Synthesis vs. SharePoint:
A Comparison for AEC Firms
Overview
When choosing the right intranet platform for AEC firms, comparing Synthesis and SharePoint reveals significant differences in product features, industry focus, partnership approach, community programs, and overall value.
Synthesis is designed exclusively for AEC firms and offers AEC-specific functionality, integrations, and a dedicated client success approach. By contrast, SharePoint provides a more generic platform requiring additional customization and external support to meet AEC-specific needs.
This article delves into the key distinctions between Synthesis and SharePoint, highlighting the implications for AEC firms looking to optimize their knowledge management, internal communications, and learning and development programs.
Product Approach
Synthesis
Product Roadmap is 100% AEC-Focused
Synthesis is designed exclusively for the AEC industry and focused on the needs of typically sized firms. Our Product Roadmap is established and refined in collaboration with our AEC clients, ensuring relevance and effectiveness.
Focus on Simplicity, Coherence, and Integration
Synthesis offers a coherent, integrated solution with a simple and powerful design, making it easy for users to navigate and utilize. Synthesis supports seamless integration with AEC-specific systems and workflows out of the box and all content is fully searchable.
SharePoint
Generic Product Roadmap
The SharePoint Product Roadmap is generic, spanning all industries and company sizes.
Not a Turnkey Solution for AEC Firms
We have heard from many AEC firms that attempting to use SharePoint as an intranet takes more effort, time, consulting, and money to achieve a less than optimal outcome.
Search
Synthesis
Search for Employee, Project, Contact, Company, and Opportunity Profiles
Synthesis searches Profiles out of the box through our AEC software platform integrations.
Search Synonyms
Synthesis allows you to create Search Synonyms to improve and optimize search results.
AEC-Specific AI Search (Coming in 2024)
Next Generation Search will bring a public beta of AI Search Summaries to Synthesis in 2024.
In addition, our Community AI program will enable us to build AEC-specific search infrastructure to help Synthesis understand and route queries more effectively. We plan to continue developing AI search capabilities tailored to the AEC industry.
SharePoint
No Profile Search Out of the Box
Searching for Employee, Project, Contact, Company, and Opportunity Profiles would require either manual, duplicate data entry or investing in custom software development to build and maintain equivalent functionality.
No Search Synonyms
As of this writing SharePoint does not offer an equivalent functionality to Synthesis Transcription Optimization.
AI Search Highly Unlikely to be AEC-Specific
As of this writing it is not totally clear to us what Microsoft’s roadmap is for AI Search in SharePoint, but it is highly unlikely that future product advances will be AEC-specific.
Employee Directories, Profiles, and Blocks
Synthesis
Integrates with Key AEC Software Platforms
Our Employee Directories and Profiles integrate with Deltek, Unanet, aec360, Microsoft Dynamics, OpenAsset, and Active Directory/Entra to centralize employee information from multiple locations and eliminate duplicate data entry.
Smart Employee Blocks
Synthesis allows you to use employee profile data to populate Smart Employee Blocks throughout Synthesis. When your employee information changes, your blocks all update automatically. Smart, right? We also offer Basic Employee Blocks, which allow you to curate lists of employees manually.
SharePoint
No Integration with Key AEC Software Platforms
Populating SharePoint Employee Directories and Profiles would require either manual, duplicate data entry or investing in custom software development to build and maintain equivalent functionality.
No Smart Employee Blocks
As of this writing SharePoint offers only manually created employee blocks.
Project Directories, Profiles, and Blocks
Synthesis
Integrates with Key AEC Software Platforms
Synthesis integrates our Project Directories and Profiles with key AEC software such as Deltek, Unanet, aec360, Microsoft Dynamics, OpenAsset, and Newforma to daylight project information from multiple locations and eliminate duplicate data entry.
Project Maps
Synthesis Project Maps allow you to explore your firm’s current and completed projects using the Map Layout of Project Directories. Project locations are automatically synced into Synthesis from your connected software platforms.
