Welcome to the Minnesota SharePoint

User Group

Agenda

• Quick Intro

• Announcements and News

• Business Process / Workflow in SharePoint 2007

• Digital Forms in SharePoint 2007

• Q&A

Develop and support a local community focused on Microsoft SharePoint Technologies

• Educate user group members about SharePoint Technologies

• Transfer knowledge within the community

• Communicate best practices

• Introduce new products / solutions

User Group Goal / Objectives

• Inetium (www.inetium.com)

• Twin Cites based Microsoft consulting company

• Microsoft Gold Certified Partner

• Practice Area focused on Information Worker Technologies

• New Horizons – Minnesota (www.newhorizonsmn.com)

• Microsoft Gold Certified Partner

• Training on many technologies

• Microsoft (www.microsoft.com)

• I’m guessing you’ve heard of them

Introductions – MNSPUG Sponsors

• Website for user group

• SharePoint resource documents

• SharePoint resource websites links

• RSS Feeds

• Meeting Schedule

• Past User Group Presentations

• Watch for changes soon! V3…?

www.sharepointmn.com

www.sharepointmn.com

• Public preview release of 2007 Microsoft Office System

• Server and client applications available for download (requires registration)

• More info at: http://www.microsoft.com/office/preview/default.mspx

• Office Delay

News and Announcements

• Next Meeting

• August 9th 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM

• Microsoft’s Bloomington Office

• Topics:

Business Intelligence in SharePoint 2007

• Ongoing Schedule

• 2nd Wednesday of every month

• 9:00 to 11:00 am

• Microsoft’s Bloomington Office

Upcoming Schedule

• Business Intelligence

• Collaboration

• Search

• Business Forms / Processes

• Portals

• Content Management

SharePoint 2007 – Key Microsoft Investment Areas

CollaborationCollaborationBusinessBusiness

IntelligenceIntelligence

PortalPortal

SearchSearchContentContentManagementManagement

PlatformPlatformServicesServices

Workspaces, Mgmt,Workspaces, Mgmt,

Security, Storage,Security, Storage,

Topology, Site ModelTopology, Site Model

BusinessBusinessForms / Forms /

ProcesseProcessess

Business Processes inSharePoint Server 2007

What is ‘workflow’?

“A workflow is a natural way to organize and run a set of work units, or activities, to form an executable representation of a work process”

Do you need WSS or MOSS to fulfill your workflow needs?

Will you need SharePoint Designer and/or Visual Studio for your workflow needs?

Introduction to Workflow in SharePoint

• SharePoint 2003

• Custom Development

• Third Party solutions (K2, Nintex, etc…)

• SharePoint 2007 (WSS and MOSS)

• Custom Development

• Third Party solutions

• Built-in capabilities

SharePoint Workflow Today and Tomorrow

• Built-in workflow capabilities

• Workflow is linked to lists and libraries

• SharePoint Designer

• Integration with Office

• Can be linked to Content types

• Extending with .NET (Windows Workflow Foundation)

• Digital Forms

• InfoPath on the server

• Web

• Mobile

SharePoint 2007 Workflow

SharePoint Roles and Responsibilities

• All Document Libraries

• Approval

• Collect Feedback

• Collect Signatures

• Disposition Approval

• List-specific

•Translation Management

• Issue Tracking

Out of the Box Workflows

• Visibility into running workflows

• Visibility into completed workflows

Basic Workflow Capabilities

Workflow Options

Multiple configuration options

Allow rerouting

Due dates

Serial and parallel

Default start values

Time limits

DemoApproval Workflow

SharePoint Designer 2007

• Formerly Front Page 2003

• Designed with SharePoint in mind

• Allows users to create new workflows

• Associate workflow to a list or library

DemoCreating a Custom Workflow

w/ SharePoint Designer

• Activity - Action taking place

• Condition – Flow state evaluation

• Flow Types

• Sequence

• Process in control

• Familiar Visio Model

• State

• User in control

• Freely moves between states

Extending Workflows with .NET - Terminology

Stru

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Ad

H

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Visual Studio and Workflow SDK

Out-of-the-BoxSolutions

(with customization)

SharePoint Designer

Workflows

Document Review(parallel)

Document Approval(serial)

Custom RoutingSignature Collection

Server FeaturesList Moderation

Publishing ProcessDocument ExpirationTranslation Process

Ringi (eApproval)

Task & Issue Tracking(WSS, Access, & Project)

LOB Integration

(BizTalk)

Custom Form ActionsEmail Notification

Exception Handling

Document ProcessesSpec Review Weekly Status

Report

Custom Tracking Apps

Service RequestsAsset Tracking

Purchase Order Processing

Extending Workflows with .NET – Why Use?

• Default Flows might lack specific feature

• SharePoint designer missing action

• Custom data or actions needed

• Existing Windows Workflow investment

• Expose the full power of .NET

Extending Workflows with .NET – Why Use?

Developers

.Net 3.0

Who is Windows Workflow Designed for?

