Video Series Helps Unpack SharePoint
August 5, 2014
Some people love video series for Internet how-tos, and others hate the idea, but for those interested in learning more about SharePoint, the visual can be helpful. Jeremy Chapman has The Garage Series for Office 365 on Channel 9. His episode, “Understanding the New World of Apps for Office and SharePoint” might be helpful to some.
He sums up his latest episode:
“This is a ‘lost episode’ of the Garage Series filmed in New Orleans, host Jeremy Chapman is joined by architect TSP and Office extensibility guru, Richard diZerega, to discuss the new app model for Office and SharePoint. Richard also takes on the challenge to help navigate the culinary options of New Orleans by integrating Web services directly with Office and SharePoint using in-box and custom apps.”
Stephen E. Arnold has made a career out of reporting on all things search. His Web site, ArnoldIT.com, is an aggregator of helpful tips, tricks, and news, all revolving around different aspects of search. His SharePoint coverage is particularly helpful and end users and managers alike may find his reporting a compliment to their SharePoint duties.
Emily Rae Aldridge, August 05, 2014
SharePoint is Valuable but Underutilized Legal Tool
July 30, 2014
Document discovery is a big deal in the legal world – it is not only important but it is also time consuming. Lots of specialty software exists to aid legal firms in document management, but one writer shares his belief that SharePoint can do a pretty good job on its own. Jeff Bennion writes on AboveTheLaw in his article, “Why SharePoint Is The Most Underutilized Legal Tool That Microsoft Has To Offer.”
Bennion writes:
“SharePoint is an online project management system. It does a lot if things. If you work in a law office, you are going to probably use it for its document management capabilities and maybe its intranet capabilities. If any of you have had the misfortune of working in a large firm, you know what document management systems are. It’s somewhat clunky software that lets you categorize documents firm-wide using preset categories . . . SharePoint solves this problem: upload your documents into SharePoint and create columns and tags for them.”
And while every legal firm won’t have the time or capability to customize SharePoint and train its employees on how to use it, many will find this low cost solution helpful. Stephen E. Arnold highlights ideas like this on the SharePoint feed of his Web site, ArnoldIT.com. He has devoted his career to all things search, and SharePoint plays a large role in the current enterprise search discussion.
Emily Rae Aldridge, July 30, 2014
Commvault to Help Sponsor SharePoint Fest Denver
July 29, 2014
For anyone in need of a little SharePoint training for the fall, SharePoint Fest Denver will be held September 22-24. Mark your calendar. Commvault is a platinum sponsor this year, and the press release, “Commvault Confirmed as Platinum Sponsor of SharePoint Fest – Denver 2014,” tells more.
The article begins:
“Commvault is a Platinum Sponsor of SharePoint Fest Denver, and joins other sponsors in bringing this conference to the Colorado Convention Center on September 22-24, 2014. Conference delegates will hear from keynote speakers and attend breakout sessions. Over 70 sessions will be offered across multiple tracks, as well as an optional day of workshops preceding the conference.”
Stephen E. Arnold is a longtime leader in search and follows all things SharePoint on his Web site, ArnoldIT.com. His SharePoint feed is a good place to check in on the latest trainings and professional development opportunities. He also follows the latest tips, tricks, and workaround, which are helpful for SharePoint implementations of all shapes and sizes.
Emily Rae Aldridge, July 29, 2014
SharePoint Server Updates Coming More Frequently
July 22, 2014
Microsoft is not known for timely updates, but it does appear that they are attempting to address that problem, at least with their SharePoint suite. SharePoint Server updates are now being offered on a monthly basis. Redmond covers the latest in their article, “SharePoint Server Cumulative Updates Now Arriving Every Month.”
The article begins:
“Microsoft now delivers its SharePoint Server cumulative update (CU) releases on a monthly basis. The stepped-up release cycle was announced this week by Microsoft in conjunction with the July CU releases for SharePoint 2013 and SharePoint 2010. Those releases likely were unexpected by IT pros since they typically expect to see SharePoint Server CU releases only on the even months of the year.”
