Datasheet

explain how you can use document libraries within your SharePoint sites to further customize them to

meet your team’s needs.

Web Parts

When you create a list or library, SharePoint automatically generates a corresponding Web Part that you

can later add to a Web Part page. You can think of Web Parts as mini-applications or modules that dis-

play information on a page or perform a special function. Web parts can perform any number of func-

tions, from allowing a user to add custom text and images to a web page without using HTML code, to

displaying a financial report based on information stored in a completely separate application.

While many common business Web Parts come with SharePoint, the model is extensible, and you can

customize Web Parts to integrate the specific needs of your organization. You store Web Parts in a Web

Part gallery and you place them on a web page by dragging and dropping them into an appropriately

marked Web Part zone. Users can reuse, move, and customize Web Parts on multiple pages. For example,

you can place a small module on the page to display the weather and have each division in your organi-

zation decide whether and where to display it on their site. In Chapter 7, you will examine the various

types of Web Parts that are available in SharePoint and discuss common usage scenarios of each primary

category.

Workflow

A workflow automates a business process by breaking it into a set of steps that users must take to com-

plete a specific business activity, such as approving content or routing a document from one location to

another. Automation eliminates manual tasks and reduces the chance of data entry errors or documents

getting lost in the system.

Workflow can be as simple or complex as your organization’s needs. They can be very rigid and clearly

defined or offer a greater level of flexibility and decision making. You can use several built-in templates

as a starting point for creating rules more customized for your organization. Templates come with com-

mon processes complete with tasks, which users must complete. If a user fails to respond to a task, the

workflow reminds him of the task and tracks when it is past due.

You can customize basic workflow templates so users can utilize the browser for activities, such as giv-

ing approval, responding to a request for feedback, or signing a document. You can also design more

specialized workflows using Sharepoint Designer 2007 or Visual Studio 2005. You look at some of the

templates and ways in which workflow can be used in Chapter 5.

Content Types

A content type represents a group of informational items in your organization that share common settings.

They allow you to manage multiple types of content from a single location. You can associate content types

with a document library — for example, to manage multiple file types, such as Word, PowerPoint, and

Excel documents. Content types can also manage multiple templates of the same document type, a short-

coming of all previous versions of SharePoint Products and Technologies. As you associate a content type

with a document library or list, it appears in the library’s or list’s New drop-down menu.

Chapter 1: Getting Started with Microsoft Office SharePoint Server

24499c01.qxd:WroxPro 4/30/07 3:56 PM Page 11