The scope of this tip is to explain the usage of RunWithElevatedPrivileges() [RWEP] - a method for security elevation and in SharePoint.

This article deals with SharePoint Custom Timer jobs. It outlines when to create Custom Timer Jobs, how to create a Custom Timer Job, how to debug it in Visual Studio and how to deploy it.

It's easy to find blogs and msdn documentation on creating Custom Timer jobs, but still developers face issues while deploying and running them on SharePoint farms due to lack of timer job development guidelines.

SharePoint is widely used for storing and maintaining content. Different groups of users access SharePoint, but what if an organization wants to provide granular customized access rights like read, write or delete for different users? In this tip, we cover how this can be accomplished.

After migrating your SharePoint 2007 content database to your new x64 SharePoint 2010 farm you receive errors when trying to use or activate the SharePoint Publishing feature.

In this tip we cover how to organize content using different types of libraries and also how a library is used in SharePoint.

Sometimes there are requirements in a Variated Multi-Lingual SharePoint portal which require having a unified single source document library/list with its folder structure to be displayed across all webs (Sub Sites : ex: English, Arabic, French, etc...) but achieving this we will face two serious problems. We'll discuss them in detail through this two part article series.

Sometimes there are requirements in a Variated Multi-Lingual SharePoint portal which require having a unified single source document library/list with its folder structure to be displayed across all webs (Sub Sites : ex: English, Arabic, French, etc...) but achieving this we will face two serious problems. We'll discuss them in detail through this two part article series.

In a recent tip, I discussed installing the Windows SharePoint Service and SharePoint Foundation 2010. Once you have completed the installation, you need to understand how to create a web application, site collections and sites. In this tip we will look at each of these components.

By default, SharePoint document libraries display graphical icons representing various Microsoft Office Applications (i.e. Excel, Word, etc.). All non-Microsoft documents are represented with a plain white square. How do I display a special icon for other document types?

In SharePoint List, sometimes you need to display information in groups and perform mathematical operations like sum, averages and others. For instance, what if you want to see total monthly salary paid to employees for individual department?

SharePoint provides "Lists" to store information which is basically used in row/column formats in a tabular structure. SharePoint facilitates this with a feature known as "List Views" which allows you to target, process and display different sets of information without changing the original data stored in the list. Sometimes, you need to process operations like sorting and filtering before displaying the information to the users. For instance, you want to display employee information of specific department sorted by their ages.

SharePoint provides "Lists" to store information. These are basically used in tabular structure (rows and columns). In certain circumstances, you need to display different data to different sets of users. For instance in a business firm, sometimes you need to display different sets of employee information to immediate supervisors, managers and others. In addition, you also need perform basic operations like sorting, filtering and grouping.

This article outlines how to configure SharePoint Forms Based Authentication (FBA) to use user accounts stored in an SQL database, typically used on a SharePoint Extranet.

This article outlines how to configure SharePoint Forms Based Authentication (FBA) to use Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP), typically used on a SharePoint Extranet.

Every enterprise has a set of commonly used links, which is required to be standardized. Here's how to add one to your SharePoint site.

People who are using SharePoint know that Central Administration (CA) must be running on one of the servers in the farm. So, the question is can we have CA running on more than one server in the farm? Maybe the main server that has CA installed is down, but we still need to access CA. In this tip I cover how this can be done.

Many Multi-Lingual SharePoint portals may require having the same List structure in its webs (Sub-Sites) [i.e. having a list in a primary language site (ex: English) which has a set of predefined columns and the need to have this list structure in a secondary language variated site (ex: Arabic) where each template has its own language variated template]. Also, there may be the need to extend a certain List quota (i.e. list items size) instead of using the default quota. Rob Fisch wrote a tip about "Managing SharePoint File Size Limits" which applies to any file (item) size under an entire web application using SharePoint Central Administration. I will explain how to extend a List items size without effecting other files in the site using

Populate multiple InfoPath listing controls like a Drop-Down List, and a List Box with only one datasource.

Wouldn't you like to be able to redirect users to the page of your choice after submitting a new item to a SharePoint list? In this tip we cover the steps.

At certain times, we want to hide the details in user input forms, but also at the same time we want to maintain the data in the backend. In SharePoint we could use the list to store data. The default forms provided in the list like NewForm, Editform and others contain all metadata (fields). Now the problem is if you want to remove fields from the forms, either you need to remove columns from the list or you need to create new forms to replace the default forms.

