Tag: Office 365

Getting Started with SharePoint Small Business–The Video

As a companion to my recently released ‘Getting Started with SharePoint Online for Small Business’ I have created a video covering the same (and some more) material. You can find it at:

 

New formats for CIAOPS eBook

I’ve just completed adding some new formats for my recent eBook “Getting Started with SharePoint Online for Enterprises”. Apart from PDF you’ll now find that title available in both ePub and Kindle format for the same price.

 

Given that success, I am going to start working back through my previous titles and also convert these so stay tuned.

 

The best location for all my works, free and paid, is http://www.ciaops.com/downloads/

 

Look out for a new title on Lync very soon!

Getting Started with SharePoint Online for Enterprise

I have now completed another new e-Book called ‘Getting Started with SharePoint Online for Enterprises’. The cost is again only USD $1.99 and it contains over 40 pages of step by step tutorials, with screen shots, on using the SharePoint Team Site that comes with Office 365 Enterprise plans (E SKUs). This makes it a perfect document to either use if you are new to SharePoint Online or if you have customers looking to understand what SharePoint can do in Office 365.

 

This means you can select from two Getting Started with SharePoint Online for Office 365 eBooks:

 

For Enterprises (E SKUs)

 

and

 

For Professionals and Small Business (P SKU)

 

Even though SharePoint Online is very similar between the two offerings there are enough differences to make it confusing and therefore the need for two separate books in my opinion. Both cover the same information, however things such as the look and feel and what SharePoint components are available by default vary between the plans. So select the eBook that matches you plan if you want to get the most from it.

 

You’ll find this new e-Book along with other publications I have including:

 

SharePoint Foundation Master Class: Search Server Express on SBS 2011 Standard

Windows SharePoint Master Class:Tutorials

Getting started with Companyweb 2010

 

and more at:

 

http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/ciaops?cid=cms_email_author_spotlight_confirmation

 

My next eBook project will most likely be a set of tutorial around using SharePoint Online for each plan. If you have any suggestion for what sort of information you’d like to see in an upcoming eBook on Office 365 or SharePoint Online please contact me (director@ciaops.com).

Getting Started with SharePoint Online

As mentioned in yesterday’s blog post I have now completed a new e-Book called ‘Getting Started with SharePoint Online for Small Business’. The cost is only USD $1.99 and it contains over 40 pages of step by step tutorials, with screen shots, on using the SharePoint Team Site that comes with Office 365 Professional and Small Business (P SKU). This makes it a perfect document to either use if you are new to SharePoint Online or if you have customers looking to understand what SharePoint can do in Office 365.

 

You’ll find this new e-Book along with other publications I have including:

 

SharePoint Foundation Master Class: Search Server Express on SBS 2011 Standard

 

Windows SharePoint Master Class:Tutorials

 

Getting started with Companyweb 2010

 

and more at:

 

http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/ciaops?cid=cms_email_author_spotlight_confirmation

 

Make sure you check back with my online store (or this blog) real soon as the next publication I am working on is ‘Getting Started with SharePoint Online for Enterprise’.

Doing SharePoint no favours

I have been working on a new e-book that provides a tutorial on ‘Getting Started with SharePoint Online for Small Business’ and I was struck by how poorly SharePoint has once again been promoted by Microsoft.

 

To explain what I mean take a look at the ‘default’ SharePoint version on Small Business Server 2010 (i.e. Companyweb), which many small businesses have seen.

 

image

 

Here’s you’ll find Shared Documents, a Calendar, Tasks and a Picture library. In contrast have a look at what you get the Office 365 Team Site for the Professional and Small Business versions (P SKU).

 

image

 

All you basically get is a page with a Posts web part and a single document library. Every other feature has to be added manually. Given that most people coming to Office 365 have probably never seen SharePoint having such a bland page, devoid of simple features like a calendar, wiki, contacts list does the SharePoint product no justice in my eyes. Many will look at it and wonder what it is for. Others will simply use it as a place to save documents without utilizing any of the features that sets SharePoint apart, like, sorting, filtering, views, meta data, just to name a few.

