I Serve the Users!

Ron Delaney

Ron Delaney

• Technical Trainer

• MCT

• Over 11 years of

training experience

• Using and training on

SharePoint since 2003

Agenda

• SharePoint and the

“user problem”

• Requested end-user

customizations /

features

SharePoint and the

“user problem”

Why are houses built?

Why is SharePoint deployed?

Answer:

So what’s the problem?

Side note: Never do this to

SharePoint (or anything else)

This behavior is not exclusive

to SharePoint

What can be done?

• Ignore the users

• (Try to) force the

users to do things the

way you think they

should be done

• Serve the users!

Requested end-user

customizations/features

“Please… can SharePoint…?”

Requested customizations

• Create a “drop folder” on the desktop

• Picture library with preview pane

• Update multiple items in a library

• Make columns required in a list/library

• Library items with multiple comments

• Requiring an attachment in a list

Create a “drop folder” on

the desktop

Create a “drop folder” on

the desktop

Reasons for request

Requirements

• Going into SharePoint to upload or access files

is a hassle

• Don’t want to have to learn how to work with files “the

SharePoint way”

• Permission to create a new network location in

Windows

Picture library with preview pane

Picture library with preview pane

Reasons for request

Requirements

• Want to be able to see relevant metadata

• Need to see preview (or thumbnails)

• Don’t want the horizontal scrolling that comes with

standard views

• Permission to create a library view

• Designer allows for creation of a public view

Update multiple items

Update multiple items

Update multiple items with

an Access view

Reasons for request

Requirements

• Avoid redundant work

• Increase value of other metadata fields

• Use values for query searches

• Permission to create a library view

• Full control allows for the creation of a public view

• Permission to edit data in the library

• MS Access

Making columns required in

a list/library

Making columns required in

a list/library

Reasons for request

Requirements

• Metadata requirements changed after the list/library

began being used

• Metadata requirements are not being met because the

columns are not marked “required”

• Permission to modify a list or library

Library items with multiple

comments

Library items with multiple

comments

Reasons for request

Requirements

• Need reviewer comments to be visible in SharePoint,

rather than in the documents’ associated programs

• There are times when users don’t have access to

associated programs

• Permission to modify a library

• Permission to create a site column

Requiring an attachment in a list

Requiring an attachment in a list

Reasons for request

Requirements

• Have a task list, with tasks related to RFPs

• Users are creating tasks without adding attachments

• Don’t want to use a library because task fields are

needed (assigned, priority, status, due date, etc.)

• Permission to modify the list

• SharePoint library to store a .txt file

• SharePoint Designer

• Use of SharePoint Designer is allowed

Afterwards…

• Email – ronald.delaney@avepoint.com

• LinkIn – Ron Delaney, AvePoint Technical Trainer

• Twitter - @rondelaneyjr