Building An Intranet For Dummies: A Step-by-Step Guide

Building an Intranet: A Practical Guide

I was recently assigned the task of developing an Intranet site for my workplace. Initial consideration was given to outsourcing the project, but the estimated costs – ranging from $20,000 to $50,000 – proved unappealing. Consequently, I began exploring open-source alternatives.

Numerous solutions were evaluated, each possessing certain strengths but lacking in others. Ultimately, I settled on a platform that offered considerable flexibility and benefited from robust community support through active forums. That platform was Joomla.

Understanding Joomla

Joomla is described as a dynamic portal engine and content management system. Essentially, it’s a versatile CMS capable of being adapted to fulfill a wide range of requirements.

Planning Your Intranet

The initial step involves outlining the Intranet’s intended functionality. It’s crucial to determine what the system needs to accomplish, and what features are unnecessary. Consider this carefully, whether you're building for a large organization or for personal use.

Here’s a sample list of requirements, serving as a “building an intranet for dummies” guide:

• Department-specific menu options for easy navigation.
• Offsite hosting for enhanced security and accessibility.
• A centralized location for document, image, and information downloads.
• Administrative capabilities for uploading and managing these resources.
• Password protection to restrict access to authorized users only.
• The ability for administrators to publish articles and announcements.
• Clear directions to the physical site location.

This list appeared relatively straightforward. However, further needs often emerge during the development process.

Installation and Setup

Next, you’ll need to download or install Joomla on your web hosting server. Many hosting providers offer automated installation processes for popular CMS platforms like Joomla.

The installation process mirrors that of WordPress. If your host provides an automated installer, simply locate and select Joomla.

Joomla 1.5 Installation

Joomla 1.5 represents the latest version at the time of writing. The installation typically involves selecting the version and clicking “New Installation.”

If an automated installer isn’t available, you can download Joomla directly and follow the included instructions. Following installation, customizing the template, adding extensions, and refining the overall design are essential steps.

Upon completion of the installation, you’ll receive a URL for accessing the new site. Appending /administrator to this URL grants access to the administrator console.

Enter your administrator username and password to log in and access the control panel.

Customization: Templates and Extensions

The first priority is often selecting a suitable template. A search for Free Joomla Templates will yield numerous options. Choose a template that aligns with your design preferences and download it.

Navigate to Extensions - install/uninstall to install the chosen template. You can then manage templates under Extensions - Template Manager.

I opted for the “rhuk_milkyway” template, which is released under the GPL license, allowing for free modification.

To expand functionality, consider adding extensions. I incorporated JEvents and Remositrory into my Intranet.

JEvents facilitates event scheduling and displays a calendar of corporate events. Remositrory enables the creation of file repositories with controlled upload and download permissions.

The menu manager allows for editing existing menus to reflect your desired structure. With proficiency in PHP, you can further customize virtually any aspect of your Joomla installation.

After completing these modifications, the resulting Intranet will be tailored to your specific needs.

Final Thoughts

Have you undertaken the development of your own Intranet? If so, what software did you utilize? Share your experiences and insights in the comments below.