Microsoft is taking this step toward assisting SharePoint administrator by offering more frequent updates, but they still have a long way to go toward ultimate ease of use and oversight. Stephen E. Arnold has made a career out of all things search, including SharePoint. His Web site, ArnoldIT.com, features a SharePoint feed that many administrators will find helpful for keeping an eye on the latest tips and tricks. SharePoint still has a way to go when it comes to intuitive use; but in the meantime, third parties like Arnold can offer a great deal of assistance.
Emily Rae Aldridge, July 22, 2014
Webinar Offered on SharePoint Extranet
July 17, 2014
Webinars are a helpful and popular way to make sense of some of the most complicated issues facing SharePoint users and managers. PremierPoint Solutions is hosting one tomorrow to help make some sense of the extranet. Read more in the PR Web release, “Webinar: A Comprehensive SharePoint Extranet Solution.”
The article begins:
“’Making SharePoint Extranet Collaboration and Management Secure, Easy and Affordable,” a free one-hour webinar about a comprehensive solution for simplifying SharePoint extranet management, will be take place July 2 at 11 a.m. EDT. The session will include a question and answer period. Hosted by PremierPoint Solutions . . . the webinar will demonstrate a proven tool for making the extranet secure and easy, with affordable access and collaboration for business partners, venders, employees and clients from virtually any place in the world.”
For those that find this type of precise support to be helpful, Stephen E. Arnold’s SharePoint feed on his Web site ArnoldIT.com might also be worth keeping an eye on. Arnold lends a career’s worth of expertise to all elements of search, including SharePoint. His tips and tricks are valuable for end users and managers alike.
Emily Rae Aldridge, July 17, 2014
SharePoint Fest 2014 in Denver
July 10, 2014
Conference season is a little heavier in the spring, but SharePoint Fest Denver is something to look forward to this fall, September 22-24. PRWeb gives all the details in their release, “AmeriTeach Confirmed as Title Sponsor of SharePoint Fest – Denver 2014.”
The press release begins:
“AmeriTeach is a Title Sponsor of SharePoint Fest Denver, and joins other sponsors in bringing this conference to the Colorado Convention Center on September 22-24, 2014. Conference delegates will hear from keynote speakers and attend breakout sessions. Over 70 sessions will be offered across multiple tracks, as well as an optional day of workshops preceding the conference.”
In a space like enterprise search, staying on top of the latest technology, tips, and tricks is vital. Training, webinars, and conferences are all important way to stay in touch with the industry and with the solution used at your organization. Another valuable resource is ArnoldIT.com, managed by lifelong search expert Stephen E. Arnold. His SharePoint feed provides the latest tips and tricks for the full spectrum of SharePoint users and administrators.
Emily Rae Aldridge, July 10, 2014
SharePoint Potential for Surface Pro 3
July 8, 2014
Microsoft’s Surface Pro 3 made waves as one of the first high profile enterprise ready tablets. Mobility is no longer a trend, but a necessity, with mobile search set to surpass desktop search this year. SharePoint needs to keep itself in the mobility game, and Surface Pro 3 may be one way to do that. Redmond covers the story in their article, “Why SharePoint Admins Should Check Out Surface Pro 3.”
Tamir Orbach, Metalogix’s director of product management for SharePoint migration product, gave his opinion on the new device:
“’Pretty much all of us professionals want or need both a laptop or desktop and a slate,” Orbach said. ‘It’s so light that you can carry it anywhere you want and you would barely even feel it. And the screen is big enough, the resolution is good, the functionality is powerful enough to be used as our day-to-day computer.’”
Stephen E. Arnold has made a career out of following all things search. Enterprise is particularly affected by search, good and bad, and SharePoint is unequivocally the biggest player in the enterprise game. However, it has struggled with mobile functionality. And while critics will not be completely satisfied if Microsoft claims SharePoint’s mobile struggles must be settled with another Microsoft product, it does show some movement in the right direction. Keep an eye on Arnold’s SharePoint feed on his Web site, ArnoldIT.com, for the latest news, tips, and tricks.
