Hiring a SharePoint Consultant vs. Doing It In‑House: Which Is Best?

Many businesses rely on SharePoint to keep their teams connected, share documents, and manage information. It’s a powerful platform that supports productivity, but it isn’t as simple as it seems. Without the right technical skill, a SharePoint project can quickly become expensive and frustrating. Mistakes can lead to downtime, security gaps, and compliance issues that affect the entire organization.

Discover how experienced SharePoint developers help large organizations avoid those problems. 

The Hidden Cost of IT That’s Just “Good Enough”

Internal IT departments often manage SharePoint because they already oversee Microsoft 365 tools. But general IT experience isn’t the same as deep SharePoint knowledge. The platform has complex architecture, governance rules, and integration points that require specialized skills. Without that expertise, configurations can become unstable, workflows break, and users lose trust in the system.

Hiring a qualified SharePoint developer avoids these problems. Experienced developers design scalable environments, follow best practices, and make sure users have a smooth, reliable experience. They know how to set up permissions, organize content, and automate processes that actually work for your team.

Business Risks of Underqualified SharePoint Teams

For mid- to large-sized organizations, a poorly built SharePoint system can create real business risks.

1. Compliance and Data Governance Failures

SharePoint plays a key role in storing and protecting data. If access permissions or retention policies are set up incorrectly, confidential information can leak. In industries like healthcare, finance, or defense, these errors can lead to serious legal or regulatory consequences.

An experienced SharePoint developer creates governance policies that align with standards like HIPAA, GDPR, and NIST. This ensures your system stays secure and compliant.

2. Cost Overruns and Delays

When handled by inexperienced teams, projects often go over budget. Trial-and-error approaches waste time and increase costs, and once problems start, they’re expensive to fix.

Skilled SharePoint developers plan projects carefully from the start. They know how to estimate workloads, test configurations, and deliver results on time.

3. Downtime and Productivity Loss

When SharePoint isn’t set up correctly, downtime can slow or stop business operations. Employees lose access to files, approvals stall, and collaboration suffers. Each delay costs time and money.

Certified developers build reliable systems that minimize downtime. They monitor performance, anticipate issues, and fix problems before they affect your team.

4. Security Vulnerabilities

Security missteps can happen easily in SharePoint if permissions or integrations aren’t configured properly. In large environments, one mistake can expose sensitive data.

Experienced developers understand how to balance accessibility with protection. They build systems that allow collaboration without compromising security.

5. Poor User Adoption

A platform is only valuable if people use it. When SharePoint feels confusing or disorganized, employees often go back to using email or external tools. That creates data silos and weakens communication.

Expert SharePoint development services focus on usability. Professionals design clean, intuitive layouts so employees actually enjoy using the system.

Real-World Results from i3solutions

i3solutions has helped many organizations rebuild and modernize their SharePoint environments. Two examples—Riverside Research and ManTech—show how the right expertise delivers measurable impact.

Riverside Research: Building Better Collaboration

Riverside Research supports national security through scientific research. They came to i3solutions to fix collaboration issues caused by fragmented data and inconsistent permissions. i3solutions redesigned their SharePoint environment to centralize data, improve access controls, and simplify document management. 

The updated system gave staff a single, secure platform to share information across departments. It also strengthened version control and governance, helping the organization operate more efficiently.

ManTech: Automating Workflows for Efficiency

ManTech, a national security and defense technology company, worked with i3solutions to improve its internal workflow management. Their old processes were manual and time-consuming. i3solutions developed a customized SharePoint solution using Power Platform tools to automate workflows and improve document handling. The new system reduced repetitive work, increased visibility, and allowed teams to focus more on their core mission.

Both companies saw measurable improvements in productivity and compliance. Their success highlights the value of working with experienced SharePoint developers who understand enterprise systems and data management.

Why Experience Matters

A skilled SharePoint developer does more than write code—they connect technology to business goals. Experienced professionals:

• Build systems that match how your teams work.
• Automate key processes to save time.
• Integrate SharePoint with tools like Power BI, Teams, and Azure.
• Monitor and improve system performance.

Working with experts ensures your SharePoint investment delivers long-term value rather than short-term fixes.

How to Choose the Right SharePoint Partner

When evaluating a vendor or hire, focus on more than technical skill. Look for a team that understands how technology impacts business results.

1. Certifications and Track Record

Choose Microsoft Certified: SharePoint or Power Platform professionals with real enterprise experience. Ask for references or case studies that show measurable improvements.

2. Process and Governance

Ask how they manage testing, documentation, and version control. Teams with strong processes deliver more consistent, reliable results.

3. Integration Experience

SharePoint rarely stands alone. The best developers know how to connect it to Power Platform, Teams, and other Microsoft services for better collaboration.

4. Measurable Results

Reliable partners back their work with outcomes. i3solutions consistently helps organizations improve efficiency, reduce risk, and simplify collaboration.

Why Expertise Makes the Difference

Experienced SharePoint professionals specialize in enterprise-level development. They create secure, scalable, and easy-to-use systems designed to fit the way each organization operates. Their focus is on achieving measurable outcomes, reducing downtime, improving compliance, and driving better collaboration.

Organizations succeed with experts who provide:

• Customized SharePoint design and architecture
• Seamless cloud migrations with minimal disruption
• Process automation using Power Platform
• Long-term optimization and support

The success stories of Riverside Research and ManTech show that the right expertise can transform SharePoint into a true competitive advantage.

Move Forward With i3solutions

SharePoint success depends on expertise. Whether you’re upgrading, migrating, or redesigning, a professional SharePoint developer helps you avoid mistakes and get results faster. i3solutions brings both the technical knowledge and the business understanding to make your project a success. Discover more about our SharePoint development and consulting services today.