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Last 10 Posts

Sep 04

4 Building Blocks of SharePoint Permissions

Published: September 04, 2012 13:09 PM by Tamara Bredemus

Someone dared me to create a simple explanation of SharePoint Permissions. I laughed and laughed and laughed.

Then I grabbed a dry erase board and here is what happened.

Three stick figures, circle, five horizontal lines, and a rectangle

Now it’s time to label my artistic drawings.

labeled stick men as users, circle as SharePoint Groups, horizontal lines as permission levels and rectangle as where

Samples of what Permission Levels and Where represent.

Permission Levels listed as Full Control, Contribute and Read. Where listed as Site, Lists and Libraries, Folders and Document Sets, Items and Files

Put your Users in a SharePoint Group.
Grant your SharePoint Group a Permission Level.
Give your SharePoint Group access somewhere.

Arrow from Users to SharePoint Group circle. Arrow from Permission Level to outline of SharePoint Group. Arrow from Sharepoint Group points to Where.

You can also add Secure Active Directory (AD) Groups to SharePoint Groups.
Make sure if you have nested AD Groups, that all nested groups are also secure.

Added Active Directory Group to drawing

You can also grant Permissions directly to an AD Group.

Arrow from Permission Level to Active Directory Group

It’s a very brief overview of SharePoint Permissions, but it seems to work.

Jul 11

Key Differences Between Lists and Libraries

Published: July 11, 2012 13:07 PM by Tamara Bredemus

Hey Tamara,
How do I decide when to create a list and when to create a library?
Thanks,
Mark

Well Mark,
You need to look at your business requirements. What is it that your user really wants to do and what features will they need to accomplish this objective.

Below is a chart that I share with my students to help with the decision making process. Hope it helps you.

Lists	Function	Library
1 Row: 0 attachments 1 Row: 1 attachment 1 Row: Many attachments	Data Structure	1 Row: 1 AND ONLY 1 File
Row of Data NOT Attachments Major	Versioning	Row of Data AND File Major, Major and Minor
Row of Data NOT Attachments Major	Versioning	Row of Data AND File Major, Major and Minor
Major and Minor versioning Approve/Reject	Content Approval	Approve/Reject
Plain txt, Rich txt OR Enhanced Rich Txt	Multi-line txt Columns	No Choices - Default to Rich txt Unlimited length
Three-State WF	Workflows	Must be checked in
InfoPath 2010 AND SPD	Customize Forms	NO INFOPATH Customize in SPD Form Library - Attach form, Could be InfoPath Form

Combine a List and Library with a Lookup column. Docs in Library. Library has Lookup column that points to a Task List. In Lookup Column in Doc Lib select the Title of the Task. Create a Web Part Page AND Connect the Task List Web Part to the Doc Lib Web Part.

Please comment on other key differences you've found.

Jun 14

Remove Boarder from Picture Hyperlinks in SharePoint 2010

Published: June 14, 2012 11:06 AM by Tamara Bredemus

Hey Tamara,

Trying to get rid of this lovely blue outline :) around my pic hyperlinks (which I had to leave the title blank to get the hyperlink attached to the pic). Was so much easier in 2007!

Thanks,

Whitney

Great question Whitney.

Here’s how we do it in SharePoint 2010.

1. Navigate to the page with the picture hyperlink.

2. Put the page in edit mode by clicking Site Actions > Edit Page.

Edit Page

3. From the Editing Tools Ribbon, on the Format Text Tab, in the Markup Group, click the HTML drop-down and select Edit MTML Source.

Edit HTML Source Code

4. Find your picture hyperlink in the code.

Find Image

5. Find your image style.

Find Style

6. Copy "border:none;"

7. Replace “margin: 5px” with copied "border:none;"

Change Style

8. Click OK.

9. In the Editing Tools Ribbon, on the Format Text Tab, in the Edit Group, click Save & Close.

10. You might see this warning:

11. Now there is no boarder around your picture hyperlink.

Before

Before

After

After

Special thanks for Ryan (http://sharepoint.stackexchange.com/users/733/ryan) for answering Alex C’s question (http://sharepoint.stackexchange.com/questions/16426/remove-link-border-from-around-image) which helped me create these step-by-step instructions.

