In the working world it’s hard to stay connected, with various schedules, scattered information and everyone?s increasing deadlines. That is why Microsoft developed the Office SharePoint Server. Providing new methods for business communication, it’s never been easier to stay connected and stay on schedule. Even with a new server to keep everyone in the loop, it’s sometimes hard to keep everyone’s attention. Microsoft has also provided SharePoint designs to add a unique feel for your individual company’s SharePoint Server.
With the freedom to customize the look and presentation of your business, SharePoint design offers various elements to keep your ideas portrayed in an interesting and eye catching environment. After you have installed the SharePoint program, you are able to choose the creative approach to developing a site that suits your business. The SharePoint design has many different elements and resources that can help you shape your server in a professional and easy to follow way. You can find helpful tips and guidelines on Microsoft?s TechNet page that will help you develop a complete and creative SharePoint design.
There are several elements that go into creating a well put together SharePoint design. From outlines for site architects and designers to commonly used software and authoring tools, the information provided by Microsoft makes it simple and approachable to sprucing up your server and presenting an interesting new layout for your company’s information.
Getting started is easy, determine your approach and start there. You’ll want to choose a layout that reflects your business needs; if your company’s purpose is short lived, you’ll probably choose a more basic platform to present specific tasks to be performed. However, if your company plans to use the SharePoint Server for an extended period of time, for thousands of users with information updated and shared daily, your SharePoint design approach may be more in depth.
Microsoft provides an abundance of resources making it easy to develop a custom SharePoint design. Some of the most commonly used programs include Microsoft Office SharePoint Designer 2007 and Microsoft Visual Studio 2005. If you want to add more complex customizations to your server, Microsoft Office SharePoint Designer 2007 makes developing master pages and corporate web sites possible.
Other elements to consider when developing a SharePoint design include determining your site elements and the environments displayed on your server. For your SharePoint design developers it is important to create different environments where they can work to maintain the servers image and ensure the site is functioning properly. All of the environments used in the SharePoint design development stage lead up to the production environment, where your company will put to use the new design and presentation of your business information.
It is important when developing a SharePoint design to keep in mind your websites purpose, your company’s needs and goals, and the skill sets of the personnel using and creating the site. With the ability to customize your SharePoint Server, Microsoft has made it easier than ever to creatively network and stay on task in an individually developed and uniquely designed way.
SharePoint is a system developed by Microsoft which offers users, and companies alike the ability to create a shared workspace which is accessible through the use of a web browser. This structure offers a number of enhancements over traditional shared workspace situations such as improved security and a more customizable environment. With the release of SharePoint 2007 a number of companies are engaging in sophisticated SharePoint development with the aim of creating systems which allow their employees to become more productive.
At its core SharePoint development is meant to focus on the creation of web based portals which enable users such as business employees, clients, customers, friends or even family communicate and share data effectively. The goal of this is to reduce the time needed to share data and information.
SharePoint development at its core is based entirely on ASP .NET 2.0. The main reason for using ASP .NET is to reduce the time necessary to work with SharePoint. SharePoint development can be done directly using Visual Studio .NET or through any text editor. A WYSIWYG or what you see is what you get editor known as SharePoint Designer is also available for SharePoint development. This application is freely available with SharePoint and in many cases it can be used to greatly reduce the development time. SharePoint development goes further by enabling easy access to and use of SQL services. In fact all information including complex data is stored within the SQL server which is attached to the SharePoint service.
SharePoint development utilizing the SharePoint designer is considered to be fairly simple. The SharePoint designer is included freely with the purchase of SharePoint Server 2007 and includes features which enable a developer to quickly create websites which take full advantage of the SharePoint service including forms, and data storage.
The goal of Microsoft in designing SharePoint was to create a system which would be relatively easy to develop for. This is one of the reasons its development code is based on ASP .NET 2.0. By sticking with a well established and well understood language they were able to ensure that a large number of existing developers could move right into developing for this new system. Beyond this Microsoft?s release of SharePoint Designer has helped to ensure that even novice programmers with little to no experience in ASP .NET 2.0 can still develop sophisticated SharePoint portal systems in a timely fashion.
