Guide to Conditional Content on Mobile Devices in SharePoint
July 5, 2012
Waldek Mastykarz is a software developer and SharePoint Server MVP. In his post, “Conditional Content on Mobile Devices the Easy Way in SharePoint 2010,” Mastykarz looks at some issues with displaying content in SharePoint on mobile devices. The author explains the issue,
Although mobile devices lower the bar for accessing information on the Internet they have their restrictions, such as screen size or bandwidth. In order to deliver optimal experience to your visitors you not only have to consider laying out all the different elements on the page, given the limited screen size, but also have to think about the amount of information you want to serve to your users to ensure that your website will load fast.
Mastykarz adds that responsive Web design allows you to ensure that your Web site is easy to use and content displays well in the limited screen space. He also provides guides and code snippets for enacting conditional content on mobile.
It seems that the experts at Fabasoft Mindbreeze understand the value of powerful search and mobile access to add more efficiency for SharePoint.
. . . makes company knowledge available on all mobile devices. You can act freely, independently and yet always securely. Irrespective of what format the data is in. Full functionality: Search results are displayed homogenously to the web client with regards to clear design and intuitive navigation.
With the full functionality of Fabasoft Mindbreeze for Enterprise and united on-premise and Cloud data, users will be able to act quickly in business matters with smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices. Read more about the full suite of solutions at http://www.mindbreeze.com/.
Phillip West, July 5, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
Speculation on New Surface Tablet and SharePoint 15 Integration
July 2, 2012
Rich Wood, an enterprise search and collaboration guru at Perficient, takes a closer look at Microsoft’s new Surface Tablet and SharePoint in his post, “Wish List: Four Keys for SURFACE and SharePoint Next.” Wood outlines some features that he suggests will help the next SharePoint release take full advantage of the slick new tablet. The author explains one of his wish list items:
An INTEGRATED USER EXPERIENCE is essential. There’s been a lot of talk about the “Metro” UI of Windows 8 and the Windows Phone. It’s beautiful and slick and very appealing, although of course some have grumbled that it’s too much of a jump from the traditional Windows style. To truly integrate into this brave new world, SharePoint Next needs to look and feel like an extension of Windows 8 and (less difficult by far) play well with its cousin, Office 15.
Wood also suggests that responsive design, touch friendly command interaction, and a SharePoint app should all be high on the priority list to integrate SharePoint and the Surface tablet. He brings some good points to the table as mobile usage only continues to increase.
It seems the folks at Mindbreeze also understand the importance of the mobile experience:
Smartphones and tablets are constant companions, indispensable in the business world. Information needs to be able to be exchanged at all times and wherever you are. Easily. Quickly. Securely. Fabasoft Mindbreeze Mobile makes company data available on all mobile devices.
Mindbreeze can save employees time by connecting them to the right information via a user-friendly interface. Navigate to http://www.mindbreeze.com/ to read more.
Philip West, July 2, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
Richard Paterson Assesses Mobile Access Options for your SharePoint Site
June 19, 2012
Mobile access is no doubt becoming the ubiquitous and a go-to source for users as the office extends well beyond physical office walls. In “SharePoint on Mobile Devices: The Options,” Richard Paterson takes a look at ways to expose SharePoint portals on mobile devices, including out-of-the-box mobile SharePoint views, Responsive Design, Mobile Web Apps, and native apps.
Paterson points out that mobile views are not ‘one size fits all,’ rather the delivery style you choose depends on your target audience, target device, and site content. While an out-of-the-box SharePoint mobile view is simple to implement, it gives you only basic navigation around sites, lists, and document libraries.
Paterson has this to say about a framework solution:
A framework such as Mobile Entrée can provide a richer experience than the out of the box views and will normally provide an API to code against, making extensibility and customization of the functionality intuitive. They will normally operate on templates which allows for powerful front end customization. Views can be made available for different devices, e.g. you might want a two column layout on a tablet, whereas on a phone you would want just one. Frameworks will make form building simpler and also presenting back graphs and tables often used in Business Intelligence easy and more cost effective to implement.
If your site is geared toward news, marketing, or communication, Paterson suggests that a Responsive Design may be best, but it is lacking if you need forms or functional parts. A native device app can give you big results for the user experience, but Paterson explains it also requires the largest investment.
Paterson’s reviews are not comprehensive, but definitely provide a good introduction to mobile options. You may consider the read if you’re looking to beef up your site’s mobile experience. You may also consider adding a third party solution as a means to expand mobile offerings while also saving valuable time and investment resources. We like the feedback we’ve seen about Fabasoft Mindbreeze Mobile.
