Elevating SharePoint through Third Party Additions
September 21, 2012
Relate Technologies is a Microsoft systems integrator, with a stake in third-party application implementation. While some mistakenly view SharePoint as an out-of-the-box answer to all of their organization’s information needs, Relate Technologies builds a strong case for the addition of add-ons for increased customization and functionality. Read more in, “Taking SharePoint to the Next Level.”
The article begins:
‘SharePoint is perceived by companies as a product primarily used for intranets and document management,’ says Geoff Lander, Managing Director of Relate Technologies. ‘As ideal as it may be for these applications, the real tangible monetary return on investment is derived when you start using SharePoint as a development platform to build enterprise applications.’ Companies such as Sanlam Structured Solutions, Coronation Fund Managers, Vodafone and JO Hambro Capital Management are using applications developed in SharePoint to increase the efficiency of a range of business processes.
Apparently SharePoint is also realizing the value of such applications as they recently formed a Marketplace to make integration more accessible:
To encourage the development of such third-party applications or add-ons for SharePoint by the ISV communities, Microsoft launched the Microsoft Office 365 Marketplace in April 2011. The Marketplace incorporates a SharePoint Marketplace that already lists almost 500 SharePoint applications that can be used to extend or enhance SharePoint functionality.
The future of SharePoint definitely appears to be in third-party additions, increasing functionality and accessibility, particularly for smaller organizations that cannot afford a fleet of in-house developers. When reviewing third-party applications that might meet your organization’s needs, take a look at Fabasoft Mindbreeze and their suite of intuitive solutions.
Emily Rae Aldridge, September 21, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext.
SharePoint Cannot Meet All Enterprise Needs
September 19, 2012
For all of the talk about what SharePoint can do, sometimes it is good to know what SharePoint cannot do. Avoid an unnecessary expense as well as wasted time and frustration by exploring the BetaNews article, “3 Things Not to do With SharePoint.”
The author begins with an analysis of what SharePoint can do well:
I’m a big fan of SharePoint. I’ve worked with it for years, right back to SharePoint 2001. It does a lot of things very, very well (Since you ask — document management, collaborative working, and increasingly social networking functionality). However, SharePoint also does lots of things, its feature set is simply huge. Not all of these features are as mature as others, and as a result it is easy for SharePoint systems to end up feeling a bit mixed and matched. Some things work well, some less so, and some should have been avoided altogether.
The author then goes on to list the three things you should avoid doing with SharePoint: 1) creating a public facing Web site, 2) customizing graphic design, and 3) treating it like a database. For each of these functions, a smarter choice is to find a third party solution that can work with SharePoint or an existing infrastructure to seamlessly accomplish that goal. For public facing Web sites, we recommend Mindbreeze InSite, a solution that will automatically set up intuitive search on your Web space.
Emily Rae Aldridge, September 19, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext.
Learning about SharePoint Search 2013
September 18, 2012
“Search Is Everywhere! What You Need to Know about Search in SharePoint 2013 Preview” provides a handy summary of new features and major changes in Microsoft enterprise search.
The summary begins with a look at the tweaked document library. The author points out, “Search is everywhere in SharePoint now so it is important to understand how it has changed.”
One important assertion the article makes is, “Search was essentially rewritten from the ground up… The concept of FAST Search for SharePoint servers is gone. The components from FS4SP have made their way directly into SharePoint and we don’t need separate dedicated servers for it (necessarily).
Corey Roth adds:
Aside from cool stuff like drag and drop, document libraries directly leverage the search engine to allow users to filter documents easily. Gone are the days of relying on CAML for simple document library searches. You’ll find out why later in this post on why you can rely on search for those uses as well.
The other topics covered in the summary include the components of the search system; specifically, crawl component, content processing component, index component, analytics component, query processing component, and the search administration component.