May 07

Create the Perfect Display with Data Views Part 1 of 3

Published: May 07, 2012 09:05 AM by Tamara Bredemus

Dear Tamara,

I have four columns Name, CollegeName, Picture, Bio. I want to be able to display this list grouped by college name in a two column format. The College Name would be displayed as an H2 on the page.

Then the picture would float to the left of Name & Bio, where Name was an H3.

Also with the two columns I would like for all the colleges with names A-J in the first column & K-Z in the second column.

It would look like the image I have attached to help you visualize it a little more.

Thanks for your help.
Amy

Assumptions:

We have access to SharePoint Designer 2010.

We have a list named College with the following columns:

Column

Type
Required
Notes

First Name Single line of text

Last Name Single line of text
X
Title Column

College Of Choice Asheland
Big Sandy
Bluegrass
Hazard
Jefferson
Madisonville
Maysville

Bio Multiple lines of text Rich Text

Full Name Calculated =[Last Name]&”, “&[First Name]

Starts with* Calculated =LEFT([College of],1)

Image** Multiple lines of text Enhanced rich text

Make sure you have some content. If you don’t have content it makes setting up the Data view just a little bit harder. Here’s my data:
My Data Set

Let’s build that Data View

1. Open the site in SharePoint Designer 2010. Site Actions > Edit in SharePoint Designer.

2. In the Navigation pane, click Site Pages.

3. In the New group of the Pages tab, click the Page drop-down and select ASPX.

NOTE: If you do not have the ability to Edit in Advanced Mode, create a Web Part Page instead of an ASPX page. Click Edit File after you have created and renamed your Web Part Page. Skip to step to continue with the instructions.

4. Right-click on your Untitled_1.aspx page and rename it CollegeContacts.aspx.

5. Press the Enter key to save your change.

6. Click on CollegeContacts.aspx to open the Settings Page for this page.

7. From the Pages tab, in the Edit group, click the Edit File drop-down and select Edit File in Advanced Mode.

8. Select the Insert tab.

9. From the Web Parts group of the Insert tab, select Web Part Zone.

NOTE: If Web Part Zone is unavailable, you do not have permissions to create a custom ASPX page. Create a Web Part Page instead.

10. From the Web Part Zone Tools ribbon, click the drop-down for Zone Layout and select Side-by-Side.

11. From the Data Views & Forms group, click the Data View drop-down and select Empty Data View.

12. In Web Part Zone 1, click Click here to select a data source.

13. Select College from the Data Sources Picker window and click OK.

14. From the Data Source Details Tool pane, click on Image and drag and drop it into the DataFormWebPart.
Drag image to DataFormWebPart

15. Click on an image, then press the Right Arrow key.

16. From the Data View Tools ribbon, select the Table tab.

17. From the Table tab, in the Row & Columns group, select Insert Right.
Insert Right Column

18. Click into the new Right Column.

19. From the Merge group of the Table tab, select Split Cells.

20. Select the Split into rows radio button.

21. Leave Number of rows: set to the default value 2.

22. Click OK. Split Cells

23. Click and drag Full Name from the Data Source Details tool pane into the top cell of the Right Column.

24. Click and drag Bio from the Data Source Details tool pane into the bottom cell of the Right Column.

25. Your page should now look something like this:
Data View before formatting

26. Right-click in the Bio cell, from the drop-down select Format Item as > Rich Text.

27. In the Confirm window click Yes.

Congratulations! You have just created a Data View.

Apr 30

Change Permission of an Item Based on Status of the Item

Published: April 30, 2012 14:04 PM by Tamara Bredemus

Hey Tamara,

How do I keep users in the Site Members Group from editing Help Desk Issues after the item is Closed or Resolved?

I still want the user to be able to edit the item is the issue is Active.

Thanks,
Cindy

Well, Cindy, we can do this with a SharePoint Designer 2010 workflow using the Impersonation step.

It sounds like such a good idea for a workflow; let’s make it a Globally Reusable Workflow.

Create the Workflow

1. Navigate to the Parent Site in your Site Collection.

2. Click Site Actions > Edit in SharePoint Designer to open SharePoint Designer 2010.

3. After SharePoint Designer 2010 opens your parent site, select Workflows from the Navigation pane.

4. In the Workflow Ribbon, in the New group, select Reusable Workflow.
Reusable Workflow Button

5. In the Create Reusable Workflow dialog box, type in the Name and Description of the workflow.

6. Leave the Content Type drop-down set to All.

7. Click OK.
Name and Description of Workflow

8. Click above Step 1 and the orange line appears above Step 1.
Place Impersonation Step

9. From the Workflow ribbon, in the Insert group, select Impersonation Step.
If Impersonation Step is not active in the Insert group, your cursor is still in Step 1.

