Can You Manage Email with SharePoint?
September 21, 2011
Microsoft’s architecture makes use of function-specific servers. There are servers for SharePoint, SQL Server, customer relationship management, accounting, and so on. Large Microsoft-centric deployments use multiple specialized Microsoft servers. Smaller firms may use SharePoint and a special-purpose server such as Microsoft Windows Small Business Server http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/server-cloud/windows-small-business-server/default.aspx. Microsoft certified professionals advise and implement best practices for handling performance and scaling. Search Technologies provides advisory and engineering services to organizations wanting to optimize enterprise search systems such as Microsoft Fast Search Server as well as other vendors’ search solutions.
I read an article in CMSWire which presented an idea I had not previously considered. The author of “Case Study: SharePoint as an E-mail Management System” http://www.cmswire.com/cms/information-management/case-study-sharepoint-as-an-email-management-solution-012308.php advanced an interesting approach to email.
Microsoft provides Exchange Server, robust clients, and a number of methods to leverage email, which along with search is one of the most widely used online applications. The method disclosed in the article gives a SharePoint user access to a user friendly way to have email appear in search results. The article asserts that most e-mail is archived in digital storage while leaving a stub in Outlook.
The solution referenced in the article suggested writing a program that would interact with Outlook, but also tag the content with metadata to facilitate the profiling and retrieval program. The solution was implemented in the Handshake http://www.unitysystems.info/2009/08/10/the-handshake/ enterprise content management system.
My reaction to this approach is that the author solved a situation specific problem. However, such a solution introduces several potential warning lights. First, if a bug exists in the original program, one runs the risk of creating a situation which would be confusing to a user exists. A more serious issue could compromise the integrity of the email content itself. But the largest issue is that the write up did not discuss any security measures taken to verify that only authorized individuals would see or could know about the existence of emails on a specific topic.
The Search Technologies approach to unique client requirements such as the one described in the CMSWire article is to implement the rigorous information collection, project planning, and requirements statement. As part of that work, the Search Technologies’ team and the client discuss such key issues as features, performance, and security.
Armed with this work plan, Search Technologies then identifies the options for addressing the clients’ need. In many cases, we use Microsoft-developed or Microsoft-certified solutions. If original scripts or code is required, Search Technologies works tests the code prior to making it available to the client. After the client reviews the code, then Search Technologies implements the solution.
For integrating SharePoint content, Search Technologies would rely upon its proven methodology, tapping the experience of hundreds of content centric and search related projects to determine how to meet a client’s need. What reduces the cost of extending a SharePoint system is using proven engineering principles. A misstep increases costs and can compromise the client’s information. Search Technologies delivers value because it implements a system and method that delivers results in a cost effective manner. Search Technologies focuses on working through an issue, not working around one.
Iain Fletcher, September 21, 2011
Comments
4 Responses to “Can You Manage Email with SharePoint?”
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Mr. Arnold,
I wrote that article! To funny I should see it referenced here. Actually there is no ‘stub’ left in the mailbox. The user can configure an option to leave the item in their mailbox or delete it as it is profiled into SharePoint. Items left in the users mailbox are eventually handled by retention policy. You are right, there are many methods to search for email content within Exchange/Outlook however providing those content items in context in a UI that Lawyers will actually use is all together another problem.
At profile, content is secured in a fashion the user elects. To themselves, their practice (workgroup), public or custom. Imported content is secured to the users themselves and they can at the folder level tag security and other metadata. Once imported content is tagged it is open for retrieval based on the tagged criteria.
Users do not drill into SharePoint libraries for this content. It is all represented via the HS UI so there will not be any content browsing issues. If you would like I can show you our solution and discuss our challenges via WebEx, just shoot me an email.
Thanks,
Erik
One other observation on your article is that we used Handshake Software’s products at http://handshakesoftware.com/ not Unity Systems.
Erik
Erik Goltzer,
Thanks for taking the time to point out this link.
Stephen E Arnold, September 28, 2011
Erik,
Thank you for the clarification. Keep up the good work.
Stephen E Arnold, September 27, 2011