Why File Management Systems Aren’t Effective for Internal School District Communications
At Rally, we believe that school districts should be proud of their online presence. Inside and out. While many districts have beautiful public facing websites, we’ve discovered that when it comes to internal communications, it’s more common to see a never-ending Google Drive or SharePoint file management system. Conceptually, folders are a great way to stay organized, but when you take that system and apply it broadly to your entire district….we’ve found the result to be a mess of duplicate and outdated documents, confusing and inconsistent edit and view only permissions, and difficult to search through. Not to mention, it’s just a file system: there’s no easy way to share events, important reminders, bookmarks, external links, and so many other resources your staff use on a regular basis.
StaffConnect uses identity-based content to ensure staff see the most relevant content.
Our newest digital communication solution for school districts combines the power of identity–based content with the specialized features of Rally’s Content Management System. StaffConnect is a purpose built Intranet for school districts that will make the headaches of an internal file management system a thing of the past.
Integrating with Microsoft Entra ID, Microsoft Directory, and Google, StaffConnect allows you to deliver content to any and all of your district’s User Groups. Document categories, calendar events, news posts, quick links, and entire pages (and subpages) can all be set to appear to select User Groups. With identity-based content delivery, it’s simple to match important information with the right staff members, while simultaneously simplifying their online experience by removing content that’s irrelevant to their role.
You read that right: online experience. StaffConnect is a secure, comprehensive website that staff must login to access. It’s so much more than just document management. On the homepage, staff will be able to see bookmarked content (set by the district), their own personal bookmarks, the latest news and calendar events, and, of course, different internal web pages.
With these additional new features, it’s easier than ever to share information with your staff. Ensure that important resources are on hand with district-managed Quick Links and Bookmarked content. Share time-sensitive information with a banner Notice. Build community with an internal news feed. Stay connected with a staff directory. Keep everyone on the same page with an internal calendar. Ask questions by building custom forms. The best part? You can share News, Events, and Notices from your integrated Rally websites to StaffConnect, saving time.
StaffConnect makes document management simple. Create your own nested categories to organize your district’s files. Choose which User Groups can view each document category. Add document categories to relevant pages where users can use powerful search and filter options to quickly find what they’re looking for. When you update a document, StaffConnect will update links throughout the entire platform at the same time. This feature ensures that old documents don’t keep popping back up and everything is updated simultaneously throughout your district.
A file management system, by its very nature, is highly limited in what information and content it can share with staff members. It’s easy for things to get lost, for there to be duplicate versions of important documents and forms, and for the wrong view and edit permissions to be assigned. If you want to improve internal communications throughout your district, consider changing to a specialized Intranet solution that will allow you to share so much more than just documents.