A practical, scalable guide for secure collaboration — without hiring an IT department
📍 Why Intranet Compliance Matters in British Columbia
One of our recent clients — a small business based in Victoria, BC — came to us after their staff had spent months trying to keep up with outdated Google Drive folders, shared email chains, and lost documents.
They needed a secure, modern intranet that:
Was easy for staff to navigate
Met BC accessibility and governance expectations
Could grow with their team
Didn’t require an in-house IT department
If that sounds familiar, this guide is for you.
🧭 What “Complying with Local Standards” Actually Means
British Columbia’s public sector — and many small businesses connected to it — follow or mirror the BC Web Style Guide for intranets.
Even if you’re not in government, these standards are great benchmarks for any modern, scalable, and inclusive intranet.
Key elements include:
Accessibility (WCAG 2.1) for screen readers and keyboard navigation
Clear, consistent structure and navigation
Defined content ownership and review cycles
Minimal visual clutter to keep things user-focused
🛠 Step-by-Step: Build Your SharePoint Intranet the Right Way
✅ Step 1: Start with a Communication or Team Site
Go to portal.office.com and choose SharePoint
Click Create Site and select:
Team Site if your staff need to collaborate
Communication Site if you want a company-wide hub
📌 Name it clearly — like “Staff Portal” or “Operations Hub”
✅ Step 2: Create a Simple, BC-Style Information Architecture
Follow these principles from the BC guide:
Organize by task or topic, not by department
Limit top-level navigation to 5–7 core categories
Use descriptive names like “HR Forms” instead of “Documents”
💡 Think user-first: What would your receptionist, manager, or volunteer look for first?
✅ Step 3: Add Only the Essentials First
Start small. Here’s what most BC small teams need:
Quick Links (e.g. pay stubs, benefits, policies)
Document Library for HR, admin, or client templates
Text blocks with welcome info and how-to guides
Calendar or Events if you host workshops, meetings, or community outreach
✅ Step 4: Set Up Permissions Based on Roles, Not Individuals
For compliance, clarity, and security:
Create groups like:
Staff Editors
Read-Only Visitors
Management Only
Avoid giving everyone “Owner” access
Use Microsoft 365 login as your authentication method — no extra passwords needed
🔐 This ensures only the right people see or change sensitive content.
✅ Step 5: Assign Ownership and Build a Light Governance Plan
Even a 5-person team needs content governance.
Assign one person per section to review and update every 3–6 months
Create a lightweight checklist:
Who approves new documents
How to archive old content
When to review intranet layout
📌 This keeps your intranet from turning into a cluttered junk drawer.
🧩 Local Use Case: What It Looks Like in BC
Our client in Victoria now has:
A SharePoint Communication Site branded with their nonprofit logo
Clearly named sections for Programs, HR, and Community Resources
Accessible design for all staff, including screen-reader users
Locked-down permissions so sensitive client data stays private
A 15-minute training video embedded on the homepage
They’re fully compliant, secure, and actually using it — daily.
🚀 Want a Done-for-You Toolkit?
To make this easier, we built the Fast Track SharePoint Setup Kit, specifically designed for small organizations in Canada.
It includes:
📘 Step-by-step instructions to build and launch your intranet
🧰 30+ editable templates for communication, governance, and planning
✅ A printable rollout checklist
☎️ One-time consultation included — only with the kit
👉 Click here to get the Setup Kit and launch your intranet the right way — fast, simple, and future-ready.
🙋 FAQ: SharePoint for BC Small Businesses
Q: Do I need to follow government guidelines if I’m not in the public sector?
A: No, but it’s a great idea. The standards are clear, accessible, and user-focused — perfect for nonprofits, associations, and service providers.
Q: Is SharePoint secure enough for client or employee data?
A: Yes. SharePoint is part of Microsoft 365 and meets high standards for data security and privacy — just make sure you manage permissions properly.
Q: Can I use this setup even if I only have 5–10 employees?
A: Absolutely. In fact, the smaller the team, the more valuable a well-organized intranet becomes.
🧠 Final Thought
Your business in BC is already adapting to change — your intranet should too.
Whether you’re in Vancouver, Kelowna, or a rural community — you don’t need a custom IT solution.
With the right SharePoint setup and a few smart local considerations, you can build an intranet that’s:
Compliant
Easy to use
And built to grow with you
And you can start today.
