Friday 18 October 2013

SharePoint Error: This page has been declared a record or placed on hold and is locked as read-only.

In SharePoint 2010, you may experience this message on your page that you are trying to edit/view:

"Important Status: This page has been declared a record or placed on hold and is locked as read-only" 

Generally it happen when the page is checked out using System account

Solution1:

Use same account (system account) to check the page back in.

Solution 2:

If you do not have password for the system account and you need to edit the page, carry out the below steps.

Steps
  1. Open the site in SharePoint designer
  2. Go to the Pages Library
  3. Right click on the page which is locked out
  4. Select option "Undo Checkout"
 After the above steps the page will be unlocked for you for editing.

Don't forget to check in the page once you are done editing

Tags: SharePoint | Page error
Saravjeet Lamba

Friday 20 September 2013

SharePoint Power Shell - Convert word document to PDF


Here is Power Shell script to convert word document in SharePoint library to PDF using word automation service.
I Hope the code is self explanatory, if anybody needs any help let me know 


[System.reflection.Assembly]::LoadWithPartialName("Microsoft.SharePoint")
[System.Reflection.Assembly]::LoadWithPartialName("Microsoft.Office.Word.Server")

Add-PSSnapin Microsoft.SharePoint.PowerShell -erroraction SilentlyContinue


# Input parameters for the script

# Get the Word Automation Service Proxy
$wasp = Get-SPServiceApplicationProxy | where { $_.TypeName -eq "Word Automation Services Proxy" }
      Write-Host " Word Automation Proxy Name : " $wasp
#Create the Conversion job
     $conversionJob = New-Object Microsoft.Office.Word.Server.Conversions.ConversionJob($wasp)
      Write-Host " Conversion Job created : " $conversionJob

# Get the web url
     $web = Get-SPWeb "http:// xyz:31000/"
      Write-Host " Accessing Site : " $web

# Set the credentials to use when running the conversion job.
     $conversionJob.UserToken = $web.CurrentUser.UserToken
      Write-Host " Accessing current user token"

# Conversion Job Name
    $conversionJob.Name = "Convert docx to PDF"
    $conversionJob.Settings.OutputFormat = [Microsoft.Office.Word.Server.Conversions.SaveFormat]::PDF
    $conversionJob.AddFile($wordFile,$pdfFile)

# Start the conversion job
      Write-Host " Conversion Job Started....  "
    $conversionJob.Start()

Thursday 19 September 2013

SharePoint KM (Knowledge Management) Scenarios



Metadata & Taxonomy

Consistent use of metadata    The managed metadata features in SharePoint products enable you to control how users add metadata to content.

Scenario (Company needs Metadata to be consistent throughout)

·         Using term sets and managed terms, you can control which terms users can add to content

·         Set control to who can add new terms

·         Limit enterprise keywords to a specific list by configuring the Keywords term set as closed

Benefit

When the same terms are used consistently across sites, it is easier to build robust processes or solutions that rely on metadata. Additionally, it is easier for site users to apply metadata consistently to their content.

Improved content discoverability    When the content across sites in an organization has consistent metadata, it is easier to find business information and data by using search.

Scenario (Company needs more refinements for search)

·         Get search analysis for terms most frequently used

·         Add these frequently used terms in the term sets

·         Add to search refinement

Search features such as the refinement panel, which displays on the left-hand side of the search results page, enable users to filter search results based on metadata.

In a general sense, tagging refers to the act of applying metadata to an item, whether the tag is managed metadata or a social tag.


eDiscovery


Scenario
For this walkthrough, I’m a member of the Litigation Support team at a company. The attorneys let me know that one of our former clients called XYZ is suing us and Contoso must present all relevant data we have to the opposition.
My first task is to create a new site for the XYZ case so I log into our SharePoint 2013 eDiscovery site. log in using a special user ID that I only use for eDiscovery purposes. This is because in order to discover content across the enterprise, the user doing the searching must have access to everything. For obvious reasons, it is not a good idea to give a normal user account access to everything, so instead I have a separate account that I use just for eDiscovery.
When I first log into the site I see the eDiscovery Center template. This is where I go to manage existing and create new cases. On the default home page, Microsoft includes instructions on how to take advantage of the template.