The summary provides additional detail about crawling. The summary points out:
Whereas SharePoint 2010, only had protocols for Local Search and OpenSearch 1.1, SharePoint 2013 Preview (as well as SharePoint Online Preview), support for Remote SharePoint servers and Exchange has been added. Since SharePoint and People Search results are served by the same search index now, you can choose which type of results you want here too.
This summary includes information about querying, the user interface, and the API, and some of the new administrative controls. Illustrated with screenshots, we think the article is a useful reference.
For more detail, you will want to take a look at “What’s New within SharePoint 2013 Search.” So far, SharePoint Talk has issue three useful write ups which include screenshots and links to supplementary documents.
The first part is “What’s New within SharePoint 2013 Search? Part 1. This is an overview. The second part has the same name but focuses more on some of the configurable elements; for example, managed properties.
The new features of SharePoint Search 2012 deliver significant benefits to those seeking information. However, implementing and customizing specific search features will require close attention by programmer who are deeply knowledgeable about Microsoft’s technologies. The “cool stuff” is indeed very exciting. Comperio can provide the engineering support to make these functions deliver to the SharePoint’s licensees’ specific requirements.
Comperio’s search engineers continue to work closely with clients, Microsoft partners, and Microsoft itself. As a result, we have compiled deep experience with the most recent version of SharePoint Search. We can implement the specific features of SharePoint Search 2013 that a client requires. More importantly, we can extend the system to deliver particular functions such as seamless interaction with third party enterprise applications. For more information about Comperio, visit the firm’s Web site at www.comperiosearch.com.
Stephen E Arnold, September 18, 2012
Sponsored by Augmentext
SharePoint 2013 of Little Consequence for the End User
September 17, 2012
For all of the buzz surrounding the release of SharePoint 2013, there may be little to no immediate impact for the actual end user. Developers and enterprise search bloggers are highly anticipating the full release as well as the SharePoint conference in November. However, Mark Miller at CMS Wire argues, “Why SharePoint 2013 Isn’t for You,” in his most recent article.
Miller states:
There is the marketing coming out of Microsoft, but the Man-on-the-Street conversation is mainly from developers and IT Pros who are talking to each other about how to set it up, how to optimize it, how it is different from 2010. This has absolutely nothing of relevance for people using SharePoint on a day-to-day basis. The day-to-day talk is a distraction to SharePoint end users. In general, the users are not interested in the technology, they are interested in the solutions the technology can provide . . . We had the same type of situation after the release of SharePoint 2010. At that time, I took the same position: It’s going to take two to three years for SharePoint 2013 to become relevant to the daily user.
So for users who need a better interface now, what is to be done? One option gaining acceptance and popularity is the addition of a third-party solution. Vendors such as Fabasoft Mindbreeze offer a suite of solutions to maximize enterprise search and overall functionality. Fabasoft Mindbreeze Enterprise can be added to an existing SharePoint infrastructure to add the values of quality, usability, and style. It takes a long time to turn a big ship, and SharePoint is definitely the biggest ship on the market. Therefore, many organizations will benefit more from the intuitive infrastructure and agility of a smart third-party solution like Fabasoft Mindbreeze.
Emily Rae Aldridge, September 17, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext.
SharePoint 2013 Misses Opportunities
September 14, 2012
Chris Wright at Beta News adds to the buzz of the SharePoint 2013 Preview with is piece, “SharePoint 2013 is a Missed Opportunity.” After saying that a few of the surface updates are useful and intuitive, Wright gets to the heart of why SharePoint 2013 is ultimately a disappointment:
I work with lots of end users of SharePoint. What I would have liked to see, and what they needed, is much more focus on the user interface and the feel of SharePoint in this new version. There are some very powerful features in SharePoint, like Views on lists and libraries, but end users find them difficult to use and configure — if they find them at all. Even a simple thing like adding rich content to a page is a lot harder than it should be. The text editor tends to have a mind of its own, and this issue so far remains in the new version.