Here you can read about the Mobile Search solution from Mindbreeze:
Smartphones and tablets are constant companions, indispensable in the business world. Information needs to be able to be exchanged at all times and wherever you are. Easily. Quickly. Securely. Fabasoft Mindbreeze Mobile makes company data available on all mobile devices. Regardless of whether you have a BlackBerry®, iPhone®, Windows Phone or Android™ Smartphone or a tablet such as the Apple iPad, Samsung Chromebook/GalaxyTab or Blackberry Playbook, you can act independently and freely – yet always securely. Irrespective of what format the data is in. Full functionality: the display of the search results is homogenous to the tried and tested web client in terms of clear design and intuitive navigation.
Read more about the Fabasoft Mindbreeze Search Solutions that easily integrate into your SharePoint farm at http://www.mindbreeze.com/.
Philip West, June 19, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
Assumed Pain of SharePoint and Proposed Solutions
June 15, 2012
There seems to be a disconnect between what employees say they need from their enterprise storage and search system, and what SharePoint delivers. However, SharePoint has become an assumed presence, regardless of the pain of configuration and upkeep. “Is SharePoint a Pain Point? Maybe It’s Time to Ditch It.” gets right to the point.
The disconnect is explained:
According to a number of studies, the No. 1 justification for spending money on a corporate intranet is to reduce the time and effort on enterprise search. With that being said, I personally haven’t met an employee at a company that feels their SharePoint system meets their needs. There is clearly a disconnect between theory and practice in the IT world.
So what are the major complaints about SharePoint? SharePoint is slow to deploy, difficult to configure, and users do not like it. Interestingly, it is estimated that SharePoint is not as cheap as it’s often said to be. For every $1 spent to license SharePoint, an additional $6 is spent to make it work.
Approximately 80 per cent of large organizations have a SharePoint system and while it can do a lot for you, it asks a lot in return. This system, designed to let people within a company collaborate and share information, requires heavy customization, has poor social computing capabilities and is not based on intuitive navigation whatsoever, making it difficult for most people to use.
So what’s the solution? We recommend using a smart third party solution like Fabasoft Mindbreeze to bridge the gap between what enterprise search should do and what SharePoint can do. Fabasoft Mindbreeze Enterprise can stand along or work alongside an existing SharePoint infrastructure. The addition of Connectors ensures that the Fabasoft Mindbreeze platform works seamlessly across all manner of software.
See what the Federal Ministry of Justice Agency in Austria had to say about Fabasoft Mindbreeze Enterprise:
Mag. Jürgen Atzlsdorfer: ‘In introducing ELAK light we have made it possible to manage and store data, some of which are highly sensitive, in a secure and traceable way. Using Fabasoft Mindbreeze Enterprise as an integrated search solution simplifies our information search. This speeds up case processing, which in turn saves time and money.’
SharePoint has its shortcomings, so for those who need to rescue an existing infrastructure, look into Fabasoft Mindbreeze Enterprise.
Emily Rae Aldridge, June 15, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
SharePoint Options for iPhone and iPad
May 24, 2012
Mobile devices are moving from a business necessity to a formal mandate. While apps exist for most major functions, tackling mobile access to SharePoint is a bigger creature to tame. We may have a breaking development in, “Use SharePoint on your iPad or iPhone,” by Dave Johnson.
Collaborating with an iPad in a corporate environment is sometimes challenging, because the ubiquitous tablet hasn’t had the same access to SharePoint as laptops and desktops. Sharing a document, then, has meant sending attachments, and iPads were blocked from accessing the vast stores of corporate documents already archived in SharePoint. Now harmon.ie delivers substantially the same SharePoint experience as your desktop PC provides.
The free harmon.ie app offers an upgrade to a premium addition for a slim $20. And while accessing an existing SharePoint infrastructure via an iPad or iPhone is now possible, the usability and efficiency is still in question. How much work can actually be accomplished by forcing SharePoint to fit the mobile mold?
For those who are high mobile users, we would recommend a smart third-party solution that integrates a mobile offering into their primary solution. Fabasoft Mindbreeze Mobile is one such option.
Smartphones and tablets are constant companions, indispensable in the business world. Information needs to be able to be exchanged at all times and wherever you are. Easily. Quickly. Securely. Fabasoft Mindbreeze Mobile makes company data available on all mobile devices, regardless of whether you have a BlackBerry®, iPhone®, Windows Phone or Android™ Smartphone or a tablet such as the Apple iPad, Samsung Chromebook/GalaxyTab or Blackberry Playbook. You can act independently and freely – yet always securely. Irrespective of what format the data is in.
Perhaps most importantly, security is never compromised with the Mindbreeze compliance and industry-vetted solution. So while some apps will let you access your SharePoint installation, Fabasoft Mindbreeze is built to make your mobile access fully functional.