Extending Workflows with .NET What does it all Mean?

• Workflow now a core .NET feature

• Workflow can be ‘hosted’ anywhere

• SharePoint is Microsoft’s first host

• Custom applications can host it as well

• Standardized Format

• XML based file format

• Widespread Availability

SharePoint WorkflowSharePoint Designer 2007 Visual Studio 2005

Designer for Windows WorkflowCan write workflows for Windows SharePoint Services or SharePoint Server

Can write workflows for Windows SharePoint Services or SharePoint Server

Workflow is authored against and data-bound to specific list at design time

Workflow is authored as a template, which can be associated with multiple sites and lists

Workflow markup, workflow rules, and supporting file are stored, uncompiled, in a specific document library on the site

Workflow markup file, or markup and code-behind files, are compiled into workflow assembly

Automatically generates ASP.NET forms, which you can then customize

Can use any forms technology. For example, ASP forms for Windows SharePoint Services workflows, or InfoPath forms for SharePoint Server workflows

InfoPath forms integration not available Can use custom symmetrical InfoPath forms, which enables Office client integration of custom workflow forms

Must use activities provided Can author custom activities for inclusion in workflows

Automatically handles deployment to specific list Package workflow assembly and workflow definition as a SharePoint feature, and deploy to the site

Can author only sequential workflows Can author both sequential and state workflows

Extending Workflows with .NET – But I don’t code!

• Actions can be deployed to Sharepoint Designer

• Workflows can be distributed as features

• Community and 3rd Party Involvement

• The “K2” Question

• Community Sites with Actions and Workflows

• Alternative Editors instead of SharePoint Designer

DemoTour of Custom Workflow with

Windows Workflow

Break

Digital Forms in SharePoint Server 2007

• Microsoft Office InfoPath 2007

• Client application for designing forms

• Smart Client for filling out forms

• Microsoft Forms Server (Part of Microsoft Office SharePoint Server)

• Allows you to fill out forms via Web and Mobile

• Improved Workflow Integration

• Managed forms templates to host trusted forms

• Forms with code-behinds

• Mobile-enabled forms

• Manage Data Connection Files

Office 2007 Forms Landscape

• Primary tool for building InfoPath forms

• Smart Client for richer functionality including code-behind

InfoPath 2007 Client

Demo:Simple InfoPath Form

• Web capabilities

• Mobile capabilities

• Integration with Outlook

• Word and Excel conversion

• Template Parts

• Improved deployment options

• Connection to workflow

• Document Information Panel (DIP)

InfoPath Improvements

• Fill out forms via the web• InfoPath Client NOT required

• .NET code-behind supported• Requires publishing to forms server

• Smart Client Only Features:– Some Controls

– Filters, Roles, ADO Adapter

– Some Script, Custom Task Panes

InfoPath 2007 – Browser Enabled

• Compatibility Checker

• Checks for feature compatibility

• Browser checker

• AND InfoPath 2003 compatibility

InfoPath 2007 – Browser Enabled

InfoPath forms in Multiple Browsers

• Multiple browsers– Internet Explorer– Firefox– Netscape

• Multiple platforms– Windows– Macintosh– Linux– Unix

InfoPath forms on Mobile Devices

• Uses mobile browser

InfoPath forms on Mobile Devices

• Uses mobile browser

• InfoPath Forms Folders

• Published columns show up in Outlook

• Form is embedded in Outlook

InfoPath in Outlook

Demo:Outlook Forms Integration

• Multiple Options for setting up

• Blank

• Web Service

• Database

• XML or Schema

• Connection Library (NEW)

• Uses Office Server for master list

Creating InfoPath Forms based on Data

• Improved Import Word and Excel forms

• Import Options

• Layout Only

• Layout and Form Fields (default)

• Layout and Form Fields (custom)

Importing Forms

• Smaller modular components

• Can be used in multiple forms

• Blank

• XML or Schema

• Great for reuse

Creating InfoPath Template Parts

Demo:Template Parts

• Facilitates metadata entry

• Associate InfoPath form with a content type

• Associate a content type with a document library

• New documents will contain the custom DIP

Document Information Panel

Demo:Custom DIP

•Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services Developer Centerhttp://msdn.microsoft.com/sharepoint/•Developer Introduction to Workflows for Windows SharePoint Server V3 and SharePoint Server 2007http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms406057.aspx•Windows SharePoint Services v3: Workflow Developer Starter Kit for Windows SharePoint Services v3http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=5DDF902D-95B1-4640-B9E4-45440DC388D9&displaylang=en•MSDN Webcast coming up:July 18th: Developing SharePoint Workflows using VS 2005http://msevents.microsoft.com/cui/webcasteventdetails.aspx?eventid=1032301595&eventcategory=4&culture=en-us&countrycode=us

Resources

• Windows Workflow : http://wf.netfx3.com/

• Community Created Activities:

http://wf.netfx3.com/files/14/default.aspx

More Resources

Thanks for coming!