Many SharePoint portals implement and apply the MySite feature (the MySite feature is only available in MOSS 2007 and is not provided by WSS 3.0).  But how about branding the same look and feel of the parent site to MySite? Unfortunately Microsoft designed MySite to have a default format and does not allow custom branding to be effective for all private MySite users. In this tip we'll go through how to overcome this issue.

On very rare occasions, it is possible to receive an error when trying to delete a particular portal site with the SharePoint Central Administration application. To circumvent this error, one can delete the portal site using the SQL Server management tools.

Looking for documentation and software related to SharePoint 2010? Check out this compiled list of SharePoint 2010 related documents and software.

This blog provides a nice summary description of some of SharePoint 2010's " Business Connectivity Services", allowing users to connect to and update external resources (i.e. SQL databases), directly from SharePoint.

You are using a SharePoint blog and you want to speed up and improve the blogging experience. In a nutshell Microsoft Live Writer is a client application which allows you to create a blog entry with rich content. It is then able to post your entry directly to Windows Live, WordPress or even SharePoint!

The scope of this article is to explain, how to create SharePoint web parts with HTML text editing input controls. Here we will go through the creation of an email sending web part with the Message field enabled for HTML formatting.

Windows SharePoint Service is an add-on service of the Windows Server OS which provides collaborative development, content management, search features, etc., without any additional licensing. So how do we install this service, configure it and get started to leverage these powerful features?

Window SharePoint Service (WSS) 3.0 and Microsoft Office SharePoint Server (MOSS) 2007 both provide a platform for communication, collaborative development, content management, search capability etc. But how do they differ from each other, what benefits do each of them provide over other, in which scenario to use WSS and in which to use MOSS?

Getting ready for SharePoint Foundation 2010, let's review the installation prerequisites.

We have officially launched a new page on the site that has over 90 SharePoint User Groups around the world.

Wouldn't you like to hide some fields from a user when filling out a new item form for a list?

What options are available to backup my data in a SharePoint 2010?

By default, SharePoint Lists provide default new, edit and display forms. Limitations include the requirement to show and edit all fields and the inability to customize formatting of the form.

This tip demonstrates how to dynamically display a SharePoint 2010 Task List in a Visio 2010 diagram using Visio Services.

This article demonstration how to collect data from a user during a workflow and use it change the outcome of the workflow.

Dynamically control workflow recipients from a separate SharePoint list based on a field in the workflow list, to receive an email.

After publishing our 1st SharePoint User Group Roundup, many have responded with additional groups that are available.

The "Open with Windows Explorer" option on a SharePoint document library does not open Windows Explorer.

SharePoint logs information to the Windows Event log and a file on the local drive which is normally located in the hive (C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\12\Logs). The log files on disk (trace logs) can be very hard to read using notepad or other basic programs.

You cannot browse to the SharePoint server from the server SharePoint is installed on. You may get challenged for authentication or you receive a 401.1 page error.

Microsoft SQL Server Business Intelligence (BI) Professionals are generally well versed with either of these technologies: SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS), SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) and SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS). But with Sharepoint Server continuously growing as a collaboration platform with it's increasing set of Business Intelligence features, MS BI Technology Stack considerably relies on Sharepoint for hosting and/or consuming SQL Server based BI deliverables. I find many SQL Server BI Professionals confused with the question of what are the Sharepoint based BI features one needs to have in vision to architect an end-to-end BI solution. In this article, we would look at an overview of Sharepoint BI feature

When developing for SharePoint you may find your code does not execute due to the users permission levels.

When trying to upload numerous documents into a SharePoint library, a user does not see the "Upload Multiple Documents" link/selection that would allow them to upload more than one document at a time in a particular directory.

On an Internet facing SharePoint site you want to enable anonymous access so your visitors do not need to authenticate against your membership provider.

I have not been able to find the details about SharePoint 2010 editions. I need to know what features are included in each edition.

Consider a scenario where an InfoPath form is built which includes some approval process too. In the approval process, some information in the form should only be shared to a select group of users.

I have read that installing SharePoint 2010 Server requires a number of prerequisites. Before I spend a great deal of time looking for them all, is there a place where I can download them all at once? In this tip I show you a simple solution.

