General Guidelines & FAQs:
What We Recommend: It is our recommended best practice to create a SharePoint integration with Awarded.AI. This quick, easy access to your most important files will further expedite your workflows and processes, increasing efficiency by decreasing redundant, time-consuming tasks.
File Selection: We advise against integrating your entire SharePoint library with Awarded.AI. This can lead to excessive resource consumption due to the process of vectorizing thousands of files. Vectorizing involves converting documents into a searchable and analyzable format through text extraction. Instead, integrate select, essential files as outlined below (see “Strategic File Selection”).
Awarded.AI Integration Definition: Our integration functions differently from standard bi-directional SharePoint syncing between desktop and cloud/online. It is a one-way (unidirectional) integration, meaning changes in Awarded.AI won't affect your SharePoint. For example, if you delete a folder within Awarded.AI that’s part of the SharePoint integration, it will not be deleted on your computer or within your SharePoint.
Version History: If you make changes to a file on SharePoint that has already been integrated with Awarded.AI, the changes will be made automatically during our nightly sync process.
Update Frequency: The integration checks for updates nightly, ensuring that changes are reflected in Awarded.AI.
File Sharing: Files you integrate from SharePoint into Awarded.AI can be made viewable by all users within your company if you choose to pull them in as “Shared.” To share the files from your SharePoint with all Awarded.AI users within your company, be sure to select the "Shared Integration" checkbox on the new integration page (found within the Datahub).
Integration Assistance: The SharePoint integration may require more than just clicking “Create SharePoint Integration” within our tool, due to company firewalls and data security protocols. Your company’s IT team might need to assist in this process. We are happy to collaborate with you to facilitate this, as integrating with SharePoint is a best practice for all of our users!
Strategic File Selection
To maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of the AI's processing capabilities, it's essential to be strategic about the files you choose to upload. Here’s a detailed approach to selecting and organizing your documents:
Suggested Document Types to Upload:
Active bid source documents
Active responses/drafts
Master past performance documents
Capabilities statements
Resumes
Boilerplate company information
Leveraging Evergreen Documents for AI Interactions
To streamline the proposal process and ensure the AI has access to the most relevant and impactful information, we recommend focusing on sourcing and collecting "evergreen" documents and content. Evergreen documents are files and information that remain relevant and valuable over time, regardless of specific project details. By using these documents, you can provide the AI with a strong foundation for generating accurate and compelling responses.
Steps to Source and Collect Evergreen Documents:
Identify Key Documents:
Determine which documents and content are consistently relevant across multiple projects and proposals. These might include case studies, whitepapers, technical specifications, and high-level project summaries.
Gather Evergreen Content:
Collect documents that showcase your company's core capabilities, methodologies, and successes. Ensure these documents highlight your strengths and can be easily adapted for various proposals.
Organize and Store:
Store these evergreen documents in a centralized, easily accessible location. This could be a dedicated folder on your internal server or a cloud-based storage solution.
Update Regularly:
Periodically review and update your evergreen documents to ensure they reflect the latest achievements and capabilities of your company.
Organizing Your Files
Organizing files efficiently within an RFP response platform that integrates with SharePoint is crucial, especially when dealing with government contracts. The PARA method (Projects, Areas, Resources, Archives) is an effective framework for structuring your files, although you can utilize other methods just as successfully.
Here are some best practices for using the PARA method:
1. PROJECTS
Definition: Projects are short-term efforts with a defined outcome, such as responding to an active RFP.
Organization:
Create a folder for each active RFP: Name it with the RFP number or title for easy identification.
Subfolders: Include subfolders for drafts, finalized responses, compliance matrices, and communication logs.
Version Control: Use versioning features (*within SharePoint - Awarded.AI does not have versioning features in our Datahub yet) to track changes and maintain a history of document revisions.
2. AREAS
Definition: Areas are ongoing responsibilities that do not have an end date, such as maintaining compliance or updating capabilities statements.
Organization:
Compliance and Standards: Maintain a folder for compliance documents, templates, and checklists. Ensure these are regularly updated.
Capabilities Statements: Store updated capabilities statements and ensure they are accessible to all team members.
Resumes and Team Bios: Keep a centralized folder for team resumes and bios, categorized by role or expertise.
3. RESOURCES
Definition: Resources are assets that may be used across multiple projects, such as boilerplate text, graphics, and past performance documents.
Organization:
Boilerplate Information: Create a repository of standard text and graphics that can be reused across proposals. Categorize these by type or section (e.g., executive summary, technical approach). Develop comprehensive boilerplate documents for each of your service lines, detailing your approaches, methodologies, and strategies
Past Performance Documents: Maintain a master document for past performance, with each entry clearly labeled with the project name, client, and outcome.
Templates and Style Guides: Store templates for proposals, presentations, and reports. Include style guides to ensure consistency in formatting and branding.
4. ARCHIVES
Definition: Archives are inactive items that are no longer in use but may be needed for reference or audit purposes.
Organization:
Completed Projects: Move completed RFP responses and related documents to an archive folder once the project is closed.
Old Versions and Drafts: Archive older versions of documents that are no longer active but may be useful for historical reference.
Retention Policy: Implement a document retention policy to determine how long archived files should be kept before deletion.
Maintaining the Integrity of your Data Integration
Our system regularly checks for additions and deletions on your end of the integration. Additions and deletions within Awarded.AI will not be reflected in your SharePoint due to the unidirectional nature of our integration. Any files added within folders that are already selected to be integrated will be added to your Datahub in Awarded.AI.
We recommend that you edit your integration if you would like to integrate additional folders. Set up a recurring reminder monthly to verify the integrity of your data and determine whether action is needed or not.