users
- SharePoint Search feature to find information related to a particular topic
10. Showcase Site Template
Teams use the Showcase SharePoint site template to showcase products, news, or events through images. This enables teams to create unique and attractive posts and pages while having complete control over the design and layout of the content.
You need to consider the target audience of the content being showcased and work around ways to make it as effective as possible for the organization.
Features
- Large videos and images, a unique layout, and bold topography assist in drawing the viewer’s attention to the product or event being showcased
- Simple navigation system that allows viewers to quickly and easily find information on the site
11. Blank Site Template
A Blank SharePoint site template is a communication site that allows you to create your template design. This means the template does not contain any pre-designed elements.
You can use a Blank site template to customize your website to fit your organization’s profile.
However, it is important to note that a Blank site template is only for some. If you are still familiar with basic web design skills, creating a web page from scratch may be challenging.
It is advisable to consider your expertise and skills before engaging this site template.
Features
- Simple navigation menu that can be customized to fit your needs
Team Site Templates
A Team Site allows for collaboration with all or most team members, meaning they can all contribute to the site with information limited only to specific stakeholders.
The Team Site templates include an employee onboarding team, an IT help desk, and project management.
12. Crisis Communication Site Template
The Crisis Communication SharePoint site template is designed to act as an internal homepage for your crisis team. The team site template creates a centralized platform for easy collaboration and communication among team members during emergencies or crises.
During emergencies, it is critical that all team stakeholders can access the same information to be on the same page.
Features
- Pre-set web parts, including Hero, Text, People, and Quick links that you can customize to fit the needs and requirements of your crisis team
- Pre-populated site pages and content
- Document library to store important documents
- Emergency contact list for easy access to important contact information during an emergency
13. Project Management Site Template
The Project Management SharePoint site template is specifically designed to reinforce project management efforts in an organization.
It creates an internal collaboration space for you and your team members where you can post meeting notes, share updates on projects, and access team documents to manage the projects more effectively.
Features
- Project dashboard that provides an overview of the project’s status and metrics, such as timeline, budget, and project milestones
- Countdown timer that shows team members time left for a project to be completed
- Document library that provides an access menu to the project’s resources
- Activity web part keeps team members up to date on any team activity
- News web part is used to make projects announcements to all team members
14. IT Help Desk Site Template
The IT Help Desk SharePoint site template is specifically created to streamline IT support operations within a company.
The template assists team members in tracking devices, sharing IT support materials, and managing technical requests within your organization.
The IT Help Desk site template helps teams reduce resolution times of IT-related queries and improve overall IT support activities.
Features
- Text web parts that can be edited to provide visitors with guidance on any information on the site
- Call to Action web part is used to highlight common resources among team members
- Ready-made Frequently Asked Questions page that you can use to respond to commonly asked questions
- Microsoft List or an existing ticketing system can be used to track support assets and requests
- Contact list page that shows you essential contacts of your IT support team
15. Employee Onboarding Site Template
The Employee Onboarding SharePoint site template is used in an organization to provide a framework that provides a smooth onboarding process for new hires.
The team members of the HR department use this SharePoint site template to create an efficient and standardized recruitment process. New employees can receive the same training and information regardless of their department, trainer, or manager.
The Employee Onboarding site template provides all members access to onboarding lists, upcoming events, training resources, and any organization news to reduce the burden on the HR department and ensure new employees are off to a smooth start.
Features
- Button web part enables you to create a link that is unique and stands out to be seen by members
- People and Quick Links web parts to display contact information of employees and showcase onboarding resources
- Image and text web parts that you can use to create your company’s mission and vision statements, culture, and other related content
- Site’s web part can be used to showcase other associated sites in the organization
- Pre-set pages that you can use to indicate training opportunities, events, and news
16. Event Planning Site Template
The Event Planning site template is a SharePoint site template designed to help team members plan and manage events more efficiently.
The SharePoint site template offers team members a foundation they rely on when organizing events to ensure effective communication and management of event logistics.
Through the Event Planning site template, you can highlight deadlines and share event details and common resources with your team members, thus saving time.
Features
- Ready-made event status and event recap templates that make it easy to share and publish event updates with team members
- Use Microsoft Lists to form a content scheduler list that will help you manage your event
- People web part that can be used to invite new members to leaders who can assist in event planning and coordination
- Site activity web part that keeps team members up to date with any event activity
- Document library that provides easy access to team resources
- Countdown timer that displays the amount of time left before an event expires
17. Contracts Management Site Template
The Contracts Management SharePoint site template is a team site powered by Microsoft Syntex. The site template works as a central repository for contract-related information and documents.
The SharePoint site template updates employees and team members on any changes to policies or agreements regularly.
The Contracts Management site template provides a secure platform to store your company’s contract templates and provides different departments within the organization with an easy and quick way to request or amend a contract.
Features
- Microsoft List or a provided list on the template can be used to enter and track service agreements, existing contracts, and their status.
- Partly created web parts and images that can be customized to your requirements.
- Sample pages that are preformatted and pre-populated to provide a good basis and starting point for your contact management team
- Pre-built tutorial that helps you get an idea of what Microsoft Syntex is and how to operate it
- Custom AI models using Microsoft Syntex can classify information and extract document metadata.
It is essential to know that for you to be able to navigate and apply the Contracts Management SharePoint site template, you must be a licensed Syntex user.
18. Store Collaboration Site Template
The Store Collaboration SharePoint site template is designed as a tool used by members of the retail team to assist them in collaborating on any retail activities, such as coordinating sales, planning promotions, and managing inventory.
Features
- Document library that allows team members to share and store important files such as sales reports and product catalogs
- Inventory page that allows you to showcase a list of all items in the inventory along with any additional information
- Task list that you can use to create and assign different tasks related to sales, stocking, and inventory management
- Events web part that you can use to create a list of events and dates for your team to remember
To maximize their benefits, you should pair this site template with the Retail Management site template.
19. Retail Management Site Template
The Retail Management SharePoint site template is used to help team members manage their retail operations efficiently.
The site template allows users to access resources, bring together retail store managers, and hasten the dissemination of customer information within the organization.
Features
- Customer management web part allows you to track customer data such as purchase history to improve customer relations and create effective sales strategies
- Various web parts, including quick links and event web parts, can be tailored to suit your team’s needs
20. Training and Courses Site Template
The Training and Courses SharePoint site template provides a platform for training courses within the company.
The site template helps you to prepare the necessary course resources, events, and news that participants in the training will use.
All participants in the training course can access information remotely through the Training and Courses site template.
Features
- Web parts used to display course descriptions and objectives
- Quick links web parts that provide access to course-related resources
21. Training and Development Site Template
The Training and Development SharePoint site template is designed to help you and your team share information and news and collaborate on shared resources. It also lets you display tools and files frequently accessed during training.
Features
- Customizable web parts and content to fit into your team’s requirements
- Pre-set pages to highlight training objectives
22. Team Collaboration Site Template
The Team Collaboration SharePoint site template is the default template for SharePoint team sites used to connect team members and enable them to share resources and content.
Wrap Up
There you have it: a list of the best SharePoint site templates for seamless collaboration and information sharing.
Essentially, you must be a site owner or member to edit a SharePoint site template.
When using the SharePoint site templates, you must familiarize yourself with your organization’s policies and objectives. Once you access the template, it’s time to customize your site and let it align with your company branding and business objectives.