10. From the Workflow ribbon, in the Insert group, select the Condition drop-down.

11. From the Condition drop-down, select If current item field equals value. Your workspace should look something like this:
First Condition

NOTE: If we click on field now, we would not see the Issue Status field. Remember we are creating a Reusable Workflow. This workflow is NOT associated with any list, library or content type at this time.

12. To make the Issues Status column appear in the field drop-down, click on Association Columns in the Variables group of the Workflow ribbon.

13. The Association Columns dialog box opens.

14. Click Select Site Column.

15. In the Enter search keywords input box in the Site Columns Picker dialog box, type issue.

16. Double click on Issue Status.
Site Column Picker

17. Click OK.

18. Back in the Impersonation Step, click field.

19. From the drop-down select Issue Status.

20. Click on value and select Active from the drop-down.
Active

21. Click under (Start typing or use the Insert group in the Ribbon.)

22. On the Workflow Ribbon, in the Insert group, click the Action drop-down.

23. From Core Actions select Stop Workflow.

24. Click on this message and type, Issue Active. No Change to Permissions.

25. Click below the action you just added. See image below for location.
Else-If Statement

26. In the Insert group, select Else-If Branch.

27. Your workflow should look like this:
Add Condition to Else-If

28. Type If and press the Enter key.

29. From the 7 results listed, select If current item field equals value.
Select Condition

30. Click on the field and select Issue Status.

31. Leave the comparison set to equals.

32. Click on value and select Resolved.

33. Click under (Start typing or use the Insert group in the Ribbon.)

34. Type Replace and press the Enter key.

35. Click on these permissions.
Replace Permissions

36. In the Replace List Item Permissions dialog box, click Add.

37. In the Add Permissions dialog box, click Choose.

38. From the Select Users dialog box, click on People/Groups from SharePoint site…

39. From the Select People and Groups dialog box, type members and press the Enter key.

40. Select your Site Members group. For this example, I’ve selected Corporate Members.

41. Click Add and click OK.
Select a Group

42. Click OK to close the Select Users dialog box.

43. In the Add Permissions dialog box, under Choose permissions to grant:, check the Read box.

44. Click OK.

45. Click OK again to close the Replace List Item Permissions dialog box.

46. Click on this list and click OK to select the Current Item.

47. Click under the action you just added and type Stop. Then press the Enter key.

48. Select Stop the workflow and click on this message.

49. Click on the ellipses and type, Issue Resolved. Site Members permissions changed from Contribute to Read.

50. Click OK.

51. Click below the Condition and Action you just added.
Second Else-If Statement

Now do the same thing for the Issue Status of Closed.

52. In the Insert group, select Else-If Branch.

54. Type If and press the Enter key.

55. From the 7 results listed, select If current item field equals value.

56. Click on field and select Issue Status.

57. Leave the comparison set to equals.

58. Click on value and select Closed.

59. Click under (Start typing or use the Insert group in the Ribbon.)

60. Type Replace and press the Enter key.

61. Click on these permissions.

62. In the Replace List Item Permissions dialog box, click Add.

63. In the Add Permissions dialog box, click Choose.

64. From the Select Users dialog box, click on People/Groups from SharePoint site…

65. From the Select People and Groups dialog box, type members and press the Enter key.

66. Select your Site Members group. For this example, I’ve selected Corporate Members.

67. Click Add and click OK.

68. Click OK to close the Select Users dialog box.

69. In the Add Permissions dialog box, under Choose permissions to grant:, check the Read box.

70. Click OK.

71. Click OK again to close the Replace List Item Permissions dialog box.

72. Click on this list and click OK to select the Current Item.

73. Click under the action you just added and type Stop. Then press the Enter key.

74. Select Stop the workflow and click on this message.

75. Click on the ellipses and type, Issue Closed. Site Members permissions changed from Contribute to Read.

76. Click OK.

77. Save the workflow by Right-Clicking on the Change Members Permissions tab.
Save Workflow

Time to publish

78. In the Workflow Ribbon, in the Manage group, click Publish Globally. This will make this workflow available throughout your Site Collection.