Take a look at some of the new features of the SharePoint 2010 Ribbon Bar.

I am planning a new SharePoint 2010 installation and need to know the hardware and software requirements.

(SearchWinIT.com) Bridget Botelho writes about new SharePoint features in 2010 for administrators.

I am looking to network with other SharePoint professionals in my geographic location. In this tip I list the first set of SharePoint user groups.

Ryan McMinn does an online video demonstrating how to publish a Microsoft Access (2007) database to the web using SharePoint 2010 Access Services.

Microsoft has implemented some new limitations with SharePoint Designer 2010. This information is important for all SharePoint admins to know about.

This article, by Mike Ferrara (CMSWiRE), gives us a first look at SharePoint 2010's improved "Social Networking" features.

SharePoint Designer 2010 beta has been out for several months. It is now out of beta and available as a free download.

I would like to selectively open specific links in a new browser window from an out-of-the-box SharePoint "Links List". In this tip I show you how this can be done.

Anticipating the arrival of SharePoint Foundation 2010, wouldn't it be great if we can setup a test environment so we can have a feel of what it is like working with the new version of SharePoint?

SharePoint 2010 has many new features and in this tip I go over some of the new features in SharePoint 2010 that I think may be of interest.

When managing permissions with groups, the link in the automated access request email is wrong.

By default, when publishing browser enabled InfoPath forms, the user must manually choose a filename when saving the form. Wouldn't it be better if the system generated a unique filename programmatically, based on a desired rule set?

I would like to utilize SharePoint to host web forms for routine business activities without specialized software for all users. Is there a way to do that with InfoPath?

When a SharePoint list or library is added into a web part zone, whatever view I choose does not change when I update the view from the list or library settings.

With WSS2, I used to be able to read and write to SharePoint lists from MS Excel 2003. With WSS3 and MOSS 2007, that functionality seems to have been disabled. Does that functionality still exist?

Gathering data from different sources or parts of a web application in SharePoint can be tricky. Consider a scenario where one needs to gather data from the entire web application as well as from data sources outside the web application. In MOSS 2007, one of the ways to achieve this is by using a new feature named Data Views in Microsoft SharePoint Designer 2007. In this article we will discuss how one could connect to another application and use it as a data source.

I find it easier to analyze data using Excel. Is there a way to export my SharePoint List or Library metadata?

Microsoft Announces SharePoint 2010 Launch

Sharepoint is a great collaborative tool, but its internal reporting capability is limited. Wouldn't it be so powerful if you could report against one or more Sharepoint lists from Microsoft's Reporting Services?

I have worked hard creating a custom SharePoint list. Now I want to reuse the structure for another team in another site.

A seemingly mysterious problem started occurring a couple of months after implementing a workflow solution. The workflow statuses (Completed, Approved, Rejected, etc) started disappearing. After doing a little research, it seems that, by default, the workflow status information is purged after 60 days.

I frequently have large numbers of files in a SharePoint Document Library, that are in a "Checked Out" status for a variety of reasons. Is there a way to check them in all at once?

I would like to copy multiple files to one or more SharePoint libraries. Is there any way to do it outside of using the "Upload" button, which limits you to files within a single folder?

I would like a SharePoint web part to display a list of links that can start up a new web browser window.

I'd like to design a portal splash page in SharePoint, but I need a way to apply permissions to different section summaries. I would like different groups of users to see different content on the main portal page. MOSS 2007 provides an option called "Audiences", but the administration demands can be overkill for many situations. Also, with WSS3, there is no "Audience" option.

By default, whenever creating a new site with unique permission in MOSS 2007 or WSS3, the default group name "Members" seems confusing to me. The term member seems too ambiguous.

I created a document library but would like one or more business users to be able to maintain permissions, without giving them "full control" of the library or site.

With Windows Server 2008 R2 out in the market for quite a while, you may be asked to install Office SharePoint Server 2007 (MOSS 2007) on this OS platform. However, the available media for MOSS 2007 only contains Service Pack 1 and that it is not supported on a Windows Server 2008 R2 platform. How do you go about installing Office SharePoint Server 2007 on Windows Server 2008 R2?

Every SharePoint site template (both MOSS 2007 and WSS3) has its own default layout of Web Part Zones. I would like to customize the layout of these zones for flexibility of design in a particular site.