After clicking “Create New Case”, I’m presented with a “New SharePoint Site” page where I can enter the name, description, URL and permissions for my new case site.
When the site has been created I’m presented with the new case site home page. The site is comprised of three sections.
1. The top section is used for finding and placing legal holds on content.
2. The bottom portion is used to refine and filter on the content until it is ready to be exported.
3. The left side of the page provides access to supporting lists and libraries for the case.


Start by clicking “new item” in the eDiscovery Sets section to create an eDiscovery set. An eDiscovery set is comprised of a data source (a site, mailbox or other location), optionally a filter/query and the option of a legal hold. Add the URL of the XYZ project site in the sources area, provide a date range.
for the filter select “Enable In-Place Hold” and click “save.”
On the case home page, the In-Place Hold Status will indicate “Processing” for a time and eventually indicate “On Hold”.
When an in-place hold is set on a site, a special document library called the Preservation Hold Library is added to the site being preserved. After the hold is placed, if a user edits or deletes content in the site, a copy will be placed in the Preservation Hold Library. The hold also prevents anyone from deleting the site itself.


Now that the content is safely on legal hold I can begin the process of filtering it down to just the content that we are legally required to provide. Remember, the more content that is sent to be processed and reviewed, the more expensive our eDiscovery is going to cost so it’s important that we’re able to filter the content effectively. With that in mind, I navigate back to my case home page and click “new item” under Search and Export.
In the New Query Item page, I provide a name for my query and I have the opportunity to add search terms and filters. The XYZ lawyers and those of the opposition have agreed that only items regarding a particular deal number (809E5C95) are relevant and have agreed that the deal number will be the only query term. So I add my query term, click search and preview the items that are returned. I can mouse over the preview items to get more details and can also use the refiners on the left hand side to filter the content down more, but in this case we have exactly what we need already.

Next I click “Export” and am presented with a number of options related to the export. Most notable is that I am able to include all versions of SharePoint content in my export.

Finally, I am given the opportunity to download the actual content from my query or just reports on the contents. In this case I click “Download Results”. The download manager loads and allows me to choose a location for the export.



The download folder includes a number of files including an export summary, a manifest (which includes all items including their metadata in a standard format), reports and logs as well as the actual content.

Where there were multiple versions of a single item, the filenames of the older versions are appended to indicate the version.


Once the case is over, I go back to the case site, click the cog and select “Case Closure”. Closing the case will remove any remaining legal holds associated with the case and prevent anyone from adding additional holds to the case.

Digital Assets management

SharePoint Server 2013 provides a library template named Asset Library that is customized to use new image, audio, and video content types designed specifically for storing and cataloging rich media assets. These new content types use new column types such as Preview, Picture Size, Date Picture Taken, and Length (seconds) that contribute to the metadata for a particular asset. The asset library also has a preview mode that displays a thumbnail and some of this metadata when you rest the pointer over an asset. Enterprise keywords can be assigned to assets to make them more easily discovered by searching. Keywords can be assigned by an asset creator when a new asset is uploaded, or keywords can be added later by an asset manager. Users can rate assets, a capability that provides additional metadata for assets. The metadata can then be used when assets are displayed in a Web Part. For example, if you have a library of training videos that users have viewed and rated, you can use a Web Part to display the top-rated videos on a web page.
In addition to the features that are part of the asset library, you can take advantage of SharePoint Server features such as workflows, routing, rules, and policies. These features help manage the assets as they come into the asset library, track the progress of assets, automate publication of assets on approval, and set the expiration for assets.
Scenarios for using the asset library
Corporate brand library
The asset library stores branded corporate assets such as logos, artwork, and other digital assets, and workflows and policies help manage the content. Creative teams can submit digital assets to the asset library where they are reviewed and published. Content stewards manage and edit the digital assets to make sure that they are correctly tagged and organized. Information workers and extranet partners who want corporate logos or brand assets use the library to find the content they require.
Divisional portal
The asset library is a repository for images and rich media files for a single portal site. In this scenario, any contributor or designer can upload logos and images to the library for other people to view and use. The content is typically managed by contributors, and there is minimal workflow or policy associated with adding and managing content. For example, the divisional portal library might have multiple contributors but only a few approvers. Authors and web designers of the site use content in the library by viewing, downloading, and inserting it into their work products, such as documents or presentations.
Team site
Similar to a divisional portal but smaller. The asset library is a repository for images and rich media for a single team site. In this scenario, any team member can upload assets to the library for other team members to view and use. The content is managed as necessary by contributors, and there is minimal workflow or policy. Team members use content in the library by viewing, downloading, and inserting it into their work products, such as documents or presentations.
Corporate archive
The asset library stores pictures, video, documents, and other assets that have historical value to the organization. Users can submit current and past items, which are collected, scanned, organized, and tagged by curators who manage the library so that other users can browse, search, and view archived content.
Divisional media sharing site
The asset library stores audio and video files. In this scenario, anyone can contribute to the library, and there is minimal or no management of items in the library. Ratings are enabled for the library, and are combined with social tagging of assets to drive the structure and presentation of assets within the library.


