Interact Software is one platform that often catches the eye of companies looking to enhance communication, streamline knowledge management, and foster engagement across teams—a critical goal considering global employee engagement declined to 21% in 2024. But how does it stack up against other tools like Guru? In this guide, we'll take an in-depth look at Interact Software—what it does, its key features, pros and cons, and how it compares to Guru—so you can make an informed decision.

What is intranet software?

Intranet software is a private, secure digital platform that allows companies to centralize internal communications, knowledge sharing, and collaboration for employees only.

Modern intranet solutions provide:

• Centralized communication: Single hub for company announcements, updates, and messaging

• Knowledge repository: Searchable database of documents, policies, and resources

• Collaboration tools: Shared workspaces, project management, and team coordination

• Personalized experiences: Role-based content and customized dashboards

What to look for in intranet software

When evaluating intranet software, it's crucial to look beyond basic content pages and consider how the platform will support a modern, dynamic workforce. Key capabilities to look for include:

• AI-powered search and answers: The ability to deliver fast, relevant, and trusted answers to employee questions, not just a list of documents.

• Integration with existing workflows: The platform must meet employees where they already work, with deep integrations into tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and web browsers.

• Governance and permission controls: Look for features that ensure information is accurate and secure, with clear verification workflows, audit trails, and the ability to enforce content access based on user roles and permissions.

• Analytics and usage insights: Robust analytics help you understand what information is being used, what content is effective, and where knowledge gaps exist, allowing for continuous improvement.

• Ease of use and adoption: An intuitive interface for both content creators and end-users is critical for driving adoption, especially as a Gartner survey found that only 23% of digital workers are completely satisfied with their work applications, ensuring the platform becomes a trusted daily resource rather than a neglected information repository.

What is Interact Software?

Interact Software is a leading intranet platform designed to help organizations improve internal communication, knowledge sharing, and employee engagement. Developed by Interact, a UK-based company founded in 1996, the platform is widely used by enterprises across industries such as healthcare, retail, and financial services. It's particularly popular among larger organizations that need to consolidate information and resources in a central hub.

Interact Software functions as a customizable intranet platform for enterprise knowledge management and internal communication.

Key differentiators include:

• Employee engagement focus: Personalized content delivery based on role and behavior

• Advanced analytics: Detailed insights into content usage and employee interaction

• Enterprise scalability: Built specifically for large, distributed organizations

Key features of Interact Software

Interact Software offers several features that make it appealing to enterprises looking for an intranet solution. Here are some of its standout capabilities:

Personalized content delivery

Reflecting a growing industry trend where Gartner predicts over 20% of digital workplace applications will leverage AI by 2028, Interact's AI-driven personalization delivers relevant content based on:

• Employee role: Job-specific updates and resources

• Location: Site-specific announcements and policies

• Behavior: Content recommendations based on usage patterns

Content creation tools

The platform includes intuitive content creation tools that empower teams to share information effectively.

• Drag-and-drop editors: No coding required for page creation

• Pre-built templates: Quick setup for common content types

• Rich formatting options: Professional-looking pages and updates

Advanced analytics

Interact provides detailed analytics that help administrators optimize content strategies:

• Engagement tracking: See which content is read or ignored

• Search insights: Understand what users are looking for

• Resource usage: Track most frequently accessed materials

Integrations with popular tools

To fit seamlessly into existing workflows, Interact integrates with enterprise tools—a critical capability as the shift to cloud and AI adoption drives over 65% of enterprises to deploy integration solutions.

• Microsoft ecosystem: Teams, SharePoint, and Office 365

• Direct access: View intranet resources without leaving familiar tools

• Single sign-on: Simplified authentication across platforms

Social and engagement features

Interact includes features that foster community and encourage participation:

• Forums and discussions: Employee-driven conversations

• Polls and surveys: Gather feedback and opinions

• Recognition tools: Celebrate achievements and milestones

Pros and cons of Interact Software

Every tool has its strengths and weaknesses, and Interact Software is no exception. Let's break down the pros and cons to give you a clearer picture of what to expect.

Pros:

• Integration with other tools: Interact integrates seamlessly with popular platforms like Microsoft Teams and Office 365, making it easier to access knowledge within existing workflows.