NOTE: If you do not see Publish Globally, you are not at the top level of your Site Collection or you do not have Administrator rights at the top level of your Site Collection. In this case you may click Publish from the Save group of the Workflow Ribbon. This will make your workflow available throughout the site you are on.

79. Click OK on the dialog box that appears.
Miccrosoft SharePoint Designer Dialog Box

80. Click OK on the Impersonation Step dialog box that opens.

81. Now test your workflow in the browser.

Congratulations! You just created a workflow that changes the permissions of a group of users on an item based on the item’s status.

Mar 01

Dual Monitors on the Road

Published: March 01, 2012 12:03 PM by Tamara Bredemus

As an instructor for Mindsharp, I spend a fair amount of time traveling. One thing I used to miss about working in the office was my second monitor. I gave up trying to get a second monitor in my suitcase long ago.

That is unitl a student showed up to a class with a PORTABLE SECOND MONITOR.

This is my new office set up while I am working in my hotel room.

The second monitor is an AOC USB monitor. No power cord, just a USB to connect to the laptop. The monitor is powered by the laptop through the USB.

Check out the details at http://www.amazon.com/AOC-e1649Fwu-Portable-USB-Monitor/dp/B005SEZR0G/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1330702659&sr=1-1.

I do not get a kickback, but so far I would give it 5 stars

Feb 24

Default Text Box in InfoPath 2010 to Current User

Published: February 24, 2012 13:02 PM by Tamara Bredemus

Pre-populating values makes it easier for our users to fill out our InfoPath or any forms correctly and quickly. If you are using a Text Box to hold the user's name, why not default to that field to the current user.

Here's How:

1. Open your InfoPath 2010 Form.

2. Right click on your Text Box and select Text Box Properties from the drop-down.

3. On the Data tab, in the Default Value section, click on the Function button (F).
Click Function

4. In the Insert Formula dialog box, click the Insert Function button.

5. Under Categories select User.

6. From Functions click userName.

7. Click OK.

8. Click OK.

9. Click OK and the Text Box Properties dialog box closes.

10. Now Preview your form.

there it is

11. Whoop! There it is!

Feb 24

Search #sphelp on Twitter

Published: February 24, 2012 11:02 AM by Tamara Bredemus

Have a question about SharePoint at 2:30am? Need help fast?

You could email me at Tamara@Mindsharp.com, but I'm sleeping at 2:30am.

Tweet your question on Twitter and include the hashtag #sphelp.

Thousands of SharePoint addicts are standing by to help.

Jan 16

Connect Two Web Parts on a Web Part Page

Published: January 16, 2012 16:01 PM by Tamara Bredemus

Connect Web Parts on a Page

· I have a list of tasks.

· Some tasks, but not all tasks have supporting documentation.

· The supporting documentation requires versioning.

· A lookup column in the document library is used to create a relationship between the document and the task.

Assumptions:
Tasks list, Shared Documents library with lookup column to Task list Title column.

Create a Web Part Page

1. Site Actions > More Options. (Do not select New Page. This will create a Wiki page and web parts cannot be connected on a wiki page)

2. Under Filter By: select Pages.

3. Select Web Part Page and click Create.
Create Web Part Page

4. In the Name input box, type ProjTaskDocs.

5. From the Layout drop-down select Header, Right Column, Body.

6. From the Save Location drop-down select Site Pages.
Name page

Add List Web Parts

1. On your new Web Part Page in the Body Web Part Zone, click Add a Web Part.

2. If the Lists and Libraries Category is not selected, click on Lists and Libraries.

3. From the Web Part area, click on Tasks.

4. Click the Add button.
Add a Web Part

5. In the Right Column Web Part Zone, click on Add a Web Part.

6. If the Lists and Libraries Category is not selected, click on Lists and Libraries.

7. From the Web Part area, click on Shared Documents.

Connect Web Parts

1. On the Tasks Web Part, click the Tasks Web Part Menu drop-down.

2. From the drop-down, select Connections.

3. From the Connections drop-down, select Send Row of Data to.

4. Select Shared Documents.

5. From the Choose Connection – Webpage Dialog box, leave Connection Type set to Get Filter Values From.
Choose Web Part Connection

6. Click the Configure button.

7. In the Configure Connections – Webpage Dialog box in the Provider Field Name drop-down select Title. You’ve just selected the Title column from the Tasks list.