Smart Project Blocks
Synthesis allows you to use project profile data to populate Smart Project Blocks throughout Synthesis. When your project information changes, your blocks all update automatically. Smart, right? We also offer Basic Project Blocks, which allow you to curate lists of projects manually.
SharePoint
No Integration with Key AEC Software Platforms
Populating SharePoint Project Directories and Profiles would require either manual, duplicate data entry or investing in custom software development to build and maintain equivalent functionality.
No Project Maps
Creating Project Maps in SharePoint would require investing in custom software development to build and maintain equivalent functionality.
No Project Blocks
As of this writing SharePoint offers no smart or manually created project blocks.
Video
Synthesis
AEC-Specific Video Transcriptions
Synthesis offers an AEC-specific Video Transcription Model through our Community AI program, ensuring more accurate and relevant transcriptions and better search results.
Transcription Optimization
Our Transcription Optimization feature allows our client to add their own firm-specific vocabulary to improve the accuracy of their transcriptions.
Detailed Video Analytics
Synthesis Content Optimization enables you to understand which users have watched which videos, including their percentage watched as well as if they finished the video or not. This is quite useful when using Synthesis as part of your Learning and Development program.
SharePoint
Generic Video Transcriptions
SharePoint Transcriptions are not as accurate as Synthesis Transcriptions when it comes to transcribing AEC terminology and acronyms, meaning either poorer transcription quality and search results or more manual editing effort.
No Transcription Optimization
As of this writing SharePoint does not offer an equivalent functionality to Synthesis Transcription Optimization.
Basic Video Analytics
SharePoint provides basic video analytics through Microsoft Stream, though as of this writing it does not provide user-level information, thereby limiting your ability to support your Learning and Development program.
Guides
Synthesis
Guides
We designed Guides in Synthesis as a content organizational tool for large collections of pages focused on a specific topic. Examples of Guides might be an Employee Handbook, Manual of Practice, Standard Operating Procedures, Brand Guide, or BIM Manual.
Guides are great for converting 50 or 100 page PDFs into a collection of pages which are easy to update, read, and find on Synthesis.
See real Synthesis client examples of Guides in action in the Benefit Center, Style Guide, Office Resources, and Practice Area sections of our Design Inspiration Gallery.
SharePoint
No Guides
As of this writing SharePoint does not offer an equivalent to what Synthesis offers with Guides.
Internal Communications
Synthesis
Anybody Can Post AND Posts + Comments are Fully Searchable
Posts in Synthesis help your firm stay connected as it evolves and grows. Whether your team has updates to share on vision, strategic priorities, firm performance, practice areas, departments, firmwide initiatives, lessons learned, project wins, or new hires, Posts provide intuitive and powerful internal communications functionality. Posts and Comments are fully searchable via Synthesis Search.
SharePoint
Limited Users Post and Posts + Comments are Fully Searchable
OR
Anybody Can Post and Posts + Comments are Not Searchable
Usually only a small number of users are explicitly granted the ability to post SharePoint News Articles due to the permissions structure of SharePoint. Those SharePoint News Articles + comments are fully searchable via SharePoint Search. As of this writing, an embedded Viva Engage post block will allow anybody to post, but because the posts and comments are embedded, they are not searchable via SharePoint Search.
Learning Management
Synthesis
AEC-Specific LMS Module (Coming in 2025)
Knowledge Architecture will be releasing Synthesis LMS Version 1 into public beta in 2025.
Synthesis LMS will add new capabilities to Synthesis such as courses, learning paths, assignments, and transcripts, as well as the proper reporting and analytics functionality to help your firm track the progress of your learners and monitor the health of your Learning and Development programs. Synthesis LMS will be deeply integrated into Synthesis Intranets via search, course blocks, employee directory and profile integration, posts, and branding and will provide AEC-specific functionality such as continuing education credits and certificates.
Synthesis LMS will be included in Synthesis Intranet subscriptions at no additional cost.
SharePoint
No LMS Module
As of this writing, SharePoint does not offer an LMS module. A Learning Management System would need to be purchased separately.