For anyone who is looking to become extremely strong in SharePoint development it is recommended that they learn ASP .NET 2.0 if they are note already skilled in this language. ASP .NET 2.0 is the second version of ASP .NET with added functionality and improved security. A number of online resources and books exist which offer large quantities of information regarding this language. A strong understanding of SQL server code and integrating ASP .NET 2.0 with an SQL server is also recommended since the major functionality associated with SharePoint is related to its direct integration with SQL server.
Sharepoint master pages are the basic templates used to define the structure of the site and maintain uniformity in customization. Sharepoint offers five master pages built in the software suite by default. It includes application, simple, dialog and layouts master pages.
Sharepoint master pages and the content pages are merged together to provide the necessary page structures. Similar to other page development processes, master page development also has a lifecycle process for adherence to structured creation.
The primary process in the Sharepoint master pages development is identification and listing of features required in the site. Since the evolution of web 2.0 users have become the core of any design approach. A user specific approach identifying personas, environment or situations and wire frames must be listed. Common scenarios forming the basis of most of the Sharepoint sites are web portals for team collaboration, content management systems to manage the internet based customer contribution and an optimized mixture of both for partners? management termed as a hybrid scenario.
In Sharepoint master pages design, navigation forms an integral part of the portal capability. Various forms of navigation approaches such as top and left navigation, search functionality and breadcrumbs must be evaluated in detail. It is important for the Sharepoint master pages design to leverage the collaboration capability of portals using Sharepoint features. Few of the Sharepoint features listed help in effective identification and design. The features are document libraries, wikis, To-Do lists, shared workspaces applicable to meeting and document, and drill down data sheets. Customized lists and partial web pages should also be evaluated in the identification and listing phase.
A user centric approach is a methodology adopted to consider user capabilities. Sign in capability to the users must be provided to allow for a customized user specific site and links for navigation. Administrator login should have the permission to perform actions on the site. A different master page from the Sharepoint master pages must be introduced for document upload functionality.
The web presence factor must consider customers perspective and the capabilities and functionalities to be introduced for their access. Decision making will largely depend on the lists, wikis and to-do lists enabling requirements. Permission to customer editing of the content can be facilitated through a console which is a need driven functionality to be considered on an optional basis. Sharepoint master pages design for hybrid approach is similar to web presence requirements with every feature optional and enabled as per requirement.
Map the Sharepoint capabilities to the specific region in the screen. Wire frames are based on the screen region must be constructed. Web design rules and codes are used and a suitable visual design is applied. Wire frames with identified features according to the user requirement with appealing visual theme and enhancements form the basis of the skeleton page. Control features and content area are placed on the skeleton page. This completes the development of Sharepoint master pages.
Features and solutions available in Sharepoint must be effectively utilized for Sharepoint Master Pages deployment. Any changes or enhancements must never be executed in a running application using Sharepoint designer. Remember to use a minimal master to confirm adherence to requirements.
SharePoint is a web 2.0 server system developed and released by Microsoft which offers businesses and consumers the opportunity to develop entire web portal systems utilizing the SharePoint services. The concept of SharePoint is to provide a sophisticated framework which enables the rapid development of these portal systems. Unlike traditional portal systems which are designed entirely from scratch SharePoint portal systems utilize the SharePoint services framework.
The advantage to this is that they are extremely scalable. Also these web portal systems can take advantage of future updates to the SharePoint services. Simply put the SharePoint services available can enabled companies, developers and even home users to develop complex and intuitive web applications in a greatly reduced period of time.
