What are corporate wikis?

Corporate wikis are collaborative platforms designed to help organizations manage and share knowledge within their teams. Much like Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, a corporate wiki allows team members to create, edit, and share content in real-time, making it a dynamic and user-friendly way to build a company knowledge base.

Why do companies use wikis?

Companies use workplace wikis to streamline knowledge sharing, improve communication, and enhance productivity. By providing a single source of truth, corporate wikis ensure that information is easily accessible and up-to-date. This reduces the time employees spend searching for information and helps maintain a consistent knowledge base across the organization.

This question is: are wikis currently the most effective way for companies to manage workplace knowledge? 

In this article, we’ll explore:

• The differences between corporate wikis and enterprise search
• The benefits and limitations of each
• Which tool should you choose?
• Popular corporate wiki tools
• Popular enterprise search tools
• FAQs 

Corporate wikis vs. enterprise search

What is enterprise search?

Enterprise search refers to the technology used to search for information within an organization’s internal data repositories. Unlike traditional corporate wikis, enterprise search solutions are designed to index and retrieve data from multiple sources, providing a more comprehensive and efficient search functionality.

Differences between corporate wikis and enterprise search

Feature	Corporate Wikis	Enterprise Search
Purpose	Collaborative knowledge sharing	Comprehensive knowledge retrieval and discovery
Data Sources	Limited to wiki content	Multiple internal repositories
Search Functionality	Basic keyword search	Advanced, AI-powered search
Real-Time Updates	Yes	Varies by tool
User Interface	User-friendly, wiki-style pages	Search engine and AI chatbot interface
Integration with Other Tools	Limited	Extensive
Knowledge Management	Centralized wiki pages	Distributed across various sources

Enterprise search features not found in wikis

• Integration with multiple data sources: Enterprise search tools can index data from various sources such as Google Drive, emails, databases, and more, providing a comprehensive search experience.
• Advanced search capabilities: These tools offer advanced search functionalities, including natural language processing and AI-powered search, making it easier to find relevant information.
• Enhanced security and compliance: Enterprise search solutions often have robust security features to ensure data privacy and compliance with industry regulations.
• Analytics and reporting: Many enterprise search tools provide insights into search patterns and user behavior, helping organizations optimize their knowledge management strategies.

Benefits of enterprise search

1. Improved efficiency: By providing quick and accurate access to information, enterprise search tools reduce the time employees spend searching for data.
2. Better decision-making: Access to comprehensive and up-to-date information helps teams make informed decisions.
3. Enhanced collaboration: By integrating with various data sources, enterprise search tools facilitate better collaboration among team members.
4. Scalability: Enterprise search solutions can scale with the organization’s needs, accommodating growing data volumes and user numbers.

What tool should you choose? 

If you’re wondering which of these tools might be right for your organization, here are some things to consider: 

• Wikis create, store, and centralize knowledge, whereas enterprise search surfaces knowledge from different repositories. Because of their different functionalities, they can actually be used together for better knowledge management system. 

• If you’re considering moving multiple knowledge repositories into a single wiki, this will take a lot of time and manual effort. In this scenario, you’re better off investing in enterprise search. This tool will connect to all your different repositories and centralize them into one search bar.

• Wikis can’t really help you access things like Slack conversations, sales emails in Hubspot, or support tickets in Zendesk. They mainly help you centralize things like documents, images, videos, project tasks, etc. Enterprise search, on the other hand, can access knowledge within every single workplace app you have, so it truly centralizes everything into a search bar. 

Popular corporate wiki tools

• DokuWiki is an open-source wiki software designed for creating documentation and knowledge bases. It uses plain text files for data storage, is easy to set up, and supports plugins and access controls.

• Confluence, by Atlassian, is a collaboration and documentation tool that integrates with other Atlassian products like Jira. It offers text editing, real-time collaboration, and customization options for project management and knowledge sharing.

• Notion is a workspace that combines note-taking, task management, and wiki functionality. It allows teams to create structured documents and databases, supporting real-time collaboration and customization.

• Tettra is an internal knowledge base and wiki tool that integrates with communication platforms like Slack and Microsoft Teams. It helps teams organize and share information.

• Slab is a knowledge management solution that combines wiki simplicity with advanced search and collaboration features. It integrates with tools like GitHub, Slack, and Google Drive to support team knowledge sharing.

Popular enterprise search tools

• Elastic Search is an open-source search and analytics engine that provides real-time search capabilities across various data sources.

• Glean is an enterprise search engine that integrates with various workplace applications to enhance information discovery.

• Coveo is an enterprise search and recommendation platform that uses AI to enhance search functionality and deliver relevant information from various data sources.

• GoSearch is an enterprise search tool that uses AI to deliver personalized search results and insights across multiple workplace apps.

Key features of GoSearch include:

• AI-powered search: Utilizes natural language processing and machine learning to deliver accurate search results.
• Integration: Seamlessly integrates with various data sources, including internal knowledge bases, Google Drive, and more.
• Top-notch security: Offers permission-aware access that respects underlying access restrictions and indexing controls that keep personal data private.
• Interactive chat functionality: Provides an intuitive chat interface that allows employees to get AI summaries and instant answers to questions. 

Start Improving your knowledge management 

For organizations looking to enhance their knowledge management capabilities, GoSearch provides an AI-powered solution that integrates seamlessly with existing tools and delivers a superior search performance. 

Schedule a demo to learn more about this tool, or watch the video below to see it in action. 

FAQs

What are wikis in business? 

In business, wikis are collaborative platforms used to create, edit, and share knowledge within an organization. They help teams manage information efficiently and ensure everyone has access to the latest updates.

How to make a corporate wiki? 

To create a corporate wiki, choose a suitable wiki software, set up the platform, organize content into categories, invite team members to contribute, and establish guidelines for content creation and maintenance.

What are the main advantages of using a corporate wiki? 

Corporate wikis facilitate knowledge sharing, improve communication, and provide a centralized repository for organizational knowledge. They are user-friendly and allow for real-time updates, ensuring that information is always current.

How does enterprise search differ from traditional corporate wikis?

Enterprise search tools index and retrieve data from multiple sources, offering advanced search capabilities and integration with various tools. In contrast, traditional corporate wikis focus on collaborative content creation and basic keyword search within the wiki content.

Can enterprise search tools integrate with corporate wiki software? 

Yes, many enterprise search tools can integrate with corporate wiki software and other knowledge management systems, providing a unified search experience across different platforms.

What is the importance of a single source of truth in knowledge management? 

A single source of truth ensures that all team members have access to the same, up-to-date information, reducing the risk of inconsistencies and improving decision-making processes.

What are some key features to look for in enterprise search tools? 

Important features include advanced search capabilities, integration with multiple data sources, robust security, real-time updates, and analytics and reporting tools to optimize knowledge management strategies.