March 12, 2021
Introducing the first solution of Project Cortex.
Remember those old physical filing systems we used (or maybe still do) before we had computers? The limitations of this system are endless, but want to know something ironic? We’ve actually carried over some of these limitations into our electronic processes. Consider this: if we have a physical file that belongs in more than one folder, we make a copy and put the file in both folders. Or, if we want to be hyper-organized, we’ll put both folders inside a third folder with a label that says ‘folder one and two’. Highly ineffective right? How are you supposed to find anything in that mess?
Unfortunately, this is happening in the digital world with file organization. Think about your current document management system: how easily can you find documents? More often than not, the answer is not very easy. It’s time to change. With all the technology we have at our fingertips there is a more effective way to manage and search for digital files. And that way is with Microsoft SharePoint Syntex.
SharePoint Syntex is the first product from Project Cortex, Microsoft’s push to help organizations make sense of and better manage the overwhelming amount of content and communication in businesses. Syntex is designed for easier management of large content volumes to help drive crucial business outcomes.
What is SharePoint Syntex?
Syntex uses advanced AI capabilities and machine learning to gather information from content to then create and apply metadata to a SharePoint Library. The purpose behind the solution is to “amplify human expertise, automate content processing, and transform content into knowledge. It delivers intelligent content services that work the way you do.”
The way that content is transformed into knowledge is through the use of models. Syntex quickly categorizes and classifies documents depending on the models set up by the user and then extracts specific data. It can also automatically apply retention and sensitivity labels to help keep sensitive information protected.
The goal of Syntex is to save users a significant amount of time when it comes to document tagging and sorting and allow users to more quickly find information.
The Three Buckets of Syntex
SharePoint Syntex can be broken into three different buckets: content understanding, content processing, and content compliance. Before we can begin using these buckets however, we need to create a content center.
Content Center
A content center is essentially where you’re going to create and store all your content models. This is also where models to specific documents are applied. Your default content center is created during the initial setup of Syntex, but admins have the option of creating more if needed. If you want a complete overview of all your models, one content center is fine, but you may want to consider having multiple centers for various departments.
Content Understanding
Once you have your content center set up, you have to start training your Syntex models by uploading sample files, such as images, PDFs, PNGs, etc. The default settings only require five positive file examples and one negative—this helps it to more accurately find documents—but the more sample files you add, the higher the accuracy.
After the files have been uploaded, you’ll need to create content explanations to accompany them to further train the model. You can then test the accuracy of your models within your content center.
You can also use extractors (though it’s not required) to pull certain information out of documents (dates, names, values, etc.).
Content Processing
This bucket focuses on automating the capture, ingestion, and categorization of content. This helps to streamlined content-centric processes that use Power Automate. For example, if your organization regularly uses structured forms such as purchase orders or a change of benefits, Syntex can extract specific values to populate metadata to aid with search and discovery.
Content Compliance
When you’re satisfied with the training of your models, you’ll want to ensure that your content is kept secure. Within this bucket, you can enforce compliance and security policies by automatically applying retention and sensitivity labels to ensure that everything stays secure and connected.
Why Use SharePoint Syntex?
Think about how much content is on your intranet alone. That amount probably triples when you add the content on your website. Now think about your current metadata strategy. How good is it really? Could it benefit from some upgrades?
Whether you’re using SharePoint or not, the features within Syntex can help revamp your strategy and save a significant amount of time.
Look, no one really wants to spend the time organizing and tagging every bit of content that goes on your site, but it’s important work. Without it, how are users supposed to find what they’re looking for? With Syntex, much of this daunting, monotonous work is automated, saving valuable time while increasing knowledge.
Dan Holme, a member of the Project Cortex team stated:
“Syntex...provides a foundation for this concept of knowledge management and knowledge sharing in an organization. And Project Cortex is now applying AI to address the weak spots, which have been the actual gathering and unlocking of knowledge, the curation of it, and then the delivery into the context of your work.”
Unlock the Full Capabilities of Syntex with JourneyTEAM
Syntex is still in its infancy. Several Microsoft leaders have stated that there is so much more to come from this solution as new technology emerges. However, it’s never too early to start enjoying the benefits of the solution. If you’d like to learn more about SharePoint Syntex and what it can do in your organization, contact a JourneyTEAM representative. We’ll help you see how much more you can accomplish with this solution and other Microsoft products.