What SharePoint Services are Available
SharePoint at its core is an extremely sophisticated framework which enables developers to create advanced all inclusive portal systems. These systems can be used for nearly anything including data storage and exchange, blogs, content storage, and even web based applications. Some of the most important SharePoint services available include:
1. SharePoint SQL Access: SharePoint was developed from the ground up to utilize a SQL server as its backend. Content is shared, modified, and access all through the use of this database server. In a sense it functions in a fashion similar to accessing files directly on a computer but through the use of a web browser and the SQL server. Every bit of information stored in a SharePoint application is stored in the SQL server no matter how simple or complex it is.
2. SharePoint Form Processors: SharePoint is meant to be used as a system which enables people to communicate and share data. For this reason nearly any SharePoint application would make extensive use of forms and SharePoint is designed to make processing the information supplied in these forms easy.
3. SharePoint Templates: SharePoint templates are a system which offers easy to use and easy to customize templates which are designed to function specifically with SharePoint. These offer functionality and services which developers can use in the core development or as a base in developing more sophisticated SharePoint applications.
4. SharePoint File Storage: SharePoint file storage is one of the most important SharePoint services since SharePoint is meant as a way of making files and data available to anyone who needs access to it in a simple and easy to use fashion. SharePoint file store is done through the use of the SQL server backend which powers all SharePoint applications.
5. SharePoint Document Management: SharePoint offers intuitive and sophisticated document management allowing administrators and users alike to easily access and manage content related documents.
Everything about the available SharePoint services is designed to make the storage of and sharing of data easier. Using these sophisticated and intuitively designed services developers can easily produce entirely web based applications which enable business employees and home users alike the ability to share files, share information, communicate effectively, and collaborate on projects.
SharePoint is a system developed by Microsoft which enables developers, businesses, and even individuals to easily develop complex web applications designed to function in the form of a portal or for file sharing. This is achieved through the use of ASP .NET 2.0 in conjunction with the SharePoint server. The goal of SharePoint is to offer the ability to develop entire web 2.0 applications easily.
To aid in this development process Microsoft released SharePoint Designer which is a free WYSIWYG application which aids in the development process of SharePoint applications and the SharePoint template model. The end result of this entire system is a configuration which allows the end user to develop a web 2.0 application which meets their needs specifically.
The reasoning behind this functionality is that no two businesses or individuals will have the exact same needs so the system is designed in such a way as to make it able to cater to everyone effectively. It also is designed in such a way as to make it relatively easy for the end user to develop a completely custom application.
SharePoint template models are prebuilt applications which are designed to function for a specific purpose. In many cases the pre existing SharePoint template models which are available will provide the features that most people need. Beyond this the SharePoint template models can be customized further to suit the needs of an individual or business more specifically. Customization is done through the use of ASP 2.0 or utilizing the WYSIWYG editor, SharePoint Designer, which is provided by Microsoft free of charge to registered users.
These templates are broken into two specific parts. Templates designed for the site admin are designed to install directly into the template gallery. No server administration privileges are required to install these types of templates. They typically come as *.stp files and they are freely available to any registered users. Currently Microsoft has a total of 40 such template files covering a wide selection of various application models. Templates which are designed for the server admin come with the extension *.wsp. These are designed to offer further functionality for the SharePoint service platform. To install a person must have server administration privileges.
The design structure of SharePoint allows for a great deal of upgradability. In fact the core windows service is designed to accept modular additions to increase its functionality. This allows it to offer a number of advantages for the end user. The main advantage is in the form of the SharePoint template model. Currently Microsoft offers a total of 40 Application based SharePoint template models. Beyond this other companies have also released their own template models to integrate directly with SharePoint. Nearly every one of these base template models are designed to be edited, and changed fairly easily. This enables the end user to add or subtract functionality to the end web 2.0 application as needed. The SharePoint template model allows for its templates to function more as a base than a full solution.
Once you have the SharePoint application all downloaded and ready to go on your computer, you are probably going to want to do a little bit of exploring in order to see what SharePoint is all about. One of the first things that you should take a look at is the SharePoint templates!