• Robust analytics: Its advanced reporting tools provide valuable insights into how employees engage with content and resources, helping organizations refine their strategies.

• Customization and scalability: Interact is highly customizable and can scale to meet the needs of large organizations with diverse teams.

Cons:

• Learning curve: While Interact offers a wealth of features, it can be overwhelming for new users, especially for smaller teams without dedicated IT support—a common industry challenge, as the lack of qualified EAI specialists affects around 40% of integration projects.

• Cost: Interact's pricing is typically geared toward enterprise customers, which may put it out of reach for smaller organizations or teams with limited budgets.

• Complexity: The platform's broad feature set can feel unnecessarily complex for teams that simply need a straightforward knowledge management or communication solution.

Who uses Interact Software?

Interact Software is best suited for mid-size to large enterprises that need a centralized platform for internal communication and knowledge sharing. Industries like healthcare, education, and retail often adopt Interact to improve information access for distributed teams or employees working in different locations.

Organizations with a strong emphasis on employee engagement also find value in Interact's social features and analytics tools, which help drive connection and track success—a significant goal when fully engaging the workforce could add $9.6 trillion in productivity to the global economy. However, smaller teams or startups might find the platform's breadth of features overwhelming or unnecessary for their needs.

Guru vs. Interact Software

When comparing Guru and Interact Software, it's important to consider the specific needs of your team. While both platforms facilitate knowledge sharing and collaboration, their approaches and strengths are quite different.

Guru's strengths

Guru excels at providing teams with instant, reliable access to verified knowledge. Its browser extension and Slack integrations allow users to access information without switching apps, keeping workflows seamless. Guru's AI-powered knowledge verification ensures that content stays accurate and up-to-date, so teams can trust the information they rely on.

Guru's AI-driven capabilities include Knowledge Agents that deliver personalized search experiences for different teams.

Key AI features:

• Role-specific results: IT gets technical docs, Sales gets product updates

• Smart filtering: Eliminates irrelevant information automatically

• Custom Pages: Branded homepages for centralized resources and announcements

Interact Software's strengths

Interact Software shines in environments where employee engagement is a priority. Its focus on personalized content delivery and community-building features, like forums and recognition tools, makes it a strong choice for large organizations looking to foster internal connections.

Additionally, Interact's deep integration with Microsoft tools like Teams and SharePoint makes it an attractive option for companies already using those platforms extensively.

Integration and user experience

Both tools integrate well with existing workflows, but their approaches differ. Guru's browser extension and in-app integrations prioritize ease of use, ensuring that knowledge is accessible right where work happens. Interact, on the other hand, focuses more on centralizing resources within its platform and tying into enterprise systems like Office 365.

What customers are saying

Customer reviews highlight both the strengths and the challenges of Interact Software and Guru, providing insight into how these tools perform in real-world use cases.

Users of Interact Software often note its modern design and functionality, while also acknowledging that its setup process and some newer features might need improvement. One user shared on Gartner Peer Insights: "Good, just a bit of a pain to set up and use, similar to other intranet tools but looks a bit more modern. Better than other tools I've used like this. Some of the AI tools are a bit weak, but they are new."

Meanwhile, Guru consistently receives praise for its ability to seamlessly integrate into workflows and provide easy access to trusted, up-to-date knowledge. One reviewer on Gartner Peer Insights, who called Guru the "best knowledge solution for enterprises," highlighted its versatility: "Guru's ability to capture the knowledge of our org (product, processes, employee handbook, wiki-like internal website) is exceptional. Then they make sure that you can search that knowledge from all the places we need (browser, Slack)."

These insights reflect a key distinction: Interact Software excels in modernizing intranet tools for large organizations, while Guru focuses on delivering simple, trusted knowledge right within your existing workflows.

Making the right choice for your team's knowledge needs

If your organization is focused on creating a centralized, customizable intranet to drive employee engagement and content personalization, Interact Software may be the right fit. However, if your priority is easy, reliable access to up-to-date knowledge directly within your team's workflows, Guru is the better choice.

Ready to see how Guru can transform your team's knowledge sharing? Watch our demo to learn more!