Windows SharePoint Services is a versatile technology included in Microsoft Windows Server 2003 that enables organisations of all sizes to increase the efficiency of business processes and improve team productivity. With tools for collaboration that help people stay connected across organisational and geographic boundaries, Windows SharePoint Services gives people access to the documents and information they need.
WSS 3.0 offers a web-based interface and close integration with familiar tools including Microsoft Office. Windows SharePoint Services is easy to use and can be deployed rapidly. Users can create workspaces and then publish, store, share, and keep track of information, workflow, and documents.
Detailed information about Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 (WSS 3.0) can be found via the Microsoft website (see 'Useful Microsoft Resources' below). In summary however, WSS 3.0 can be applied to deliver the following key benefits:
1. Improve team productivity with easy-to-use collaborative tools
Windows SharePoint Services connects people with the information and resources they need. Users can create team workspaces, co-ordinate calendars, organise documents, and receive important notifications and updates through communication features that include announcements and alerts.
2. Easily manage documents and help ensure integrity of content
Windows SharePoint Services has enhanced document management capabilities, including the option to activate required document checkout before editing, the ability to view revisions to documents and restore to previous versions, and control over document--level security.
3. Get users up to speed quickly
WSS 3.0 provides the ability to undertake tasks from a familiar interface. For example, users can create workspaces, post and edit documents, and view and update calendars on SharePoint sites, all while working within Microsoft Office programs.
4. Deploy solutions tailored to your business processes
While standard workspaces in Windows SharePoint Services are easy to implement, organisations seeking a more customised deployment can get started quickly with application templates for addressing specific business processes or sets of tasks.
5. Build a collaboration environment quickly and easily
WSS 3.0 enables IT departments to deploy a collaborative environment with minimal administrative time and effort, from simple, single-server configurations to more robust enterprise configurations. Because deployment settings can be changed easily, less pre-planning is required.
6. Reduce the complexity of securing business information
WSS 3.0 provides IT staff with advanced administrative controls for increasing the security of information resources, while decreasing cost and complexity associated with site provisioning, site management, and support.
7. Provide sophisticated controls for securing company resources
IT departments can now set permissions at the document or item level, and site managers, teams, and other workgroups can initiate self-service collaborative workspaces and tasks within these preset parameters.
8. Take file sharing to a new level with robust storage capabilities
WSS 3.0 supplies workspaces with document storage and retrieval features, including check-in/check-out functionality, version history, custom metadata, and customisable views. New features in WSS 3.0 include recycle bin functionality for easier content recovery, and improved backup and restoration.
9. Easily scale your collaboration solution to meet business needs
Quickly and easily manage and configure WSS 3.0 using a web browser or command-line utilities.
10. Provide a cost-effective foundation for building web-based applications
WSS 3.0 exposes a common framework for document management and collaboration that can be used to build flexible and scalable web applications, intranet solutions, and web sites that meet the specific needs of an organisation.