One of the best places to find great SharePoint templates is going to be on the Internet, hands down. There are so many SharePoint templates that you can preview and download that you can find any style or variety that fits your exact needs. All you really need to do is get on the SharePoint website and see what you can find in there; or you can even venture on and do your own search. Most of the SharePoint templates that you are going to run into are going to be free, but at times, you may fall in love with one template and bite the bullet to pay a small fee. The fee is mainly just to pay designers for their work and keep the SharePoint running smoothly.
Another great thing that you can do with the SharePoint templates is you can alter them slightly in order to fit your needs. This is great because you will not feel like you are trapped within the same template and you can tweak it just a little bit in order to give it the touch that you are looking for. You might want to keep this in mind when you are searching through the various templates. Now, keep in mind that there are hundreds of SharePoint templates so you may not be able to get through all of them in one day. Once you have everything all set up, you can then take the time to look through all of the tools that SharePoint has to offer its clients.
If you are new to the computer world and you are not sure how to use SharePoint or the SharePoint templates that are offered, you can easily find the support center online at the SharePoint site. This site is going to give you incredibly helpful information that is going to allow you to use the SharePoint application without any major technical issues. Take the time to learn about this great program and then once that is all finished, you will be able to take a look at all of the other features that SharePoint has to offer such as the SharePoint template. All of the features throughout this program is incredibly simple to use and easy to learn about. Remember, if you run into any problems with your chosen template or just the application in general, make sure you go to the SharePoint site for all of your technical needs. This site has some great information that is completely free and available at any point in time; it is all about when you have the time to take a look through things.
We all like to have our lives be a little bit flexible, this should include the way that we run our companies and run our Internet websites. If you are using SharePoint, then you are fully aware of how flexible the actual program is. This even includes the SharePoint themes that come along with the application when you purchase it.
Sometimes certain SharePoint themes should be looked at as just simple guidelines due to the fact that you may like the way that it could go or the way that you want it to go. This is the neat thing about SharePoint themes; the fact that they can be customized and shaped into whatever you might want. So any idea that you might have had for a theme can completely be yours once you download SharePoint and get it up and running!
Okay, now that you have SharePoint downloaded and ready to go on your system, the first thing you are going to want to do is just glance and browse. You are going to get so much more done if you take the time to skim and get a real feel for what the program is all about. Make sure that you make a long stop at the SharePoint themes. This is a great tool for you to have and there are so many great themes to choose from that it may get a bit overwhelming! Remember that when it comes to choosing a SharePoint theme or even a template of some sort, you want to make sure that the SharePoint theme that you choose is going to be appealing and easy to look at. You do not want your eyes, or anyone else?s for that matter, to have to strain in order to view the page. Always keep in mind that these themes can be customized as well; so you can change whatever you want, when you want.
SharePoint themes are available for download online so that should be your very first stop when looking for different themes. You might have to pay a small fee for certain themes, but for the most part, you should not have to plan to spend a lot of money on SharePoint themes. Once these themes are downloaded, you can automatically start using them and start tweaking them. Needless to say, the entire process is incredibly simple for anyone to use.
You may feel a bit overwhelmed when you are looking through various SharePoint themes, but the fact of the matter is, you have tons of time to look through themes. The important thing that you need to do is make sure that you get familiar with all that SharePoint has to offer. Once you think you know what you need to do, then you need to start looking at all of themes so that you can make what you have even better. Get online and start looking at all of the themes that are offered to you!
If you are looking to create a website for your growing company, then you are going to need to either get a good web designer to do the job for you or you can look into getting a program.? Luckily, there is a well known program called SharePoint and the SharePoint web designer is going to have all of the tools that you are going to need in order to create a truly great website.
You can get the SharePoint web designer online and you can download right to the computer so that you can begin using it.? You will be able to create great web pages for your business; the choice is yours.? SharePoint will work with both Windows and Windows Vista so you do not need to worry about your current operating system.