We do not know of any 3rd party AEC-Specific LMS solutions on the market as of this writing that integrate with SharePoint. Integrating a 3rd party LMS with SharePoint would require either manual, duplicate data entry or investing in custom software development to build and maintain equivalent functionality.
In addition, users will need to figure out when to go to the LMS for knowledge and when to go to SharePoint, which can be confusing for both users and content creators.
Accessibility
Synthesis
Offers Dark Mode Option (Coming in 2024)
Synthesis will offer an out of the box Dark Mode as part of our Accessibility Phase 3 Update in Q3 of 2024. Clients will be able to assign separate logos and colors for both Light Mode and Dark Mode, ensuring both an inclusive and branded experience for their users.
Built-In Accessibility Checker (Coming in 2024)
Synthesis will offer a built-in Accessibility Checker as part of our Accessibility Phase 3 Update in Q3 of 2024. In the first version of our Accessibility Checker, Synthesis Administrators will be provided tools to review Color Contrasts and Video Captions to make sure they meet WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards.
SharePoint
Does Not Offer Dark Mode Option
As of this writing SharePoint does not offer an out of the box Dark Mode option.
No Built-In Accessibility Checker
As of this writing SharePoint does not offer a built-in Accessibility Checker.
Out of the Box Integrations
Synthesis
AEC-Specific ERP/CRM Integrations
Synthesis offers out of the box integrations with Deltek Vantagepoint, Deltek Vision, Deltek Ajera (coming in 2024), Unanet ERP, Unanet CRM, and aec360 to sync employee, project, company, contact, and opportunity information into Synthesis Directories, Profiles, and Blocks.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM Integration
In addition to our AEC-Specific ERP and CRM integrations, we also integrate with Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM out of the box to sync employee, project, company, contact, and opportunity information into Synthesis Directories, Profiles, and Blocks.
OpenAsset Integration
Synthesis offers out of the box integration with OpenAsset to sync images + information from OpenAsset into Synthesis Employee and Project Directories, Profiles, and Blocks, search for OpenAsset project images from your intranet, and automatically generate announcements in the Synthesis Activity Stream when new project images are added to OpenAsset.
Newforma Integration
Synthesis offers out of the box integration with Newforma to sync contacts and companies from Newforma Project Center into Synthesis Project Directories and Profiles.
Zendesk Integration
Synthesis offers out of the box integration with Zendesk to return Zendesk Help Center articles in Synthesis Search.
Google Fonts Integration
Synthesis offers out of the box integration with Google Fonts to provide hundreds of fonts to brand your Synthesis intranet.
SharePoint
No AEC-Specific ERP/CRM Integrations
Populating SharePoint Directories and Profiles with employee, project, company, contact, and opportunity information would require either manual, duplicate data entry or investing in custom software development to build and maintain equivalent functionality.
No Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM Integration
Populating SharePoint Directories and Profiles with employee, project, company, contact, and opportunity information would require either manual, duplicate data entry or investing in custom software development to build and maintain equivalent functionality.
No OpenAsset Integration
Integrating OpenAsset information into Synthesis would require either manual, duplicate data entry or investing in custom software development to build and maintain equivalent functionality.
No Newforma Integration
Integrating Newforma information into Synthesis would require either manual, duplicate data entry or investing in custom software development to build and maintain equivalent functionality.
No Zendesk Integration
Integrating Zendesk Help Center into Synthesis Search would require either manual, duplicate data entry or investing in custom software development to build and maintain equivalent functionality.
No Google Fonts Integration
Adding Google Fonts to SharePoint requires custom development or 3rd party add-ins.
Partnership Approach + Client Success
Synthesis
Dedicated Client Success Manager
Knowledge Architecture provides a dedicated Client Success Manager (CSM) who is experienced and knowledgeable in AEC, offering Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs), strategic coaching, and unlimited support as part of your Synthesis subscription. Our CSMs act as partners, providing resources and case studies to aid in building and maintaining a high-quality intranet.
