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Prodify’s Digital Asset Management vs. SharePoint: Which Is Best for Building Product Manufacturers?

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By
Kira Hoelscher
January 15, 2025

Building product manufacturers (BPMs) have traditionally relied on a mix of tools—such as Google Drive, SharePoint, OneDrive, and other general-purpose Digital Asset Management (DAM) platforms—to store, share, and manage their files. Many BPMs even use several of them simultaneously, which can lead to fragmented workflows, miscommunication, inconsistent asset organization, and reduced productivity. Because they’re ill-equipped to meet the specialized needs of today’s BPM teams, these tools frequently end up wasting of your valuable time and resources.

In this guide, we’ll explore how Prodify compares to SharePoint as the first-ever DAM solution tailored specifically to the unique needs of building product manufacturers like you.

The Pros & Cons of SharePoint

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Pros Cons
Centralized Document Management
With document libraries, SharePoint provides a centralized platform for storing and organizing your files, which makes it easy for teams to access the latest versions.
Impersonal Onboarding & Support
SharePoint lacks personalized, white-glove onboarding and migration services, making it challenging for your teams to transition smoothly, especially if you have a large number of assets.
Real-Time Collaboration
SharePoint enables easy and efficient collaboration between multiple users by allowing them to work on the same files in real-time, with changes instantly visible to everyone involved.
Minimal Support for Industry-Specific Assets
SharePoint is not optimized for managing industry-specific assets, such as technical design files (CAD drawings, BIM models, and 3D renderings), and lacks the expertise needed to effectively support BPMs in organizing and managing their files.
Strong Security & Permissions
SharePoint enables you to control access to your documents and folders by setting detailed permissions. This ensures that sensitive content is protected from unauthorized changes while allowing secure collaboration among your teams.
Integration Constraints with Non-Microsoft Tools & File Types
SharePoint is built to work seamlessly with other Microsoft 365 tools but struggles to integrate with other platforms and file formats that BPMs often use, resulting in disconnected workflows and siloed assets.
Difficulty Searching for Non-Document Assets
On average, employees spend 1.8 hours a day—9.3 hours per week—searching for information. Unfortunately, SharePoint's search functionality is designed for traditional document management and doesn't effectively support non-document assets like product images, catalogs, brochures, and videos, making it harder for your teams to find what they need efficiently.
Metadata & Tagging Challenges
As a general-purpose tool, SharePoint lacks the robust metadata and tagging features that BPMs require. Its basic folder structure prevents BPMs from efficiently categorizing assets and assigning meaningful metadata to facilitate fast searching.
Limited Analytics
While SharePoint offers basic activity tracking features, such as seeing who has accessed or edited a file, it doesn't offer in-depth analytics on file downloads by specific users.

The Pros of Prodify

Purpose-built for BPMs, Prodify overcomes all the cons of other asset management tools, leaving only the pros:

  • Built by a team with 25+ years of industry experience currently working with over 650 building product manufacturers.
  • Centralized storage of your assets for streamlined organization and cohesive teamwork.
  • Fully equipped to manage your AEC industry-specific assets (CAD, BIM, & 3D design files) with ease.
  • Quickly locate your assets with a robust search functionality featuring customizable file attributes displayed in an easy-to-navigate table view.
  • Protect your assets with user permissions and access controls and minimize the risk of unauthorized access or misuse.
  • Seamless integration of both internal and external use cases allows you to enhance collaboration within your teams while also engaging directly with specifiers—two birds, one stone!
  • Unlock analytic insights into when your AEC audience views or downloads your files and use this data to optimize your outreach strategies.
  • Prodify’s powerful scalability means it can manage a growing number of assets with ease, adapting to your changing needs and driving your long-term success.
  • Enjoy personalized, one-on-one support from a dedicated onboarding specialist—no chatbots allowed!
  • With a competitive free tier, Prodify is the most cost-effective DAM solution on the market.

Prodify is continuously evolving, with many exciting features on the horizon. Here’s what’s coming soon:

  • Integration with a Product Information Management (PIM) solution
  • An AEC Visualizer tool that enables non-technical teams, such as marketing and sales, to view and interact with design files without the need for specialized architectural software.
  • Upgraded analytics that provide deeper insights into AEC engagement with your assets.
  • Robust import and export functions for seamless synchronization across your distribution channels.
  • Integration with Google Drive, SharePoint, OneDrive and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems like HubSpot and Salesforce.  

How Prodify Does It Better

Feature Comparison Table
Feature Prodify Google Drive SharePoint OneDrive Generic DAMs
Store & collaborate on all your assets ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅
Flexible & intuitive folder structures ✅ ❌ ❌ ❌ ✅
Single source of truth for your files across all folders ✅ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌
Searchable asset attributes ✅ ❌ ❌ ❌ ✅
Enhanced file & folder sharing with user analytics ✅ ❌ ❌ ❌ ✅
Fully supported onboarding & specialized product support ✅ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌
Integrated Product Information Management (PIM) solution Coming soon ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌
Visualizer for technical AEC files Coming soon ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌
Enhanced Analytics powered by CADdetails Coming soon ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌
Scheduled import and export for syncing across distribution channels Coming soon ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌
Integration with Google Drive, SharePoint, OneDrive, & CRM systems Coming soon ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌

Upgrade Your Asset Management with Prodify

Want to see firsthand how Prodify compares to your current solution for storing, organizing, and sharing your digital assets? Experience all the pros of Prodify by joining the waitlist for the exclusive early access!

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