LavaCon 2010: A Realistic Approach to Content Mangement Using Microsoft SharePoint

A Realistic Approach to Content Management Using

Microsoft SharePoint

Dan BeallProduct ManagerComponentOne

Realistic?

• Content management initiatives can be a huge investment of time, money, and resources.– Huge investment = Huge risk

• This session will describe a way to implement a practical content management process without the investment.

This is two-way discussion. Feel free to ask questions.

Purpose

• Give you ideas to get started with Content Management with tools that you already have or are easy to get.

• I learned the concepts here from my customers who were using SharePoint before we started working with it!

• Think of it as a poor man’s CMS!

What We Will Cover

• Why Use SharePoint?• SharePoint’s Management Features• SharePoint’s Translation Management

Features• Simple Scenario Using Doc-To-Help

Why SharePoint?

Content Management

Search

Business IntelligenceStreamline Processes

Portals

Collaboration

Perfect platform for:• Teamwork• Access• Workflow automation• History• Source control

Mythbusting:Let’s dispel the common myths

“SharePoint is hard to implement and our IT staff would never install it.”

• SharePoint is already installed on the majority of organizations’ networks. It’s just not being used.

– Check with your network administrator. It may already be available.

• SharePoint is easy to install. It starts by installing all the prerequisites and configuring the server for you and then installs the application itself. It will even automatically install and connect to SQL Server Express.

• To set up most of SharePoint’s features, you follow intuitive wizards.

“It would take me too long to learn to use SharePoint.”

• SharePoint is designed for the average computer user.– Everything is menu driven and it is a member of the Microsoft Office

family of products. – If you can use Word, Excel®, and Outlook®, you will have no problem with

SharePoint.

• SharePoint 2010 uses intuitive Silverlight® driven menus that make features very discoverable. The user experience is actually pleasant.

“SharePoint costs too much.”

• SharePoint is free! – SharePoint has paid versions, but SharePoint Foundation 2010 (and its

predecessor, Windows SharePoint Server 3.0) is free.

• Since SharePoint is so popular, self-help support information is everywhere. You can find training, tutorials, blogs, forums, and more in abundance.

SharePoint 101:Let’s examine the concepts related to

content management

Content Management in SharePoint

Enterprise accessibility and search

Regulatory compliance/ Records management

Web Content Management (WCM) Document Managemen

t

Enterprise Content Management (ECM)

“But you said Content Management”

• SharePoint stores everything in Document Libraries.

• Documents can be virtually any file.• Content is stored in files. • Document management = Content

Management for our purposes.• You get most content management principles.

Document Library: The Foundation

• Interface to open, view, and edit documents.• Metadata that describes each document.• Templates to create new documents.• Permissions to control access.

Source/Version Control

• Convenient toolbar helps manage documents:– Require that documents be checked out before editing.– Version history.– Version comparisons.– Approval process.– More!

Workflows

• “In-the-Box” workflows automate processes:– Work tracking– Review/Approval– Sign-off– Translation Management

• Create your own:– SharePoint Designer– Visio– Visual Studio

Step 1 Step 3Step 2

Translation Management! Really?

• Automate/track translation processes with a special Translation Management Library:– Automatically create copies for each language– Assign translation tasks to translators– Compare versions

Let’s Take a TourSharePoint’s base document management features

How Doc-To-Help and SharePoint Work Together:

A Simple Example.

About Doc-To-Help

* Workflows* History* Source control* Translation management

SharePoint Document Library

* Authoring and design* Project management* Content mapping * Publishing

Doc-To-Help Project

SharePoint = Document Repository

Let’s Take a TourDoc-To-Help’s SharePoint Integration

Is it For You?

SharePoint Scenario

Full CMS Scenario

Fast implementation

Reuse on the file

level

Inexpensive

Works GREAT with

Word

Granular reuse

Powerful mapping

Structured authoring

Questions?

• Ask now.• Later:

– DanB@doctohelp.com

• Download SharePoint Foundation for free at Microsoft’s website

• Try Doc-To-Help for free at www.DocToHelp.com