Communication Sites: Introduction

Published 9/27/2019
This page introduces you to SharePoint communication sites and their core
features. The sites are designed for offices/divisions/teams to communicate
about their work to the rest of the organization. One type of communication sites
(EPIC) also allow teams to work with external users, if needed, and work well on
mobile.

What is a communication site and what can I use it for?

Communication sites connect colleagues to content and information on office's
work or to showcase an event, project, initiative or campaign. Every region,
division and country office will have a communication site and these sites can be
located in the global navigation under Offices. All communication sites follow a
template.

There are three types of communication sites and templates:

1. Division and Regional Office

1. This template is mandatory for Division and Regional Office intranet
sites. Every UNICEF Division and Regional Office should use this
template for their main intranet site.
2. Country Office
1. This template is mandatory for Country Office intranet sites. Every
UNICEF Country Office should use this template for their main
intranet site.
3. Event, Project, Initiative and Campaign (EPIC)
1. The Event, Project, Initiative and Campaign (EPIC) multi-use
communication template is designed to meet a wide range of
communication needs.
2. This template is mandatory for EPIC intranet sites.

Who can edit communication sites?

There are three main roles in a communication site:

 Site owners have full control of the site and all its tools and features.
 Site members can create, edit and share pages and documents. We also
refer to them as publishers.
 Site visitors can view the content of pages and of the document libraries
but cannot edit any of the content.

Are there any 'ground rules' for managing files and

documents (in any Document Libraries anywhere on
the site)?
Yes: All documents must be classified: for every document, the Document Type
and Topic must be assigned, and the Office/Division field must not be blank (it
can be edited but must not be cleared).

How can I request a new site?

If you would like to request an EPIC site, please contact the site owner(s) of your
office/division intranet site.

What tools for collaboration do the sites offer?

Site owners and members are automatically given access to the following tool:

 Document management system: Communication sites are equipped with

UNICEF’s new document management system, a UNICEF-specific cloud-
based system to manage documents, i.e. create, share and preserve
documents.