Emily Rae Aldridge, May 24, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
SharePoint Users Beware Framesniffers
May 10, 2012
Security is a topic which is getting increased attention, particularly in the SharePoint community. I want to call attention to “Microsoft SharePoint and LinkedIn Data at Risk from Framesniffing Attacks” from ITWire.com. The Safari, Chrome, and Internet Explorer Web browsers are inadvertently allowing hackers to steal information from private Microsoft SharePoint Web sites and mine data from public Web sites like Linked In.
A Framesniffing Attack occurs when a hidden HTML frame loads a target Web site in the hacker’s Web page to mine information about the content and structure of the framed pages. The hacker can then overcome browser securities and read the sensitive information.
As explained in the ITWire.com article:
“Paul Stone, senior security consultant at Context said, “Using Framesniffing, it’s possible for a malicious Web page to run search queries for potentially sensitive terms on a SharePoint server and determine how many results are found for each query. For example, with a given company name it is possible to establish who their customers or partners are; and once this information has been found, the attacker can go on to perform increasingly complex searches and uncover valuable commercial information.”
The problem deals with the X-Frame-Options header that turns off the Web browser framing feature and in SharePoint it is not turned off by default. Microsoft has stated in the next SharePoint version they will set the X-Frame options, but until then, SharePoint gurus, it is up to you to find a solution. If your organization discovers a way to keep its information from prying eyes, you will still need a way to find the data.
Search Technologies implements solutions which are secure and do not impede findability or system performance. For more information, navigate to www.searchtechnologies.com.
Iain Fletcher, May 10, 2012
Staff Sergeant Discusses Managing a SharePoint Implementation Overseas
May 10, 2012
To be able to get the right information to the right people on time and in the right format is key for a successful business, but also imperative in a military situation. We also know that the ubiquitous SharePoint platform can deliver information access in an organization.
On deployment to Afghanistan, Staff Sergeant Jamie Leishman was tasked with managing the vital information flows and data dissemination for over 2000 users across the Brigade. Leishman designed and built a SharePoint service, and the story is shared in the Bdaily Business Network post, “Army Specialist Helping Businesses to Win the Information.”
Ultimately, the deployment of the SharePoint service in Afghanistan significantly improved the ability of the Helmand HQ to process and disseminate information. Leishman said: “One of the key benefits of SharePoint is that it creates a virtual office environment for disparate groups to communicate and collaborate, which is particularly important in military theatre where activity is high tempo and in an ever changing environment. Passing information and orders to people at the right time is critical in the military just as it is in business.
Leishman also comments on the immediate benefits that led to successful user adoption after implementation. SharePoint’s powerful features prove to meet the needs of a variety of customers, including energy firms, airports, government agencies, and nonprofits. But the ubiquitous content management software also has some holes in it, namely search. It seems the search experts at Fabasoft Mindbreeze also understand the importance of meeting customer needs and expectations with clients like the Salzburg City Council and Federal Ministry of Justice in Austria. Dr. Berthold Rauchenschwandtner of the Salzburg City Council has this to say about Mindbreeze:
Fabasoft Mindbreeze Enterprise makes our everyday work easier. Obtaining relevant information fast is something we now take for granted and it has become a key feature of our work and our approach to it. Above all our citizens benefit from it. They receive their information much faster.
Mindbreeze snaps seamlessly into the SharePoint system to give your users an enhanced search and navigation experience with secure, reliable, and efficient action. Read more about the solutions at http://www.mindbreeze.com/.
Philip West, May 10, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
New Formotus Release Seeks to Provide Enhanced SharePoint Mobile Experience
May 4, 2012
Formotus recently announced a new version of its mobile business application platform with enhanced SharePoint integration and capabilities. The new release is discussed in the Virtual-Strategy.com press release, “Collaborate without Complexity: SharePoint Mobile Workflow Platform for iPad and Android Released by Formotus.”
The new release is summarized:
Formotus makes it possible for organizations to create and deploy custom mobile business applications built around Microsoft® Office InfoPath™ forms. The new feature set announced today enables companies to implement flexible collaboration frameworks with robust forms that can be routed and shared among mobile users in a wide variety of ways. Formotus mobile workflow forms require no SharePoint modifications and work with any version including on-premises, hosted, and Office 365 SharePoint Online.
The new possibilities, such as mobile workflow forms and social collaboration, are discussed in the release along with example scenarios that are now supported. Formotus CEO Adriana Neagu says that the new version is “a whole new task-oriented mobile experience that is easier, smarter, more beautiful, more powerful. The fact is, a person using our platform on an iPad or Android tablet, won’t be able to tell that there is any SharePoint behind the workflow.” These are big and exciting claims for not only workflows, but the whole mobile experience.