Followers of the SharePoint world and blogosphere will recognize this complaint against the feel of SharePoint as the number one recurring issue. Many organizations, particularly small to mid-size ones, are turning to smart third-party solutions to increase the feel of their SharePoint infrastructure without the painstaking SharePoint customization process. We like Fabasoft Mindbreeze Enterprise for just this reason. Although it can stand alone, adding Fabasoft Mindbreeze Enterprise to an existing SharePoint infrastructure immediately adds style, ease of use, and efficiency without a huge investment in other resources.
Emily Rae Aldridge, September 14, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext.
Improving the Search Experience in SharePoint
September 12, 2012
Connecting employees to the right information improves workflow. J. Peter Bruzzese discusses the importance of search in his post, “Bring Better Search to SharePoint.” Search challenges are explained:
If only SharePoint’s search capabilities were better. If only users weren’t spending so much time searching for relevant data or the appropriate personnel in the company. If only users weren’t re-creating data they already have ‘somewhere.’ The problems with search have been an absolute failure point for many users of SharePoint 2007. The more they pushed data into SharePoint and grew their farm environment, the more they ran into the wall of search results being less relevant.
In response, Microsoft brought in Fast in hopes to add better results relevance and previews. The author points out that despite Fast, many companies looked to other tools to improve search including BA Insight‘s Longitude Search which attempts to rank content based on user behavior.
Another search solution that may be worth considering is is Fabasoft Mindbreeze Enterprise. Mindbreeze Enterprise Search lets you “be well informed – quickly and accurately. The data often lies distributed across numerous sources. Fabasoft Mindbreeze Enterprise gains each employee two weeks per through focused finding of data (IDC Studies). An invaluable competitive advantage in business as well as providing employee satisfaction.” Boundless data search and clearly structured search results as just two of the solution’s benefits worth taking a second look at.
Philip West, September 12, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext.
Tips Are Not Enough for a Killer SharePoint Search System
September 11, 2012
We read “5 Tips for Turning a SharePoint 2010 Search Center into a Find Center.” The points are useful and include such suggestions as appointing a search administrator, have a SharePoint Search plan, and monitor the search system.
We found this passage interesting:
The default Search Center above might be enough for some sites (hey, the minimalist approach works for Google), but with some work, you can turn this into a Search Center that is useful enough for users to set it as their home page. You can get a lot of good ideas from the white paper How Microsoft IT Deployed FAST Search Server 2010 for SharePoint, especially the Enterprise search center article. This screenshot from the white paper provides an example of what you can do with your Search Center. FAST Search Server will give you a richer experience on the search results page, but the items you see on this Search Center are achievable with SharePoint 2010—or even SharePoint 2007. To create a Search Center that is the go-to place for your users, you can add helpful information such as links to event calendars, corporate news, campus maps, benefits, expense reporting, and research portals.
In our experience, SharePoint Search can deliver high-value services to users throughout an organization. SharePoint, particularly with its distributed and cloud capabilities, can now provide exceptional information access across a wide range of on premises and remote worker use cases.
However, only a handful of consulting services firm have the technical expertise and hands-on experience necessary to deploy a SharePoint solution in a matter of days. Search Technologies has implemented hundreds of SharePoint Search solutions, and the firm’s technical staff knows how to move through a project from its inception to its customization and optimization in an efficient manner.
If you want to move SharePoint to the next level, consider Search Technologies.
Iain Fletcher, September 11, 2012
Sponsored by Augmentext
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What Designers Should Expect with the SharePoint 2013 Release
September 7, 2012
Brian Alderman discusses expected changes for designers in the upcoming SharePoint 2013 release in the third installment, “35,000-Foot View of SharePoint 2013 for Designers,” of his four part series.
Alderman explains the major change to expect:
One of the biggest changes in SharePoint 2013 is that SharePoint Designer is no longer necessary for branding a SharePoint site. Now there’s a new utility called Design Manager that designers can use for branding SharePoint websites…it is part of the publishing portal site collection template…and introduces a brand new interface that serves as the central hub for branding. With Design Manager, designers can use HTML, CSS and Jscript in any of their favorite HTML editors.