I know how to create basic SharePoint lists to track information, but I would like create a dynamic workflow application for submitting and tracking helpdesk requests.

I know how to create basic SharePoint lists to track information, but I would like create a dynamic workflow application for submitting and tracking helpdesk requests.

I know how to create basic SharePoint lists to track information, but I would like create a dynamic workflow application for submitting and tracking helpdesk requests.

This tip shows how you can create a special library to host Web Part Pages and how you can use these to show filtered content for different functions. Using this method, you can consolidate your content onto centralized lists, while offering filtered views of the content for different functions, teams or projects, etc.

When creating Web Part Pages, there is no "Quick Launch" area for site navigation. Patrick Tisseghem offers the solution to put the Quick Launch back by removing the following line from the Web Part Page

I've heard that Microsoft SharePoint Designer 2007 is a great administrator and designer tool for SharePoint. What are some of the compelling features, how do I get it and how much does it cost?

By default, MOSS 2007 configures every 1st level sub-site to have a tab (with link) on the horizontal navigation bar at the root level of the site collection. I would like to be able to nest some or all of these links under one tab heading, saving space for other tabs.

By default, SharePoint (WSS3 and MOSS 2007) limits file sizes to 50mb. However I would like to change that number. Is there a way to change this configuration?

Often times users leave SharePoint documents in a Checked Out status. This can happen for a variety of unintended reasons. As an administrator, I would like to be able remedy these situations when they happen. Is there a way to do it without having to log in as the user?

As SharePoint system administrator, I create all sites for users. This is true even when I turn over "Full Control" to a power user that will design and maintain the site, including setting up permissions. However, I still get the automated email messages from users that "request access" using the built-in access request form. Is there a way I can direct these email messages to go the power user in charge of the site?

How to use the check out feature in SharePoint document libraries.

SharePoint (WSS3 and MOSS 2007) blocks certain files types (by file extension) from being uploaded while allowing others. Is there a way I can manage what file types are allowed or blocked?

How to receive email notifications when documents or items are added, changed or deleted.

Replace the SharePoint server hostname with a user friendly Host Header name.

When creating business solutions with SharePoint lists, one of the field types is the 'choice' column. This is handy to offer users a static list of values. This can be important to help users not have to lookup categorical or other frequently used information. It can also help when building custom views to have consistently chosen (and correctly spelled) data. However, I continually get requests to modify the list of choices. Can I give a few select users the power to maintain their own choices without giving them control over the rest of the list structure?

After having implemented a new installation of MOSS 2007, I cannot figure out how to get Excel Services working. I have added the Excel Web Access web part, and linked to a MS Excel 2007 worksheet, but all I get is an error message that says "You do not have permissions to open this file on Excel Services". I also don't know how to display a specific part of the spreadsheet.

Users in my organization are confused about whether to continue using file servers or to begin using SharePoint document libraries. Some users continue using file servers, while others enjoy the visual aspect of using a web browser to accessing files. I am new at administering SharePoint technologies and I am not sure what the right answer is.

We are starting to use SharePoint calendars to manage projects, however we are running into conflicts with both unrelated project calendars and individual user calendar items in Outlook. Is there a way users can coordinate information between all these silos of information?

There are many users collaborating on document creation with MOSS 2007 or WSS3. It is critical that some level of control or 'gatekeeping' exists. Is there are way to manage this so that everyone knows when a document has been finalized and approved?

I am just getting started with SharePoint and noticed many security options and features. I can see that you can attached named users to sites, lists and libraries. I can even see there is some type of grouping system. But I don't know what to make of it all.

Using the Sharepoint Content Editor Web Parts for free form style display of content.

SharePoint (MOSS 2007) search databases can grow very large. This can affect performance and scalability. What are the best practices for distributing load over multiple disks?

I'm an experienced SQL Server DBA, but new to administering SharePoint 2007 databases. Our current SharePoint databases are very large and getting bigger every day. Based on my initial research the content database is the one I am going to focus on initially. In this tip we cover steps to take to best manage your SharePoint databases.

Being new to SharePoint, the combinations of possibilities seem endless. There are site collections, sites, web parts, libraries, lists, content editor web pages, calendars, tasks, discussion boards, wikis...the list goes on and on. How does one put it all together in a way that makes sense?