The Record - Issue 19: Winter 2020

14 www. t e c h n o l o g y r e c o r d . c om MAR K E TWATCH Microsoft SharePoint passes 200 million users New investments aim to improve the collaborative platform for customers and deliver new capabilites M icrosoft’s collaborative online platform SharePoint has doubled in usage in 2020, and now has over 200 million monthly active users. The increase in remote working has accelerated many organisations’ adoption of SharePoint and Microsoft 365. The online platforms are used to facilitate collaboration between employees and enable them to remain productive from any location. “Back in 2006, I joined Microsoft to be part of the SharePoint team,” said Jared Spataro, corporate vice president for Microsoft 365, in a blog post. “I knew the product was going places, but I never could have imagined how impactful it would become. “Today, SharePoint powers a growing number of experiences across Microsoft 365. From files, lists and videos to engaging sites, custom apps and knowledge solutions – on the desktop, web, mobile and increasingly, inside Microsoft Teams, SharePoint is the most flexible content collaboration platform in the industry.” BindTuning develops accessibility tool for SharePoint Intranet specialist BindTuning has developed a new accessibility tool for SharePoint which removes barriers to accessing digital content at work for users with visual or hearing impairments, learning or other disabilities. The assistive technology is based on Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and built on Microsoft Azure Cognitive Services for vision and speech. Lily Griffin, marketing manager at BindTuning, says that it “transforms standard HTML content on any SharePoint page into an instantly inclusive experience”. The Accessibilty Tool for SharePoint addresses accessibility issues in navigation, audio, page content and colour, and can be downloaded to any Office 365 or SharePoint site using the BindTuning App. “Once installed, your intranet becomes a safe place where people of all abilities, including invisible disabilities, can feel empowered to perform at their best,” said Griffin. To learn more, go to page 60.