8. In the Configure Connections – Webpage Dialog box in the Consumer Field Name drop-down select Tasks. You’ve just selected the Tasks lookup column from the Shared Documents library.
Configure Web Part Connection

9. Click Finish.

Do Not Send First Row of Data

1. On the Tasks Web Part, click the Tasks Web Part Menu drop-down.

2. From the Tasks Web Part Menu drop-down select Edit Web Part.

3. In the Web Part Tools Pane at the right of your screen, expand Miscellaneous by clicking on the + sign.

4. Deselect Send first row to connected Web Parts when page loads.
Send first row of data

5. Click the OK button.

Congratulations!

You have just created a page that allows your users to find all documents associated with a task. All your users have to do is click on the two-way arrow next to the task and the documents will appear on the right side of the screen.

For Extra Credit

Add a Content Editor Web Part from the Media and Content Category to the Header Web Part Zone with instruction so your users know how the system works.

Jan 09

Create a Task Dashboard Using a Web Part Page

Published: January 09, 2012 11:01 AM by Tamara Bredemus

Sometimes we want users to access multiple views of a list in one location. That's when we whip up a web part page or wiki page and start adding list view web parts. If you haven't done this before, follow the step-by-step instructions below.

1. Navigate to your Team Site.

2. In the Tasks List, create at least five tasks.

a. Make sure to fill out Assigned to, Status, and Due Date.

3. Create a Web Part Page

a. Click on Site Actions > More Options.

b. Under Filter By: All Types, click on Page.

c. Click on Web Part Page.

d. Click Create.

e. In the Name input box type TaskHub.

f. In the Layout input box select Header, Footer, 4 Columns, Top Row.

g. In the Save Location drop-down, select Site Pages.

h. Your screen should look like this:
Web Part Page Settings

i. Click Create.

4. Add three Task List Web Parts

a. In the Left Column web part zone, click Add a web part.

b. Click on the Tasks list.

c. Click Add.
Add New Web Part

d. Click on the Tasks Web Part Menu.

e. From the drop-down, select Edit Web Part.

f. In the Web Part Edit pane, change the value in the Selected View drop-down to My Tasks.

g. Click on the + to expand the Appearance section.

h. In the Title input box, type My Tasks.

i. Scroll to the bottom of the Web Part Edit pane and click OK.

j. Using the steps listed above, in the Top Row web part zone add a Tasks list web part.

k. Click on the Tasks Web Part Menu.

l. From the drop-down, select Edit Web Part.

m. In the Web Part Edit pane, change the value in the Selected View drop-down to Due Today.

n. Click on the + to expand the Appearance section.

o. In the Title input box, type Tasks Due Today.

p. Scroll to the bottom of the Web Part Edit pane and click OK.

q. Using the steps listed above, in the Right Column web part zone add a Tasks list web part.

r. Click on the Tasks Web Part Menu.

s. From the drop-down, select Edit Web Part.

t. In the Web Part Edit pane, click on Edit the current view.
Edit Current View

u. Filter the view to only show tasks that are overdue and not completed. See image below for help.
Filter

v. Click OK.

w. Click Site Actions > Edit Page.

x. Click on the Tasks Web Part Menu.

y. From the drop-down, select Edit Web Part.

z. Click on the + to expand the Appearance section.

aa. In the Title input box, type Overdue Tasks.

5. Set Target Audience for Overdue Tasks

a. Click on the + to expand the Advanced section.

b. Scroll down to Target Audiences.

c. In the Target Audiences input box (which you can’t see), type Sale Owners (where Sales is the name of your site) and click the People Checker icon.

d. Scroll to the bottom of the Web Part Edit pane and click OK.

e. Click on the Page tab.

f. In the Page tab, in the Edit group, click Stop Editing.

6. Congratulations!
You have just created a Tasks Dashboard. Each user that visits the page will see information that affects them directly. The user will see up to three views of one list without having to switch views.

7. Extra Credit

a. Add a Content Editor web part (CEWP) to the Header web part zone.

b. In the CEWP add instructions so users will know how to use this page.