In a company of 30, 50 or 100 people, a big part of the day goes on questions like “where is the latest price list?”, “which form do I use for leave?”, “who has the contract?”. Files sit in shared folders, in email, on colleagues’ computers and in messaging groups. Everything is somewhere, but nobody is sure which version is the latest.
An internal portal, what we call an intranet, brings order to all of this. This guide explains what it is, what it contains, when it is worth it and how to set it up so it does not become one more system nobody opens.
What an intranet is
An intranet is a private website that only the people in your company can see. Each person signs in with their own account, from a computer or a phone, and finds everything they need for their work in one place: documents, procedures, announcements, colleagues’ contact details, requests. It is not a public site and it does not show up on Google.
The difference from a shared folder is that an intranet has structure, search and permissions. Everyone sees what concerns them, and management knows that everyone works with the same, correct information.
When a company needs one
Not every business needs an intranet. It is worth considering when:
- The team has grown past 20-30 people or works from more than one location: offices, warehouses, shops.
- New colleagues take weeks to learn where things are.
- The same questions keep landing on accounts, HR or management.
- Several versions of the same document are in circulation and nobody knows which one applies.
- Announcements get lost in email.
What it can contain
An intranet is built from sections. You do not need all of them on day one. The most common are:
- Documents: organised by department, project or client, with versions and search.
- Procedures and instructions: how an order, an approval or a delivery is handled. Written once, available to everyone.
- Announcements: company news and policy changes, with a view of who has read them.
- Staff directory: who is who, which department, how to reach them.
- Requests and approvals: leave, purchases, expenses, with an approval path instead of paper and phone calls.
- Projects: for project-based companies, one space per project with folders, phases, drawings and a location on the map.
- Training: material for new team members and for every new system the company brings in.
An example from warehousing and distribution
In a company with a warehouse and distribution, the office, warehouse staff, drivers and accounts all work together on the same day. Packing instructions, shift rotas, route changes and safety rules usually live on paper on the wall and in messages on people’s phones. Anyone who was off for a day misses the change.
With an intranet, every shift sees the day’s schedule, the updated instructions and the announcements on a phone or on a screen in the warehouse. Damage or a shortage is reported with a short form and a photo and goes straight to the person in charge. The office no longer has to call every shift about every change.
Off-the-shelf or custom?
There are ready-made platforms, such as Microsoft SharePoint or Google Sites, that can be set up fairly quickly. There is also the custom route, an intranet designed around your own company.
| Off-the-shelf platform | Custom intranet | |
|---|---|---|
| Getting started | Quick, if you already use Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace | Needs analysis and development |
| Fit with how you work | General structure, adaptable up to a point | Built around your departments, projects and processes |
| Cost | Included in the subscription or per user | Upfront investment and maintenance |
| Links to other software | Easy with the same vendor’s tools | With whatever you already use |
| Who decides on changes | The vendor | You |
If the company already runs on Microsoft 365 and mainly needs documents and announcements, SharePoint may be enough. When the intranet has to follow your projects, show data from your business software or handle your own approvals, a custom intranet is the better fit.
Connecting to your other systems
An intranet pays off when it is not isolated. It can:
- Pull data from your business software (ERP): clients, projects or stock, without anyone retyping them.
- Show data from your CRM: so everyone sees the same picture of a client. More in our guide to custom CRM.
- Open with your company account: people sign in with the Microsoft or Google account they already have.
- Send notifications: by email or to the phone when something is waiting for approval.
How we start
We start with the people, not the technology. During analysis we record:
- Which departments will use it and what they look for most often.
- Where documents live today and what state they are in.
- Which processes still run on paper, phone or email.
- Who sees what: roles and permissions.
- Which software it needs to connect to.
The first version has a few sections, the ones that solve the biggest problems. Once the team is used to it, we add the next ones. After the analysis you get a written proposal with a clear scope, cost and timeline.
Costly mistakes
- Moving folders over as they are. Move the mess of the shared drive and you get the same mess in a new place.
- No one in charge. Without someone keeping each section up to date, an intranet goes stale within months.
- Hard to use on a phone. People who work outside the office need to find what they want in two taps.
- Everything open to everyone. Payroll, contracts and client data need the right permissions from day one.
Intranet development in Thessaloniki, Kavala and across Greece
D.igital t.hinkings designs and builds internal portals for companies in Thessaloniki, Kavala and across Greece. Because we have worked with business and enterprise systems since 1999, your intranet is designed to work with the tools you already use. Read our guide to custom applications and web apps or tell us what you need.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an intranet cost?
It depends on the sections, the number of users and the links to other software. After the analysis we give you a written proposal with a specific cost.
How long does it take?
A first version with documents, announcements and a staff directory can be ready in a few weeks. Approvals and links to other systems are added step by step.
Is it secure?
Access is only through a personal account over an encrypted connection, and each person sees only what their role allows. A second check on the phone at sign-in can also be added.
Does it work on a phone?
Yes, on computer, tablet and phone. That matters a lot for people in the warehouse, in a shop or on the road.
Who owns the data?
You do. Ownership of the code and the data is set out in the contract.