SharePoint is no doubt the go-to content management system for all kinds of organizations and enhanced mobile capabilities will surely be an appeal for users. But for complex workflows and successful social collaboration, users also need efficient and effective access to valuable business knowledge. It seems that the experts at Fabasoft Mindbreeze understand the value of powerful search and mobile access.
makes company knowledge available on all mobile devices. You can act freely, independently and yet always securely. Irrespective of what format the data is in. Full functionality: Search results are displayed homogenously to the web client with regards to clear design and intuitive navigation.
With the full functionality of Fabasoft Mindbreeze for Enterprise and united on-premise and Cloud data, users will be able to act quickly in business matters with smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices. Read more about the full suite of solutions at http://www.mindbreeze.com/.
More on Formotus: Founded in October 2005 by Adriana Neagu, co-inventor of Microsoft Office InfoPath, and serial entrepreneur Joe Verschueren, Formotus technology enables companies to rapidly create a business solution ? without any coding ? that works across platforms so companies can design once and deploy anywhere. Formotus looks to future-proof companies because the same forms that work on today’s devices will also work on the new devices that they will support tomorrow.
Philip West, May 4, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
SharePoint Extranet Collaboration Manager 2010
April 6, 2012
SharePoint Extranet Collaboration Manager 2010 now has an online extranet sandbox to allow users to test drive the product before purchase. PR Web gives the full report as posted in Virtual Strategy Magazine, “SharePoint Solutions Creates Online Evaluation Sandbox for SharePoint Extranet Collaboration Manager 2010.”
“Developed by SharePoint Solutions, SharePoint Extranet Collaboration Manager for SharePoint Server 2010 and SharePoint Foundation 2010 (ExCM) provides the easy SharePoint extranet collaboration and simplified SharePoint extranet administration that SharePoint 2010 is missing in the out-of-the-box product. From its award-winning 2007 release, ExCM has established itself as the industry leader in powerful, effective SharePoint extranet deployment and management. This latest version adds substantially greater functionality and is simple and intuitive to use. Because EXCM integrates right into SharePoint 2010, all of its features are accessible from within SharePoint itself, so there is no proprietary interface or separate program to learn.”
Third party solutions that interface with SharePoint are a necessity for organizations that need to increase the functionality of their SharePoint deployment without committing huge resources to a customization project. However, a cutting edge solution like Fabasoft Mindbreeze may be a smarter long-term solution for organizations seeking an intuitive, scalable, and mobile enterprise search interface. Functioning stand-alone or as a compliment to an existing SharePoint installation, Mindbreeze is ahead of the competition in mobile searching and the Cloud.
“Smartphones and tablets allow you to act quickly in business matters – an invaluable competitive advantage. Fabasoft Mindbreeze Mobile makes company knowledge available on all mobile devices. You can act freely, independently and yet always securely. Irrespective of what format the data is in. Full functionality: Search results are displayed homogenously to the web client with regards to clear design and intuitive navigation.”
SharePoint needs a little help in realizing its full potential, and while many add-on solutions are on the market, Fabasoft Mindbreeze is worth a second look.
Emily Rae Aldridge, April 6, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
SharePoint 2010 Apple iPad Capability
April 3, 2012
SharePoint Server 2010 allows users to begin using Apple iPad devices to retrieve business intelligence content. Certain restrictions apply, but the functionality is introduced. The details are provided in, “Extra! Extra! Apple iPad Users Can Now View SharePoint Business Intelligence Content.”
“For SharePoint business intelligence users, CU 2011-12 for Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010 is particularly exciting because it opens the door for people to get business intelligence content on Apple iPad devices. People can now view PerformancePoint reports and scorecards and Excel Services reports on iPad devices running the iOS 5 Safari browser. We just published an article on TechNet that provides more details about which kinds of reports and scorecards will and won’t work on your iPad, how to configure business intelligence content to display with best results, and how to navigate content on your iPad.”
As technology changes, becoming increasingly more mobile, there is no doubt that large infrastructures will have to catch up. However, it seems that SharePoint is a bit late to the mobile game. Third party solutions, like those from Fabasoft Mindbreeze, have entire solutions and connectors devoted to streamlining mobile capability.
Read more about Fabasoft Mindbreeze Mobile:
“Smartphones and tablets allow you to act quickly in business matters – an invaluable competitive advantage. Fabasoft Mindbreeze Mobile makes company knowledge available on all mobile devices. You can act freely, independently and yet always securely. Irrespective of what format the data is in. Full functionality: Search results are displayed homogenously to the web client with regards to clear design and intuitive navigation.”
If your organization is moving more and more toward mobility, and SharePoint is having a hard time keeping up, consider adding a smart third-party solution like Fabasoft Mindbreeze. Mindbreeze can compliment an existing infrastructure or stand on its own.
Emily Rae Aldridge, April 3, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
-
- Subscribe to Beyond Search
Feature archive
News archive
-
