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Understanding SharePoint Sites

Overview

Everything in SharePoint is referenced through a site. This makes understanding and navigatingSharePoint an essential component for supporting the collaboration and management functionsan organization expects from SharePoint. Understanding a site’s structure, navigation, andfunctionality before customization also provides insight to what can be immediately used fromexisting site templates and what may need to be customized or extended.

Elements of a Site

Every site created through SharePoint will include common elements, which not only make thesite look and feel like SharePoint but reflect the look and feel of the organization using it. In

some cases certain elements seem absent, but for the most part each site in SharePoint benefitsfrom the following components:

Home Page: This web page is provided as a defaultview to a site’s content. Every site has a home page.Welcome Link: Provides user context and controlover a user’s specific settings.Search: Each site comes equipped with a search

capability that allows simpleand complex searches.Navigation: Each site has anavigation provider thatmaps out not only the site but the hierarchy of related sites.Recycle Bin: Content created within a site has a default recycle bin, automatically enabled, for the retrieving of deleted data.Site Actions: For advanced control, sites also have a special menuof settings and controls, typically used by the site’s administrator.

Using information in Lists

Defining the List

Most everything in SharePoint is a list! Whether it is a list of Contacts, Calendar events, Tasks,

Products, Documents or Forms a list simply contains information about list items and in the caseof Libraries an attached document, form, image or PowerPoint slides. The list can be viewed inmany ways when using SharePoint: as a calendar, as a user information page, or as a group of tasks. How a list will be defined largely depends on what a user wants the list to contain.

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Examining the List

A list is, by default, made upof a single pair of values: afield and the field data. Alist should containinformation about whatshould be captured (thefield) and what kind of information that field shouldcontain (the data). A user can define both of theseelements within certainconstraints; mostinformation, from text tonumbers to people, can bedefined in a list.

A list typically uses a simpleweb form format.Information is displayed in atable view which details thefields at the top of the listwith the related data beneaththe fields. Every entry intothe list is referred to as anitem, similar to a row in aspreadsheet or a record in a database.

Depending on how it is configured, a list can include many fields for data. A list will alwayscontain the default field, called Title, which is a simple line of alphanumeric text. However,many lists require more than simply a line of text, and this can be added or modified to suit auser’s needs.

Common List Types

Communication-based lists focus on sharing information, either by the posting of thatinformation in a list that can be viewed by anyone, or by interacting with lists that others willregularly use to communicate with one another. Typical types of lists that fall into this categoryinclude:

• Announcements: Basic broadcast-style lists with simple Title, Body and option

Expiration fields for sharing updates quickly.• Contacts: A list of contacts containing fields associated with all methods of

communicating with a person, such as phone numbers, email, website and even instantmessaging.

• Discussion Boards: Topic-driven lists that use a simple Title and Body format whichlinks communications to other communications to make discussions more relevant andtangible.




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• Links: Sets of hyperlinks to any content, which can be both inside and outside of SharePoint.

Tracking lists are used to document and provide history on the course of a project, a process, or a team decision. Tracking lists are usually task-driven, and often have assignable responsibilityconfigured, so that as specific people perform, complete, or delay a task the activity can be noted

and others can be informed to help. Normally, the tracking lists include:• Links: A list of URLs or addresses for important resources• Calendar: A shared calendar tool for marking appointments and meetings• Tasks: A shared task list for posting tasks as well as assigning responsibility• Project Tasks: Similar to a Tasks list but with an added Gantt chart to view time lines• Issue Tracking: A support list to track follow-ups on complications or delays in

completing tasks• Survey: An assessment to collect feedback and understanding

If enabled, additional, groupware-style lists can be made available to help keep the teaminformed, engaged, and aware of team progress. Most of these lists are only available if enabled.

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Circulations: This list provides a simple update to team members,which can include confirmation stamps, and can also be restricted inview.

• Group Calendar: This list is a team calendar with the ability to viewmultiple calendars in one group.

• Phone Call Memo: This list provides basic details for phone callsmissed or notes taken.

• Resources: This list allows teams to document assets that are used bythe organization such as hardware, rooms, and supplies.

