Sean Wallbridge
The most time-consuming part of using SharePoint is the navigation between sites and pages. Users waste valuable time searching for the content they need, which decreases productivity. Navo solves this problem by bringing global navigation to SharePoint Online.
Navo gives you one place to manage all of your key organizational links. Beyond SharePoint, it is also available on your web browser and as a Chrome extension, so that you can find your bookmarks from anywhere. Implementing Navo in your workplace helps increase ability to search for and find your common tools and resources, with many customization options to suit your workplace needs.
SharePoint users will know that there are some navigation options available in SharePoint Online. So, why use Navo?
Why use Navo?
Let’s suppose your organization is using SharePoint on-premises, and you’re planning a migration to SharePoint Online. You’re planning to take your time and complete the migration slowly, likely moving one department or business area at a time to help your end users adapt to the new solution. There’s one problem with this plan – how will users know what content they can find on-premises versus online? How will you direct users to new SharePoint sites, while maintaining access to content on-premises that hasn’t been migrated yet?
Navo can provide navigation that links to both SharePoint on-premises and online from the same menu, ensuring that your users are always clicking on the correct link, regardless of where that content lives. In this blog, we’ll outline how you can use Navo to bridge your on-premises and online locations.
What do I need?
There are a few requirements in order to implement Navo in your environment, including:
- An Azure account
- A Navo on-premises license (supports SharePoint 2010 or later)
- A Navo cloud license
How do I get Navo?
If you plan to use Navo in SharePoint on-premises and are not currently planning to move to the cloud, you’ll simply need a one-time on-premises license. You can create your menu and deploy it to SharePoint on-premises for global navigation. If you want to use the browser extension, web app, or implement your navigation in SharePoint Online, you will require a monthly subscription to Navo.
How do I implement Navo?
When implementing Navo for SharePoint on-premises, you can follow these steps:
- Purchase your on-premises license by contacting the Navo team
- Create your menu using the drag-and-drop editor
- Implement Navo using code in your SharePoint environment
Note that our team will assist in this process by providing two hours of implementation support as part of your on-premises license purchase
If you’re implement Navo for SharePoint Online, you can follow these steps:
- Purchase your monthly subscription to Navo through the website
- Create your menu using the drag-and-drop editor
- Implement Navo by turning on “Tenancy-Wide” mode or selecting which SharePoint sites you would like the menu to appear on
How does Navo help during my SharePoint migration?
Navo can assist with your SharePoint migration by creating a navigation menu that is shared between SharePoint on-premises and online. Each time a site is migrated to SharePoint Online, you’ll update the link both on-premises and online to ensure the navigation points to the new site from both locations. The more content you migrate, the more links will point to SharePoint Online in your Navo navigation. This creates a single source of truth for your end users, while giving you the flexibility you need to migrate your content at your desired pace.
What is default SharePoint navigation?
SharePoint has a default site navigation option that allows users to navigate to various sites and pages. However, there are still several disadvantages. Managed metadata term sets, for example, don’t work on group-connected sites. In simpler terms, the navigation needs to be manually applied. While hub sites and hub site navigation offer another way to navigation between sites of similar topics, you can only associate each site to one hub site, which is incredibly limiting. Finally, global navigation is difficult to set up, requires the use of a home site, and is made muddy by other features such as recent news, files, and sites included in the same left-hand navigation bar.
How does Navo improve SharePoint navigation?
Navo circumvents all of these global navigation issues in SharePoint to provide true global navigation that can be applied to every site in your tenancy. It offers many features that are helpful for you and your organization, including:
- Central management
Administrators can add and remove links to SharePoint sites, pages, and other tools and resources from an easy-to-use, centralized admin portal.
- Customization
Administrators can drag and drop navigation links, create custom drop-down lists, and apply company branding to their global navigation.
- Audience trimming
Just like in SharePoint, you can easily create audience trimming in Navo that ensures users only see what they need access to. Use your SharePoint groups or create custom Navo audiences.
- Advanced search
Navo includes advanced search functions such as added keywords and descriptions that make it easy for your end users to find what they are looking for, fast.
Conclusion
Ready to get started with your own custom SharePoint navigation? Get in touch at getnavo.com!