Correlate Technologies' Correlate K-Map for Microsoft SharePoint Portal Server. Correlate Technologies' Correlate K-Map for Microsoft SharePoint Portal Server is a project and knowledge solution for SharePoint Portal Server. This application fully integrates into the SharePoint environment and lets administrators create custom templates that users can populate with simple drag-and-drop functionality. A built-in delivery vehicle lets managers prepare a collection of documents for online or offline delivery to users. Correlate K-Map for Microsoft SharePoint Portal Server also supports structured search results, so you can group search results from your SharePoint Portal Server sites into a preferred arrangement. The product simplifies migrating documents to your SharePoint environment: Users simply drag files and folders into a K-Map, then click Add to SharePoint. Correlate K-Map for Microsoft SharePoint Portal Server then uploads the files into SharePoint Portal Server in one operation. The product uses a comprehensive Document Object Model (DOM) that lets users access all K-Map properties, methods, and events programmatically. Contact the company for pricing details.
MacroView Business Technology's WISDOM. The final SharePoint add-on I'll cover is MacroView Business Technology's WISDOM. MacroView produces a SharePoint Team Services—based product—WISDOM Practice Intranet—for offices with fewer than 100 users and an enterprise version—WISDOM Enterprise Portal—based on SharePoint Portal Server. Both WISDOM versions automate document generation and management and track client, contact, and job details. Users can generate standard company documents by using the Portal Office, which retrieves details such as names, addresses, dates, numbers, and signatures from the WISDOM Enterprise database. WISDOM also has an optional suite of Web Parts (plug-in components that add functionality to your SharePoint environment) that manage time sheet entry and billing. Users can use the browser interface to enter time sheet data and disbursements; the system automatically reports time charges per job and displays the results in a graphical Billing Performance indicator that shows the progress against total and billable time budgets. WISDOM's billing system generates invoices as Word documents or PDF documents, which you can then email to clients. The add-on can generate several types of time entry or billing reports, and you can use Excel to develop additional reports, which are then available through the WISDOM application.
Looking to the Future
In mid-2003, Microsoft will release the next generation of SharePoint technology, which will include enhanced integration with Office, a robust set of new features, and a product name change. SharePoint Team Services will be named Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services and will be part of the Windows update for Windows Server 2003. SharePoint Services sites are composed of Microsoft .NET objects and components called Web Parts, which let administrators create page-based applications. In addition to the Web Parts that will ship with the first release of Windows SharePoint Services, Microsoft and third-party party vendors will release other ready-to-use Web Parts.
Windows SharePoint Services will also offer much tighter integration with Office 2003, including sorting and filing of alerts through Outlook 2003, editing list data with Excel 2003 and Microsoft Access 2003, and the ability to create a Shared Workspace from within Word 2003. Users will be able to create picture libraries that automatically generate thumbnail views and use a new Office 2003 image-editing tool to edit images in the library. For a complete list of new and improved features in Windows SharePoint Services, read the Windows SharePoint Services preview at http://www.microsoft.com/sharepoint/preview/whats_new_wss.asp.
SharePoint Portal Server 2.0 will remain the enterprise SharePoint solution, letting companies organize and integrate multiple SharePoint sites across the enterprise. Administrators will be able to create SharePoint audiences by using existing Active Directory (AD) DLs and security groups, import AD user profiles, and target content to users based on job roles or tasks. SharePoint Portal Server 2.0 users will be able to personalize a SharePoint site by adding inbox, calendar, and task views to a site. In addition, Microsoft will greatly enhance SharePoint Portal's search, administration, security, and performance features in the next version. You can check out all the improvements and new features at the SharePoint Portal Server 2.0 preview at http://www.microsoft.com/sharepoint/preview/whats_new_sps.asp.
Microsoft will combine Windows SharePoint Services with SharePoint Portal Server 2.0 in an offering called SharePoint Products and Technologies 2.0. This complete solution will let managers create and use individual SharePoint Services sites, then connect the sites and administer them all through SharePoint Portal Server 2.0.
A wealth of third-party SharePoint add-ons and utilities exist, and the number of solutions is continually growing. Two excellent sources that will help you continue your research are the Microsoft SharePoint partner site (http://www.microsoft.com/sharepoint/partners) and the MSD2D site (http://www.msd2d.com/Product_view.aspx?section=Sharepoint), which shows a complete list of third-party add-ons. The Microsoft site also has a SharePoint Solutions and Services Directory that you can order free of charge, as well as a listing of third-party SharePoint solutions. Keep in mind that with Microsoft's upcoming release of SharePoint Products and Technologies 2.0, you'll need to check with third-party SharePoint developers about any product limitations or restrictions when using their add-ons with SharePoint Products and Technologies 2.0. Some SharePoint 1.0 add-ons and utilities might not function under SharePoint Products and Technologies 2.0 or might require a product upgrade.
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