Microsoft SharePoint 2003 For Dummies (For Dummies (Computers)) [Paperback]

Vanessa L. Williams (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 27, 2005 | ISBN-10: 0764579398 | ISBN-13: 978-0764579394 | Edition: 1

• Corporations have finally embraced portals as tools for knowledge sharing, and SharePoint, which offers easy integration with Microsoft Office, is an increasingly popular solution, with ten percent of the portal market
• Shows IT developers and administrators how to get up to speed fast on SharePoint portal technology
• Topics covered include building sites with SharePoint and FrontPage, setting up document collaboration and information sharing, updating custom SharePoint sites using Microsoft Office, developing an HTML viewer for Office documents, creating custom reporting forms using InfoPath, and integrating SharePoint sites using SharePoint Services

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Here's the fun and easy way® to start collaborating

Create portal sites for project teams, track progress, and share news

How can you use SharePoint to add value to your business? Read this book! It's the fast track to this Microsoft® tool that lets you build a team site where you can keep meeting minutes and attendance lists, manage presentations and brochures, create and share marketing forecasts, keep team members informed about progress, and promote your project.

Discover how to

• Remove SharePoint features that don't apply to your business
• Use SharePoint for HR functions
• Monitor site usage
• Replace manual forms with SharePoint
• Make your site match your branding

About the Author

Vanessa Williams is a developer and systems analyst whose work experience spans several industries — including transportation, petroleum marketing, manufacturing, retail, and (most recently) motor-sports entertainment. She spent last year implementing SharePoint Portal Server 2003 for a local sports entertainment venue. She has ten years of experience in systems administration, implementation, and software development. In previous lives she was a shipping clerk, a payroll clerk, a forklift driver, and a candlestick maker (just kidding).
Vanessa grew up in Indianapolis, where she graduated from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management and Computer Information Systems.
In addition to writing and consulting, Vanessa maintains the sharepointgrrl.com Web site where she aggregates SharePoint content. She is feverishly at work on her next title, Visual Studio 2005 All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies.
Vanessa welcomes comments and suggestions about this book. Send your comments to [e-mail].

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies; 1 edition (December 27, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764579398
• ISBN-13: 978-0764579394
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #458,803 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I am also the author of the two previous editions (2003 & 2007) of Microsoft SharePoint For Dummies. SharePoint 2010 For Dummies is a labor of love; I've used SharePoint since its relative infancy, and it's exciting to see the product mature and become robust and end-user-centric. With this edition I've made a real effort to sideline the technical stuff and focus on what the business user needs and wants to know.

In "real life" I live in Indianapolis with my partner and our dogs Rosie and Ringo and one beleaguered cat, Ruby. I do freelance consulting in the SharePoint/web content space, helping clients ranging from small companies with 20 users to Fortune 200 enterprises to solve their business problems with innovative human-scaled solutions.

Read more about me on my website, SharePointGrrl (http://sharepointgrrl.com) or my blog (http://techgrrl.wordpress.com).

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for users and techies alike..., February 8, 2007

By 

Thomas Duff "Duffbert" (Portland, OR United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Microsoft SharePoint 2003 For Dummies (For Dummies (Computers)) (Paperback)

I've often said that a good Dummies book allows me to get a broad understanding of a product or technology so I "know what I don't know". This title is a classic example of that... Microsoft SharePoint 2003 For Dummies by Vanessa Williams. It's a non-threatening use-focused coverage of SharePoint 2003 that is a good introduction to the topic at hand...

Contents:

Part 1 - Getting the Lay of the Land: Getting to Know SharePoint; Starting with the Basics

Part 2 - Central Portal Administration: Configuring the Portal; Accessing SharePoint

Part 3 - Portal Design: Matching SharePoint to Your Business; Managing Portal Content; Branding the Portal

Part 4 - Build It, and Hope They Come: Collaborating with SharePoint Sites; Document Libraries;

Part 5 - Power to the People - Engaging Employees with SharePoint: Managing Employee Relations; Mixing Up Your Marketing Mix

Part 6 - Throw Away the Spreadsheets: Expense Reports; Technical Uses for SharePoint

Part 7 - Maintenance: Monitoring SharePoint; Backup and Restore

Part 8 - The Part of Tens: Ten Ways SharePoint Adds Business Value; Ten Ways to Screw Up SharePoint

Index

Williams goes after two different audiences here, and I'm surprised she pulled it off. She targets the average power user who might have access to build a site on the SharePoint server. With this book in hand, I would agree that a motivated person could do quite well on their own. She also targets tech people who want an overview of SharePoint so that they can get started quickly. Normally you can't mix those two groups and come out with something that's acceptable to either. Again, I think she actually succeeded. If I were going to start building SharePoint sites for a user base, I'd have enough information here to get started with an adequate mental framework of how it all fits. I'm sure I'd quickly need the "1000 page book" (as she puts it) to start pushing the boundaries of what's possible. But for basic "I need something now" sites, I could do it with the help of this book.

I was also impressed that she dealt with the cultural issue of collaboration software. As a long-time Notes/Domino developer, I know and understand all too well that collaboration isn't something you can mandate or force on people. People who get it will gravitate around the software right away. Those who view information as power will horde it and refuse to participate. And it doesn't matter how good of a developer you are or how slick the site is. The application will fail... By addressing these issues, Williams sets a realistic picture of what to expect if and when you install SharePoint.

Good material, and a good way to get your feet wet on SharePoint 2003...

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Two thumbs up to the author..., May 10, 2006

By 

A. Cvetanovic "Snr Service Desk Analyst" (Sydney, Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Microsoft SharePoint 2003 For Dummies (For Dummies (Computers)) (Paperback)

Being given the task of constructing an intranet for our company's service desk felt a bit daunting, but then being advised you're going to use Sharepoint 2003 (which I'd never heard of) just added to the pressure...

My initial reaction was that I needed to get "one of those books for dummies" on Sharepoint...I've never really liked reading and am still not the biggest fan, but Vanessa made it easy in the way she set out "Microsoft SharePoint 2003 for Dummies". You have the option or reading it from cover to cover, or jumping to the section that you're currently having an issue with. A real well structured and informative book.

After you've finished reading comes Q&A time...yes, if you have any questions for the author, she'll respond within a few days and be as helpful as she can...forget those geeks and professors that think they're high and mighty that they've written a manual or textbook, Vanessa is down to earth and will take the time to address your questions...I was semi-shocked when I received my first response, but then to receive a second, third and fourth blew me away...

So, for all you beginners out there, or even those that just need a point of reference, this book is a must for your shelf...

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Sharepoint for Dummies helped a dummy like me!, May 4, 2006

By 

Bunny Marks - See all my reviews

This review is from: Microsoft SharePoint 2003 For Dummies (For Dummies (Computers)) (Paperback)

Being a Beginner and having to teach myself how to use Sharepoint, I was stymied by many of the technical books on the subject. Finding Sharepoint for Dummies helped alot! Vanessa Williams book is easy to understand and answered many of the questions I couldn't find answers to anywhere else. I still have a lot to learn about Sharepoint and Ms. Williams has been very helpful to shed extra light on difficult problems. Thank you very much for all your help!