• Whereabouts: This list provides a simple tracking system todocument the present location.

External lists provide a powerful and easy way to view content within an external SharePointresource, such as a database. They also provide “edit and update” capabilities to that data sourceif configured by the SharePoint administrator. These types of lists are based on External ContentTypes and must be created before the list can be used.

Viewed as a standard list and exposed through a standard list web part, External lists canrepresent any data deemed valuable to include in SharePoint without having to relocate the datainto SharePoint. Furthermore, if enabled, this data can be taken offline and managed throughoffline tools, such as SharePoint Workspace.




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Custom lists are lists that have not been predefined by SharePoint, although they can alsorepresent how lists can be generated automatically from certain sources, such as spreadsheets.The custom lists can include some specific types of lists that have been created manually and not previously defined by a site administrator.

Types of custom lists include:• Custom list: Building new lists that had not been created previously from this type of list

and a common method used for specific needs• Custom list in Datasheet View: Similar to a custom list but in a specific data entry

format much like an Excel spreadsheet or Access table• Import Spreadsheet: Building a list from a predefined spreadsheet through Excel

In many cases, a custom list is widely used to meet the need of the organization.

Using Documents in Libraries

Overview

While lists are excellent tools for storing simple data, they cannot replace the function of astandard business productivity application such as Microsoft Office. Although lists can attachdocuments to their items, they cannot provide the true collaboration environment that most usersneed when developing documentation. A library serves as the preferred repository for all thingsfile-based.




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Defining the Library

A library is the key repository type in SharePoint to store and manage documents and files. Thelibrary functions beyond serving as a folder system in a website. It provides powerfulcollaboration tools for efficient and simple document management.

How a Library is used

Simply defined, a library [in SharePoint] is a repository. However, because of the collaborationtools involved, a library takes a basic folder structure beyond simple storage. It provides thesharing process using functions that cannot be gained through a file system, such as reservingdocuments for editing and workflow.

Libraries are mainly driven based on the kinds of files to be stored within them, as well as by theexpected management of such files. While libraries come in many different types, the mostcommon library used in SharePoint is the document library, which is used for more than storingdocuments.

Libraries can be used to store and manage files of many different types, including:• SOP manuals, especially for drafting, approving, and publishing• Insurance claims, including letters, forms, and evidence• Graphics stores, including network diagrams or icon images• Archived news and articles, including president’s messages and past newsflashes

The most important feature of a library is the kind of management expected to be handled on thestored documents. Numerous reasons, including workflows, publishing, approvals, and metadata,can be applied to the use of a library.

Examining a Library

A library resembles a list, using the same toolbar, view menu, and web form format to storedocuments. A library expands upon these features, however, by including additional options onthe context menu as well as specific functions only available in a library.

Functions such as “Check in/Check Out,” “Major/Minor Versioning,” and “Live Copies” onlyexist for libraries and cannot be used by lists. The context menu that appears for each documentis extended to show these options. Context menu items, and other properties associated withdocuments, are not usually displayed. They comprise the document ‘metadata’ or propertydefinition. This also provides additional functionality to a library as this metadata can be used invarious applications, such as sort and filters, workflows, and even classifying documents bytypes.

An additional feature of a library is the ability to upload documents and use a Windows Explorer view of the library to manage documents. Compared to a list, this makes adding, copying,moving, and deleting documents much easier. Some Office applications, like Microsoft Outlook,can connect to libraries and download their content.

You can update library or list settings using the List Tools Ribbon.




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Common Library Types

Two of the most common types of libraries created and used are document libraries and picturelibraries. While a document library can store images within it, often an image library managesthe sharing and visibility of the images differently from documents.

• Document library: The most common type of library, typically usedfor document sharing and management purposes. Includes any type of document, from files to images to web pages, and can be stored andmanaged like any other file with the right editing tool.

• Picture Library: Often used for images or scanned files, this libraryhas three special image previewing views, such as thumbnail view, and

also has a special email attaching option to send the image to anotheruser.

Because websites often contain multimedia files such as video and sound, SharePoint provides aspecial location to store these files for easier organization, control, and documentation within asite. This library type, called the Assets library, represents these types of files and automaticallyclassifies them by pre-created categories, Image, Audio, and Video.

