Monday, September 20, 2010

Import Excel Spreadsheet into SharePoint 2010 List

Background:
You may not know that Microsoft Excel is one of the most widely used database application in a typical organization that use MS Office suit, from data entry clerk to CEO, almost everyone know this application… And quite often they use it to capture and store data, in some case even import data are stored in Excel spreadsheet, circulate in the office or among the team. This spreadsheet often saved in My Document folder or hard drive, or multiple locations. The spreadsheets are not backup properly, it is not web based, or almost unknown by IT.

If you know the data that stored inside an Excel spreadsheet that is shared to multiple users, or has retaining or historical value, you should start consider moving them into SharePoint list. And take advantage of SharePoint version control, permission and more…

Problem:
In the previous SharePoint 2007, you can download list items in a spreadsheet from SharePoint, but there is no option for importing Excel data into the SharePoint List.

Solutions:
This is one of the neat features from SharePoint 2010. You can do this through a simple import spreadsheet feature in SharePoint 2010, just download an example and try it yourself.

Steps

  1. Download a sample spreadsheet(If you don't have one)

  2. Rename the downloaded file extension to .xlsx

  3. Click Site Actions -> More Options

  4. Under List, select "Import Spreadsheet" Then Click Create

  5. Name the list "After Hour Call List", click browse to select the Excel file

  6. Click Import

  7. SharePoint Opens the Excel sheet, Select the range of values and click Import

  8. The list is created using the schema from the Excel file.

Give it a try. Thanks!

Friday, September 17, 2010

SharePoint 2010 standard/enterprise with SQL 2008 R2 on a single machine (standalone)

Problem:
I have installed Windows 2008 R2 and SQL 2008 R2 on a single virtual development environment, there is no domain controller. The situation is same as what is being descibed in this page .

I want the SharePoint 2010 to work in this environment, but I don't want to install SharePoint 2010 Standalone version, because it will try to install SQL Server Express instead of using the SQL 2008 R2 instance already installed. So, how to solve this?

Solutions: (it is intended for development environment only)
Instead of installing the “Standalone” version, you just install the “Server Farm” version.

When the installation is completed, follow the steps below:-

Step 1.
Create a SharePoint service account with password in your environment (i.e. MossSvc in my example)

Step 2.
Launch SQL Server Management Studio, and grant the service account to have “dbcreator” role.


Step 3.
Launch SharePoint 2010 Management Shell as administrator

Run New-SPConfigurationDatabase Cmdlet , you will need to provide the following info.
DatabaseName:
DatabaseServer:
FarmCredentials - (Please enter the new service account that created in Step 2)
Passphrase: - (A sequence of words or text used to control access to a computer system - in short... just enter some text, number and symbol)


It will take a moment to create the configuration database in the background, so please wait... When completed, you can launch the SharePoint Products Configuration Wizard, You should see the configuration database name that is same as what you specified in Step 3.

Keep the "Do not disconnect from this server farm" option



Then click Next, step through the wizard and you will have a Standalone SharePoint 2010 on SQL 2008 R2.

Hope you find this helpful. Thanks!

Tips Note:

If you want to rebuild or delete the initial SharePoint configuration database, launch Windows Powershell and run the Disconnect-SPConfigurationDatabase Cmdlet, then redo Step 3 again.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

SharePoint 2010 Standalone Development Environment

There is tons of information on SharePoint 2010 requirement for developer. To sum them up, you need 64 bits machine or virtual machine…
For Standalone Development Environment with built in database, the following is sufficient to get you off the ground.


Hardware:

  • 64 Bit CPU, at least 2 cores
  • 4 GB RAM
  • 80 GB Hard disk space


Software:

  • Windows 2008 R2, Windows Vista or Windows 7 (All OS must be 64bit)
  • Web Server (IIS) role
  • Application Server role
  • Microsoft .NET Framework version 3.5 SP1
  • SQL Server 2008 Express with SP1
  • Windows PowerShell 2.0
  • SQL Server 2008 Native Client
  • A hotfix for the .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 that provides a method to support token authentication without transport security or message encryption in WCF.

For my own development environment,.
I am using VirtualBox (Free download here) to load the 64 bit OS on my host. I have setup a virtual machine (.VHD) with all the spec listed as above...

I won’t go into step by step installation… you can read it here. http://www.codeproject.com/KB/sharepoint/SharePoint_Server_2010.aspx
Publish Post
For more details of the Hardware and software requirements, please visit the following site.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc262485.aspx


SharePoint Foundation 2010 on Windows 7

If you have a 64bit Windows 7 and wish to setup SharePoint Foundation 2010, you must download the WCF hotfix (KB976462) and ADO.NET Data Services Update (KB982307).

Follow the instructions from this link

Setting Up the Development Environment for SharePoint 2010 on WiPublish Postndows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows Server 2008

Good Luck!


Welcome to SharePoint for Newbie site

Welcome reader!

I have just started my new journey with SharePoint 2010, I thought I want share my experience (such as tips and tricks) with those who are also new to this product.

Please don’t trash the site as I am still new to this area, but commends is welcome.

Thank you!