Emily Rae Aldridge, July 8, 2014
SharePoint through Rose Colored Glasses
July 1, 2014
SharePoint is definitely a powerful and ubiquitous enterprise tool. However, it is not always efficient and is definitely not easy to use – at least that is what the majority of users would argue. However, every now and then an article wants to paint a “best case scenario” picture of SharePoint. The harmon.ie article, “’Seek and Ye Shall Find:’ Making the Most of SharePoint Search” does just that.
After a lengthy discussion of some helpful SharePoint 2013 highlights, the article sums up the argument:
“A lot of the new functionality in SharePoint 2013 is provided by the previously separate add-on ‘FAST Search,’ developed by a company Microsoft bought in 2008). Until SharePoint 2010, this was a separate product, but Microsoft has now integrated it fully into core SharePoint functionality. With the exciting new developments of Office 365 and the cloud, we expect search to become even more powerful and user friendly in coming years. All of which is good news for the most important SharePoint audience of all – end users.”
But in order to get to that level of usability, most organizations will have to work through Microsoft’s “easy” tips and tricks for customization. We say “easy” because for most people this will be anything but easy. But for many organizations the investment in staffing and time is worth it for the end result. SharePoint is big and powerful, but in order to control this beast many organizations will have to sacrifice ease of use.
Emily Rae Aldridge, July 01, 2014
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
Microsoft Retires Some SharePoint Online Plans
June 26, 2014
In what is sure to cause a big uproar, Microsoft is discontinuing some popular SharePoint Online payment plans. Redmond Magazine covers all the details in their article, “Microsoft Ending Some SharePoint Online Plans This Month.”
The article begins:
“Microsoft is retiring some of its SharePoint Online and Office Online plans by the end of this month, while offering other plans as substitutes. A total of four plans are going away and won’t be sold after June 30, 2014, Microsoft announced today. Those plans include SharePoint Online Plans 1 and 2 with Yammer, plus Office Online with SharePoint Plans 1 and 2. Organizations currently licensed under those expiring plans can still use the software for a year or two, depending on how the software was purchased.”
Substitutions are suggested in a helpful chart that follows. Stephen E. Arnold also has a few suggestions. He has made a living out of covering all things search, and reports his findings on ArnoldIT.com. His SharePoint feed is full of tips and tricks for SharePoint, as well as all manner of search options, enterprise and otherwise. And while users are bound to be frustrated over SharePoint’s pricing changes, it is doubtful that it will do anything to change the demand for its ubiquitous product.
Emily Rae Aldridge, June 26, 2014
SharePoint Burns Bridges with Payment Options
June 24, 2014
SharePoint is the mostly widely known and adopted enterprise search option for organizations of any size, and yet it also has a reputation for being one of the most difficult, on many levels. SharePoint has proven the critics right with their latest announcement to cut some popular payment plans. Read more in the CMS Wire article, “Microsoft Fiddles With SharePoint Pricing.”
The article begins:
“It’s hard to see the justification, but Microsoft just announced it will cut back four of its payment plans for SharePoint Online and Office Online once the plans expire at the end of June. While Microsoft certainly can cut back on plans whenever it wants, especially when those plans expire, the lack of an explanation could leave a bad taste in the mouths of enterprise customers facing higher prices in replacement plans.”
Stephen E. Arnold has made a career out of tracking these sorts of quirks in SharePoint, as well as all other aspects of search. His Web site, ArnoldIT.com, offers a helpful SharePoint feed for those who need to track the ups and downs. In the meantime, SharePoint is going to get a lot of feedback, mostly negative, on these new pricing plans. However, it is unlikely to dent their market share, as users will hesitate to rework their infrastructure, despite the price hike.
Emily Rae Aldridge, June 24, 2014
-
- Subscribe to Beyond Search
Feature archive
News archive
-
