Use case number one.
You want a searchable single source of up-to-date truth.

If you are looking for a trustworthy single source of truth, that allows you to have content that is both private and public, then a knowledge base software tool may serve you better than SharePoint. With knowledge base software, you can create documentation that is public, private, or a mix of both. You can use this documentation as a help center for your customers, or for internal policies and procedures - or have a single website with all the answers for staff and customers. This isn’t possible with SharePoint, as they no longer support public content at all. 

Your knowledge base can also scratch the company intranet itch and solely serve a private audience too. In either case, the following features of a knowledge base are very helpful in ensuring that you have a one-stop-shop for all the information you want to share. 

A good knowledge base software makes it easy for readers to search and quickly find exactly what they need. A robust and powerful search feature can make all the difference in the usage of your knowledge base. You want to be sure that your content is automatically indexed for search, and that the search will pull up the most relevant docs for the reader. 

SharePoint also doesn’t allow you to architect your content thoughtfully, as their folder system can sometimes cause more problems than it solves. If you want to create a place where your information is not only searchable, but categorized for browsing and learning, then this could be another reason to move towards knowledge base software, instead of using SharePoint. 

Most knowledge bases give authoring permissions to a smaller group of experts, which reinforces trust in the content. You can also look for features that remind authors to review the content regularly, so readers can be confident that it is up-to-date and relevant.  

Many knowledge base tools offer Single-Sign-On (SSO) options so that your staff needn’t remember yet another login. Some, like KnowledgeOwl, don’t even charge extra for it, or feature-gate it by plan level. 

Of course, we hope you’ll choose KnowledgeOwl, if knowledge base software is what you need - but we’ve also put together a comprehensive list of other knowledge base software tools, like Helpjuice and HelpDocs, as well as feature comparisons here. 

Checklist for knowledge base software: 

• Access control for readers

• No charge for reader accounts

• Customizable look and feel 

• Strong search functionality 

• Flexible content architecture

• Ease of use/no tech knowledge needed to create content

• Supports text, videos, images, and PDFs

• Straightforward pricing structure (features like SSO included) 

• Feature to ensure content is reviewed regularly, stays up-to-date

• Ability to draft new versions of content without publishing them live

• SSO

• Trustworthiness & human Support