Each of the categories have specific metadata related to their type of content, and can beextended for organization use. Each category also includes such metadata as keywords, author,comments and copyright information for the assets.

Two additional and useful libraries are Wiki Page Libraries and Slide Libraries. Each library usesa type of document that is based on a file format rather than a business-based designation and isspecific to the documents within its own library.

• Wiki Page Library: This library creates special web pages, called wiki pages. These web pages are lightweight and simple to edit and can dynamically generate additional, relatedweb pages. This library is also hosted in a special site called a Wiki Site.

• Slide Library: The Slide Library stores PowerPoint presentations to be used as master slides for presentations. The slides must be generated by PowerPoint and can be published directly into the library. Presentations can then be created and linked to themaster slide.

Both sets of libraries are highly useful in their own functionality. Wiki pages provide fast andeasy document creation without the need for a client or an understanding of how to program web pages. A slide library makes creating presentations easier and can synchronize changes to created presentations.A Form Library is a type of library that uses a special form of technology, created and managed by an Office client, called Microsoft InfoPath. Microsoft InfoPath is both a form designer and a




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form filler that stores the form in a unique file type. Forms are simply list forms but structured asa file.

Normally, a form library requires that Microsoft InfoPath is available to view and thus requiresadditional functionality on the workstation in order to work. However, forms are also publishable

and viewable through a browser if the SharePoint administrator configures this functionality.

Form libraries are not required in a site, but unless the form from InfoPath can be properlydeployed to SharePoint, only a form library can be used.

Managing Tasks

Tasks in SharePoint are very similar to Tasks in Outlook. A task can be created and assigned toa user and its progress tracked over time.

The process for creating a Task list begins the same as any other list or library.

To create a Task List:

1. From the Site Actions menu chose more options or from the All Site Content page, click “Create”

2. In the New Page, click the Task List3. In the New Page, type the name and description for the Task List4. Optionally, determine if the list or library should show up on the Quick Launch bar 5. Certain types of lists and libraries, such as tasks list, or certain types of settings, may

request additional settings6. These steps may vary if Silverlight is installed7. Click “Create” to create the list




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Understanding Alerts

Every SharePoint list has the ability to provide an email based notification to any user or groupof users, depending on their permissions, regarding updates, changes, and deletions. Alerts can be configured at the list level for all items, or on individual items. The email will provideinformation about which list in which site had changed, including information about the change.The notification system lasts as long as the user desires.

To set an alert on a list or an item:

1. On the list, click the List or Library tab, and then click “Alert Me”2. For an item, hover over the item, then from the drop-down menu, click “Alert Me”3. You can also use the Alert Me command on the Items or Documents tab4. Choose which delivery method type (email or SMS) you would like to be notified by5. In the Alert page, select the alert filter for what type of change, such as addition, edits

or deletions, you would like to be notified about as well as additional filter methods6. Select the frequency at which you would like to be notified (immediately, daily,

weekly)7. Click “OK” to set the alert




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Using RSS Feeds

A Really Simple Syndication Feed, commonly known as an RSS Feed, is a web-basednotification service provided by SharePoint that can be collected and viewed by a client programcalled an RSS Feed Reader. This reader technology has been integrated in various products, andcan be found in both Internet Explorer 7 or Microsoft Outlook 2007 or higher versions.

Users of RSS feeds can use complex URLs to act as the address from where the notification will be drawn. Clients store simple documents, or feeds, that will hold a minimal amount of information about the change as well as information about where it came from. All lists andlibraries use RSS feeds, which in turn mean that a user can connect to these feeds and be updatedwhen items change.

To use an RSS feed on a list or library:

1. In the library or list in question, click the List or Library tab2. Click the RSS Feed command to access the RSS Summary page

3. Click the Subscribe to this feed link, or copy the URL into the feed reader when creatingnew feeds.4. Click the list or library title at the top of the page to return to the page

Using Site and List Search

An integral part of an effective collaboration and management strategy lies in the ability to findinformation when you need it. The ability to search for information in a SharePoint site makesdata-locating a piece of the management process.
