Improving SharePoint Governance and Self-Service at TfL with SnapOn Software

The Challenge: Controlling Sprawl During SharePoint Migration 

As part of its digital transformation, TfL began migrating 14,000 on-premise SharePoint sites and associated Microsoft 365 Groups to the cloud. However, this transition exposed significant governance challenges. 

“We needed to improve site and content governance, as well as simplify the user experience for site creation and management,” — Paul Riches, Product Manager, Digital Workplace Team, TfL.

The migration brought with it an increase in unintended site creation, growing IT sprawl, and added complexity in managing security and data ownership across thousands of collaboration spaces. With over 18,000 users, the situation demanded a scalable governance strategy that could also support TfL’s goal of maintaining self-service capabilities without compromising control. 

“We saw a surge in unintentional sites and Groups being created within Microsoft 365,” — Robin Thakur, Technical SharePoint Expert, TfL.

The SnapOn Software Solution 

After evaluating a number of vendors, TfL selected SnapOn Software Enterprise — a robust cloud-based governance platform — to regain control over Microsoft 365 collaboration while empowering users with a better provisioning experience. 

With SnapOn Software, TfL can: 

• Define custom SharePoint site templates with required metadata 
• Enforce site lifecycle policies through leasing and renewal options 
• Apply automated approval workflows to reduce inappropriate site creation 
• Enable self-service provisioning while maintaining centralized IT control 

“SnapOn Software offers a flexible, scalable solution that drastically reduces IT overhead,” — Robin Thakur.

Thanks to SnapOn’s metadata-driven templates and lifecycle automation, TfL now provisions five to six new SharePoint sites daily, efficiently and securely, without overburdening IT staff. 

Why SnapOn Software? 

For a complex and highly regulated organization like TfL, the decision to work with a smaller, specialized vendor was initially unconventional. However, SnapOn Software proved to be exactly the right fit. 

“SnapOn Software ticks all the boxes. It delivers the features we need, without the cost or complexity of a larger enterprise suite,” — Paul Riches.

The platform’s ability to meet internal governance standards — including the handling of PPI and restricted data — has earned it full approval from TfL’s Information Governance Team. Additionally, its straightforward interface and tailored configuration options make it easy for users and stakeholders to adopt. 

Results & Outcomes 

TfL has significantly improved SharePoint governance and self-service by adopting SnapOn Software Enterprise. The organization now benefits from: 

• Faster SharePoint provisioning with reduced IT involvement 
• Streamlined approval processes 
• Centralized governance over content and site lifecycle 
• High user satisfaction and adoption 
• Compliance with strict public-sector security policies 

“SnapOn Software has become a key part of our digital workplace strategy,” — Paul Riches.

What’s Next? 

Following the successful rollout, TfL plans to extend SnapOn Software’s capabilities to Microsoft Teams, aiming to introduce the same level of governance, provisioning control, and lifecycle management to Teams workspaces. 

“SnapOn has been responsive and flexible throughout our implementation. It aligns well with our evolving digital workplace strategy and offers great value for public sector organizations like ours,” — Paul Riches. 

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