Workflow changes are also discussed, including the new platform called SharePoint 2013 Workflow which allows SharePoint Designer created workflows to include functionality for Windows Azure Workflows. If you are a designer, the brief read may be worth it to stay in the loop on what’s coming.
To maximize your SharePoint investments beyond implementation, consider Fabasoft Mindbreeze. Part of the full suite of solutions is the Fabasoft Folio Connector, which provides uniform, reliable management of your digital content. Here is a highlight:
Fabasoft Mindbreeze Enterprise is able to search all data sources connected to the platform simultaneously. In addition to data from, for example, Microsoft Exchange or the file system, the Fabasoft Folio Connector allows to query information objects and documents from Fabasoft Folio, too.
With on-premise and Cloud information pairing capabilities, Mindbreeze provides a comprehensive and enterprise-grade solution that adds rich value to your business knowledge. Read more at Mindbreeze, where they seem to have the benefits of a proper installation down pat.
Philip West, September 7, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext.
Information about Search for SharePoint 2013
September 6, 2012
We have been tracking useful sources of information about search for SharePoint 2013. You will find the three minute video prepared by Search Technologies an excellent place to begin. Search Technologies points out that the Fast search technology, acquired by Microsoft in 2008, and it is at the heart of SharePoint 2013. Technologies and ideas from Bing and elsewhere have been added to the mix to provide a comprehensive set of enterprise search capabilities, with plenty of room for customization. Search for SharePoint 2013 includes a rules-based query parsing framework. Search Technologies indicates that pricing has not yet been formally announced, but it is generally assumed that this search functionality will be a standard part of SharePoint 2013. See http://www.searchtechnologies.com/sharepoint-15-search-overview.html.
Microsoft has done a great job of providing information about SharePoint 2013 search. I wanted to make sure you knew that a series of articles is pulling together much of the Microsoft information and adding some insights that could be difficult to locate.
We can point out another useful source of information in this Microsoft document.
The author is Nicki Borell. The first three parts of his coverage of SharePoint 2013 discuss:
- Office 365
- What Happens with Fast in SharePoint 2013
- Search Dictionaries, Query Builder, Query Client Type.
Two more articles will appear in the near future, and these will cover administrative changes and user interface modifications.
Our engineers at Search Technologies track SharePoint 2013 on an hourly basis. We found that the discussion of dictionaries, query builder, and query client type were useful for two reasons:
- The articles include screenshots which make it easy to get oriented in a graphical or PowerShell environment
- There is sufficient descriptive narrative to make clear the specific feature; however, for those working with certain large SharePoint environments, additional explanation might prove useful to some system administrators.
Search Technologies has the deep experience required to handle basic and advanced SharePoint configuration, customization, and integration for any size SharePoint deployment. For more information, visit http://www.searchtechnologies.com/.
Iain Fletcher, September 6, 2012
Sponsored by Augmentext
Using Fabasoft Mindbreeze as a Customer Service Solution
September 6, 2012
Daniel Fallmann of Fabasoft Mindbreeze explains the beneficial customer service applications of the Mindbreeze suite of solutions in the post, “Call Center: Mindbreeze Leads to Success!” With the ability to bring on-premise and cloud information together, Mindbreeze’s powerful search can be applied to call centers for quick and efficient access to information and an improved user experience.
Fallmann explains:
Via information pairing all related information, whether structured or unstructured, from internal or external applications (e.g. client portals), new or old, is linked together. A company’s entire knowledge becomes instantly accessible. Instead of combing through 20 different applications, you need just one tool. Mindbreeze makes customer service quicker, easier and more efficient, whilst simultaneously increasing quality and customer satisfaction. As a bonus, costs are reduced and your call center employees are happier!
Fabasoft Mindbreeze Enterprise turns business data into relevant knowledge with efficient and scalable processing capabilities. When many organizations mismanage call centers and customer service, use Mindbreeze to give your employees streamlined and relevant access to information without the redundancy of multiple applications.
Philip West, September 6, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext.
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