SharePoint Syntex is an artificial intelligence and machine learning tool from Microsoft. It integrates with SharePoint, the document-sharing and collaboration platform from Microsoft. The Syntex feature on SharePoint uses artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and automated document processing to organize and auto-assemble content, search existing documents for information, and analyze processes for security and compliance.
SharePoint Syntex has applications for businesses and organizations with large document libraries. Rather than classifying and filing a document manually via the SharePoint platform, firms rely on the Syntex feature to automatically assess and categorize it. The AI-compiled information makes it possible for users to search for data and retrieve documents from the library more intuitively.
Not only does Microsoft SharePoint Syntex categorize and retrieve information, but it also eliminates errors, such as miscataloging, that come from manual document filing.
Syntex is attractive because it allows companies to use AI on their existing documents and data without investing in new infrastructure.
What Does Microsoft Sharepoint Syntex Do?
SharePoint Syntex can be helpful for different companies and organizations. Here is a closer look at what it can do for companies:
Automated Classification and Routing
Syntex can automatically assess documents in SharePoint based on their content and immediately classify and tag them , eliminating tedious manual filing and the inevitable human error that comes along with it.
Some businesses, such as law firms, have thousands of documents that need to be searchable. AI classification can manage storage and easy retrieval based on file type, keywords, or other variables.
The routing aspect of SharePoint Syntex is also useful for streamlining common business operations. For example, a company could send different documents to specific departments based on the content.
Advanced Text Searches
Traditional libraries allow users to search for documents based on tags or keywords. The adds these additional search terms during creation.
SharePoint Syntex can retrieve files based on other types of data, such as date, author, category, and many other data points.
Why is this feature important? Keywords, tags, and titles may differ for documents that are in the same category. Even if the titles are not uniform, AI will look at the content and place the relevant files in the same category despite the differences in their titles. A simplistic example might be an invoice from a contractor. One department might file these as “contractor invoices” while others as “freelancer invoices.” Syntex will put them in the same category despite their different titles.
Information Search and Extraction
Microsoft SharePoint Syntex can search documents for specific types of data, such as contact details for marketing leads. It can perform this task on different files, including text documents, PDFs, and images , with the help of automated OCR (Optical Character Recognition). It can then create lists or share the information with specific users.
The platform can also use AI to extract important information from specific files so that users can get the data they need without having to find and read through entire documents.
For example, a real estate firm could search for listings of area properties and find important information about home features without having to read through entire listings.
Assistance with Compliance
Finally, SharePoint Syntex can detect information within the document and assign labels and rules to ensure compliance with internal policies and external regulations. For example, a document containing potentially sensitive customer data would get a label telling document managers the correct privacy settings.
SharePoint Syntex Models
SharePoint Syntex has two types of artificial intelligence models: a document understanding model and a form processing model.
Form Processing Model
The form processing model uses AI to get information from formally structured or loosely structured documents. Examples could include getting client information from contact forms, dates from activity logs or reports, and information from accounting forms, such as invoices.
Users can create the parameters by uploading a few documents to SharePoint, creating the rules with the PowerApps AI tool, and providing a negative example for the machine learning system. In most cases, these examples are enough for the system to learn the parameters.
Document Understanding Model
The document understanding model is slightly different because it works with unstructured documents. It can extract information by looking for words or phrases or their variations in the text. These AI models, which you control through the SharePoint Content Center, use at least five example documents and one negative example to train the AI model to seek specific information based on words, phrases, or other variables.
Features
SharePoint Syntex runs from a central “content center.” Each content center is where your team inputs rules and provides examples that the AI models use to learn to complete customized tasks. The control center also has analytics that you can use to assess the performance of current AI models to ensure they perform as expected.
The other SharePoint Syntex features include:
- Image recognition: Syntex uses a library of pictures of objects to recognize items in pictures and tag them automatically.
- No code AI: With Syntex, users can train and deploy AI without coding knowledge. Document understanding models just require parameters and examples from which to learn.
- Form data extraction: Form processing models can extract information from standardized or semi-standardized forms and organize it into useful data.
- Searchable and usable third-party sources: Syntex relies on Microsoft Graph to obtain and index data and documents from external sources like Azure SQL and file-sharing tools like IBM FileNet.
SharePoint Syntex also has analytics tools that allow you to assess the performance of AI models.
Licensing
According to Microsoft, the Syntex AI system is available for Microsoft 365, Office, and SharePoint on the following plans:
- Microsoft 365 F1, F3, E3, A3, E5, and A5
- Office 365 F3, E1, A1, E3, A3, E5, and A5
- Microsoft 365 Business Basic, Business Standard, and Business Premium
- SharePoint Online K, Plan 1, and Plan 2.
It is priced on a per-user basis. Currently, the cost is $6.40 per user if you have an annual contract.
If you would like assistance deploying SharePoint Syntex or other Microsoft Solutions for Azure, Microsoft 365, or Microsoft Teams, you can rely on Softlanding. We can provide fully managed IT services and professional assistance for customizing specific tools or software or migrating your complete system to Microsoft.
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softlanding
Softlanding is a long-established IT services provider of transformation, professional services and managed IT services that helps organizations boost innovation and drive business value. We are a multi-award-winning Microsoft Gold Partner with 13 Gold Competencies and we use our experience and expertise to be a trusted advisor to our clients. Headquartered in Vancouver, BC, we have staff and offices in Toronto, Montreal and Calgary to serve clients across Canada.
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