Personalized, Knowledgeable Support
Synthesis support is personalized, with staff familiar with the client’s firm and deeply knowledgeable about Synthesis and the needs of AEC firms.
SharePoint
No Dedicated Client Success Manager
From what we hear from other AEC firms, Microsoft does not offer a dedicated CSM or a Client Success Program as part of its SharePoint subscription. Many firms have also reported the need to hire dedicated staff or consultants to help design and manage their SharePoint intranets.
Anonymous, Ticket-Based Support
From what we hear from other AEC firms, SharePoint support is typically less personalized, often involving ticket-based systems without direct client familiarity.
Implementation
Synthesis
Comprehensive Implementation Process
Knowledge Architecture has implemented Synthesis for well over 150 AEC firms. Through this experience, we have developed a predictable, proven, and comprehensive implementation process including dedicated Client Success and Implementation Project Managers as well as a diverse set of Intranet Best Practices, Getting Started Videos, and a Design Inspiration Gallery.
Implementation is a one-time fee, ensuring clients have a solid foundation and successful launch.
SharePoint
No Turnkey Option for Implementation
From what we hear from other AEC firms, Microsoft does not offer AEC-specific SharePoint implementation services. Many firms end up either implementing SharePoint themselves (without the benefit of best practices) or hiring external consultants, who may not have AEC-specific experience.
When firms hire external consultants to implement SharePoint, we have heard project fees which typically run 5-10 times Knowledge Architecture’s fees.
Community Programs
Synthesis
AEC-Specific Design Inspiration Gallery
Our Design Inspiration Gallery contains a wide variety of inspiring Synthesis intranet design examples from our AEC clients.
Monthly Intranet Tours of AEC Firms
Our monthly Intranet Tours provide a great way to see how other AEC firms use Synthesis to evolve and grow their firms.
Quarterly Client Roundtables with AEC Firms
Each quarter we get our clients together over Zoom to share knowledge and inspiration, brainstorm solutions to challenging problems, and build their professional networks via Client Roundtables. We are currently running six, 90-minute roundtables a quarter — CEOs + Presidents, Organizational Development, Knowledge Management, Learning and Development, Internal Communications, and Information Technology. Client Roundtables are free of change and are limited to active clients of Knowledge Architecture.
Online Community for AEC Firms
Our Online Client Community is a forum for Knowledge Architecture clients to share ideas, discuss best practices, and connect with their peers at other AEC firms. Membership is limited to current clients of Knowledge Architecture.
AEC Knowledge Management Conference
KA Connect is our knowledge management conference for the AEC industry. Our programs focus on sharing strategies and best practices for using knowledge management, internal communications, learning + development, and intranet programs to help AEC firms evolve and grow.
SharePoint
No AEC-Specific Design Examples
As of this writing we do not know of any AEC-specific Sharepoint design examples provided by Microsoft.
No AEC-Specific SharePoint Intranet Tours
As of this writing we do not know of any AEC-specific SharePoint intranet tours provided by Microsoft.
No AEC-Specific Client Roundtables
As of this writing we do not know of Microsoft offering any AEC-specific client roundtables.
No AEC-Specific Online Community
As of this writing we do not know of Microsoft offering an AEC-specific online community for SharePoint.
No AEC-Specific Knowledge Management Conference
As of this writing we do not know of Microsoft hosting a conference focused on AEC-specific knowledge management.
Total Cost of Ownership
Synthesis
All-In-One Platform and Subscription
Synthesis Subscription includes our core product, integration, client success program, community membership, and unlimited support.
In addition, when Next Generation Search is released into public beta in 2024, and Synthesis LMS is released in public beta in 2025, they will both be included as part of your Synthesis subscription at no additional cost.
SharePoint
True Costs May Be Higher Than They Appear
While SharePoint might seem like a less expensive choice initially, when you add up the additional development, internal support, consulting, and add-ons that a firm would need to purchase to try to approximate what firms can achieve with Synthesis subscription, it turns out that Synthesis provides a much better value for many AEC firms.