First, enterprise portals serve a far broader audience than just an enterprise's employees. These portals connect enterprises with channel partners, trading partners, suppliers, customers-and even other enterprises, when relevant. Information is the lifeblood of so many of today's businesses. Highly prized information can include business intelligence, content management, warehoused and stored data, and data management applications. Enterprise portals allow such information to be readily consolidated, managed, analyzed, and distributed throughout the organization.
Enterprise portals are rich in the resources they offer to users.
For example, online exchanges are common features of enterprise portals. The two sides can negotiate terms and prices through the portal's exchange. Such exchanges allow companies to streamline their operations, reduce costs, and penetrate new markets, among other benefits. Other features of portals include access to breaking industry news, such as financial information, legislative updates, industry reports, etc. Relevant industry links are accessible through enterprise portals, as are descriptions and registration opportunities for industry events.