You can find SharePoint web designer online for about $200; now keep in mind it may be a bit expensive, but this program does work with Microsoft Office, so just think of it as adding an extra feature to what you already have!? Some of the neat things that you can do with the SharePoint web designer is you can customize just about anything that you might want.? This is a great tool to have because you will have a great site that no one else will have and it will have your personal touch added to it as well!
The SharePoint web designer was designed for those who are looking to expand their businesses.? Most companies who feel that they are ready to build turn to the internet because it is such an easy way to get the word out there and pull in more business.? With a website, you are going to be able to make money online as well as making money through your usual operations!? This is a great program to invest in because it is easy to use and it is incredibly effective.
You may feel that the SharePoint web designer is a little bit on the expensive side but just think about how much you are going to be getting in the long run.? There are so many tools and features that come along with this software; you should have no problems creating your own website.? Once you have your website all finished and you feel that you have a good page, you can start looking at publishing your website so that everyone can see!? Take a look online and see what the SharePoint web designer is going to do for you.? If you buy it online you can get it for an incredibly low price and you can either download it to your computer or you can wait for the disk to come in the mail.? Once you get the software, you are going to see just how much good this program is going to do for you and your company.? If you are looking to make some extra money, then take a look at this software and get started!
What are SharePoint Web Parts? Essentially, SharePoint Web Parts are ASP.NET server components that comprise a set of integrated controls for publishing web content. They are basically Microsoft’s version of open source Widgets that use DHTML, JavaScript, or Adobe Flash, except they exclusively use proprietary Microsoft technology.
SharePoint Web Parts may be used to extend existing ASP.NET technology to Windows SharePoint Services. In practice, SharePoint Web Parts are similar to Portlets, but provide a more extensible environment and don?t require a web portal such as SharePoint or specific hosting requirements.
Benefits of These Parts
By implementing SharePoint Web Parts, end users can customize web page behavior including content, appearance, and other features. The SharePoint Web Parts control set forms a component group that makes it easier and simpler for developers to quickly create and publish web content. In addition, SharePoint Web Parts insures that the user interface (UI) is adaptable and allows the user to modify the look and feel from the browser. This functionality is available because the SharePoint Web Parts controls are implemented in the Part class and make up the primary UI.
History of SharePoint Web Parts
Windows SharePoint Web Parts is the evolution of the Microsoft ASP.NET 2.0 Web Part infrastructure. It is available free as a download from Microsoft for Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1. Windows SharePoint Web Parts is also part of the Microsoft .NET Framework. It is now part of Windows SharePoint Services 3.0; an object model for creating and publishing web pages and a platform for web-based collaboration, document management, and content publishing. It is only available on Microsoft servers.
Why Developers Love SharePoint Web Parts
Because Windows SharePoint Web Parts is built on top of ASP.NET 2.0, developers can now use ASP.NET 2.0 features such as master pages, site navigation, new data controls, forms authentication and other features when building with SharePoint Web Parts. This functionality exists for both the free Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 and the Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007, which must be purchased.
Developers also like the ability to create SharePoint Web Parts controls that can be used across multiple platforms, for example, SharePoint and ASP.NET 2.0 applications. The ability to repurpose SharePoint Web Parts elements is a time saver for developers and makes customization in large enterprise environments easier than ever. SharePoint Web Parts also allow developers to build Web Parts using ASP.NET User Controls and to very easily create custom UI functionality.
Some Web 2.0 developers have criticized Microsoft as being ?inwardly focused?. But, with SharePoint Web Parts, Microsoft is beginning to move toward delivering enterprise-grade Web 2.0 services.
Finding Technical Information on SharePoint Web Parts
For more information about choosing the best Web Part base class from which to derive, see Developing SharePoint Web Parts in Windows SharePoint Services in the Windows SharePoint Services Software Development Kit (SDK). You can also refer to the SharePoint Web Parts Control Set Overview section in the ASP.NET documentation for additional technical information on related ASP.NET Web Parts.