 

To me it would have made much more sense to provide a standard Team Site for SharePoint Online for the Professional and Small Business version. This Team Site has many of the standard features already exposed and ready for use. I’d pretty much bet that most people using this version of Office 365 would make use of a shared calendar at the very least.

 

My guess would be that Microsoft used this Express version of the Team Site to reduce the complexity and make it simple to users new to SharePoint but honestly I think that it actually going to achieve the reverse. It is going to make them shy away from using SharePoint because they can’t see many of the features. To me it makes more sense for the items to be there and not be used than to be hidden from users who would have no idea that they even exist and how to go about adding them.

 

Keep you eye peeled for the next blog post where I’ll provide you with the information about my new e-Book (for only $USD 1.99) that provides a basic tutorial on getting started with SharePoint Online. You’ll find it my online bookstore along with other SharePoint titles and tutorials.

 

I certainly hope that people using Office 365 take the time to delve into SharePoint to find out how powerful it is but honestly Microsoft have not made it easy or enticing have they now?

Things you hear

Here is a statement I came across from a reseller recently in reference to Office 365:

When I said “cloud” I meant cloud that works.  I have not yet used O365, I run on hosted exchange with zero problems

It illustrates to me the fact that many so called ‘IT people’ have already formed options about Office 365 without ever having used the product. I wonder on what hearsay the above person bases their opinion? I would suggest that it has probably come from a few ill-informed naysayers but interestingly that has proved to be enough to sway this individual.

I am not saying that Office 365 is perfect, far from it, but really what IT is ever perfect? However, I would contend that Office 365 does work and works very well for many many people. Importantly, Office 365 is more than hosted Exchange it is Lync, SharePoint and Office Professional Plus. Even more importantly, it offers enterprise features such as legal hold, hybrid co-existence and so on that few other providers offer. Their argument is already defunct because they are unable to compare products like for like but yet they continue to scream the failure of products at the top of their lungs. Worst of all they haven’t even taken the time to examine something they are criticising. How can their opinion hold any validity at all in those circumstances? They have criticised a product and in the same breath admitted they haven’t even used it? Am I the only one that see a massive credibility gap where?

It always amazes me how parochial so called ‘IT Professionals’ get about certain technology and not just in relation to cloud computing. Whether they be Apple “fanbois”, Linux devotees or gooey eyed Windows zealots, the common thing about all of them is that they represent a teeny tiny percentage of the technology market. However, they defend their beliefs with such fanaticism that it beggars belief sometimes. Analysis would reveal that these very zealots are afraid, they are afraid to admit they might be wrong. If what you are saying is so good why is there a need to defend it so vigorously? It should speak for itself shouldn’t it?

The more choice we have the better for it spurs competition and creates improved products. There is very little chance that a single product from a single supplier can solve everyone’s needs. So rather than deriding the competition with emotional vitriol examine the products rationally and professionally and guess what? You may even learn something about the competition that can help you. You may even find there is a business opportunity for their implementation that could, shock horror, even generate revenue! Such individuals are far more interested in being ‘right’ than running a business. They are entitled to their delusion I suppose.

Such statements unfortunately remind me that we still live in a world with small frightened technology ‘unprofessionals’ who are too scared to admit that they might not know something and more so, might be struggling with the change that is transpiring in the market place. What’s the saying? Empty vessels make the ….. 

Some more Office 365 videos

These ones focus on IT Providers and have some good examples of how they are staying competitive with Office 365.

Adding a new user to SharePoint Online

One of the most common issues I find people have initially with SharePoint Online via Office 365 is adding new users. Most think that simply creating a new users and assigning them a SharePoint license automatically gives them access to SharePoint Site Collections. It doesn’t. Why? Because what security rights do you provide that user in SharePoint? Are they going to be an administrator or are they going to be a ‘normal’ user? That’s why they need to be added manually to each Site Collection.

 

Basically, all you need to do is login to the SharePoint Site Collection as a SharePoint Administrator and give the new user permissions. How about rather than telling you I show you via this video I’ve just uploaded to my YouTube channel.