Ways to work with libraries

The Shared Documents library is created for you when Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services creates a new site. You can start using this library right away, customize it, or create other libraries.

Here are some ways to work with libraries and make them more useful for your group:

          ·         Create and manage views    

     You can use a view to see the items in a library that are most important to you or that best fit a purpose. The contents of the actual library don't change, but the files are organized or filtered to make them easier to find and to browse in a meaningful way.

         ·         Require document approval    

       You can specify that approval for a document is required. Documents remain in a pending state until they are approved or rejected by someone who has permission to do so. You can control which groups of users can view a document before it is approved.

           ·         Track versions     

        If you need to keep previous versions of files, libraries can help you track, store, and restore the files. You can choose to track all versions in the same way. Or you can choose to designate some versions as major, such as adding a new chapter to a manual, and some versions as minor, such as fixing a spelling error. To help manage storage space, you can optionally choose the number of each type of version that you want to store.

For example, a travel agency might use a document library to manage its files. While team members develop a new sales proposal, they track minor versions of the file. If they make a mistake in one version, they can restore a previous version. When they finish the proposal, they can create a major version and then publish it for approval by their legal department and their manager. When the file is approved, other employees in the company can view the file.

          ·         Require check-out of files  

     When you require check-out of a file, you ensure that only one person can edit the file until it is checked in. Requiring documents to be checked out prevents multiple people from making changes at the same time, which can create editing conflicts and lead to confusion. Requiring check-out can also help to remind team members to add a comment when they check a file in, so that you can more easily track what has changed in each version.

          ·         Stay informed about changes    

     Libraries in Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 support RSS technology, so that members of your workgroup can automatically receive updates. RSS enables people to receive and view updates, or feeds, of news and information in a consolidated location. You can also create e-mail alerts, so that you are notified when files change.

          ·         Edit files offline    

      If you prefer to work on your files on your hard disk, you can check them out and work offline, if you use an application that is compatible with Windows SharePoint Services 3.0, such as the 2007 Microsoft Office system.

          ·         Work with a library from an e-mail program    

   By using an e-mail program that is compatible with Windows SharePoint Services 3.0, such as Microsoft Office Outlook 2007, you can take your important information with you. You can read, edit, and search your files offline from your mail program.

          ·         Copy documents easily to another location  

     You can easily send a file to another location on a Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 site. When you update the original document, you can choose to be prompted to update the file in the other locations.

          ·         Define content types   

    If your group works with several types of files, such as worksheets, presentations, and documents, you can extend the functionality of your library by enabling and defining multiple content types. Content types add flexibility and consistency across multiple libraries. Each content type can specify a template and workflow processes.