Tags: SharePoint Digital Asset Management | SharePoint eDiscovery | SharePoint Metadata and Taxonomy

Saravjeet Lamba

SharePoint SSRS Installation / Integration step by step


NOTE: SharePoint should be installed on the server where the report server will be configured as SharePoint object model is required by SSRS server
Example: If we choose our SQL database server to be our SSRS server we need to install SharePoint on that server. Refer: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa905869(v=sql.105).aspx

Installing SQL Reporting Services for SharePoint 2010
Install SQL Reporting Services for SharePoint on our Application Server or on a dedicated Reporting Services Server with SharePoint running.
Steps:
·         Launch the SQL Server Installation Center and Select Installation and then click on “New Installation or add features to an existing installation.”


·         Click Install to install the Setup Support Files.
·         The setup support rules are then run.  At this stage you should rectify any errors if present.
·         Click Next
·         In the Installation Type page, select “New installation or add shared features”


·         Click Next 
·         Enter the product key at the Product Key screen and click Next.
·         Accept the License Terms and then click Next.
·         Select SQL Server Feature Installation


·         Click Next
·         Select Reporting Services and Management Tools only.


·         Click Next
·         Setup will run the Installation Rules.  Address any failures and then click Next
·         Type a Named Instance


·         Click Next.
·         Check your Disk Space Requirements
 



·         Click Next
·         In the Server Configuration page, enter a domain user account.


·         Click Next
·         In the Reporting Services Configuration Page, the only option was to Install, but do not configure the report server.

·         Click Next
·         The Installation Configuration Rules are run.  Address any issues and click Next.
·         Click Install to proceed with the Installation.
This completes SSRS feature install


Configuring Report Server
Once the installation has completed, Navigate to Start > All Programs > Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 > Configuration Tools and launch the Reporting Services Configuration Manager.




Select the Report Server Instance and click Connect
On the left Task bar, select Database and click on Change Database




The Report Server Database Configuration Wizard is displayed and select Create a new report server database.




Click Next
Enter a valid database name where you want to install the Report Server database.  I will be hosting this on a remote SQL server which also houses my SharePoint Configuration and Content Databases.




Click Next
Enter the Database Name and Select your Report Server Mode as SharePoint Integrated Mode.




Click Next
Under Authentication Type, select Windows Credentials and enter a domain user account.




Click Next
Review the Summary and Click  Next




Click Finish once the configuration Wizard completes.
Navigate to Web Service URL and change any values as required. 
You should notice that the new URL was successfully reserved.




Copy the Report Server Web Service URL to clipboard.  This will be needed a little later.
Click Exit


Integrate Reporting Services with SharePoint
Launch SharePoint Central Administration and navigate to General Application Settings > Reporting Services > Reporting Services Integration
Enter the details below




After clicking OK you will return to the Reporting Services Integration Summary Page with hopefully 3 green ticks with successful status.
Confirm that the that the Report Server Name and server instance is correctly listed in SharePoint. We do so by navigating to SharePoint Central Administration > General Application Settings > Reporting Services > Add a Report Server to the Integration.




To verify that we have correctly configured and integrated Reporting Services with SharePoint 2010, we navigate to our SharePoint Site, Site Settings > Site Collection Features and Activate the Reporting Server Integration Feature.




After the activating the Report Server Integration Feature, we can navigate to our SharePoint Site and add the SQL Server Reporting Services Report Web Part, located under SQL Server Reporting.







Select any RDL file and you are done!

Tags: SharePoint Business Intelligence | SharePoint SSRS | SSRS Installation and configuration 
Saravjeet Lamba