Mastering SharePoint 2010 Customization

This lab-intensive, 3-day SharePoint course will zero in on customizing SharePoint's look and feel, creating custom workflows, designing InfoPath forms, and accessing external data through Business Connectivity Services. You will create reusable, real-word workflow templates for SharePoint-based business solutions. You will also learn how to integrate digital forms using Microsoft InfoPath.

In addition, you'll connect to external data sources through SharePoint's Business Connectivity Services, a new feature of SharePoint Server 2010. You'll understand how much is available to you in the SharePoint APIs and understand the depth that Microsoft has created with more than 3,000 SharePoint services available. You'll cover a lot of ground, and enjoy a productive skill-building experience. Learn to take SharePoint to its fullest potential.

If you're attempting to change the look and feel of your SharePoint environment, you need to attend this SharePoint course. Using Designer, you'll learn to dramatically customize SharePoint to meet your business's image and standards.

Those who will benefit most include:

• SharePoint Administrators
• Project Managers
• Web Designers
• SharePoint Power Users
• Network Administrators
• Network Managers
• System Administrators
• System Managers

After completing this course you will learn:

• Understand the tools, applications and skills required for customizing SharePoint environments
• Understand and utilize the powerful capabilities of the newly redesigned SharePoint Designer 2010
• Understand and customize SharePoint navigation
• Build custom views of your data with Data View web parts
• Customize your SharePoint Server's look and feel with custom Master Pages
• Customize your SharePoint pages with page layouts and themes
• Understand the different methods to create workflows for automation
• Learn to create advanced, reusable workflows with the Workflow Designer
• Use InfoPath 2010 and SharePoint Form Services to create advanced forms
• Integrate InfoPath forms and SharePoint Workflows to automate recurring business processes
• Use Business Connectivity Services to access external data from other Line of Business applications

I. Introduction to SharePoint Designer 2010 A. What is SharePoint Designer

• A Little SharePoint Designer History
• SharePoint Designer Requirements
• SharePoint Designer Licensing

B. Why Use SharePoint Designer?

• SharePoint Customization Overview
• Workflow Creation Overview

C. The SharePoint Designer User Interface

• Opening and Working with SharePoint Sites
• SharePoint Designer's Display Modes
• SharePoint Designer's Controls and Web Parts

D. Ghosting and Unghosting

• What are ghosted pages?
• The Disadvantages of unghosted Pages

Lab I - Install SharePoint Designer

• Setup your environment
• Install SharePoint
• Verify SharePoint is working correctly

II. Portal Architecture and SharePoint Overview A. What is the SharePoint Foundation? B. Introducing Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010 C. Planning Content Structure

• The Four Content Levels

a. Site Collections

b. Sites

c. Lists and Libraries

d. Folders

D. Managing Content

• Creating New Site Collections
• Managing Site Collections

a. Using the Web Interface

b. Using SharePoint Designer

• Creating Subsites

a. Using the Web Interface

b. Using SharePoint Designer

• Managing Subsites

a. Using the Web Interface

b. Using SharePoint Designer

• Site Backup and Recovery with SharePoint Designer
• Creating Lists and Libraries

a. Using the Web Interface

b. Using SharePoint Designer

• Managing Lists and Libraries

a. Using the Web Interface

b. Using SharePoint Designer

Lab II - SharePoint Site Structures

• Create a site collection using SharePoint's web interface
• Create a subsite using SharePoint's web interface
• Modify site navigation for your site collections
• Open your newly created site with SharePoint Designer
• Create a new SharePoint site with SharePoint Designer
• Create a new document library using SharePoint Designer
• Create new folders in your document library
• Create unique permissions for your document folders

III. Site Tools and Content Customization A. Content Types and Site Columns

• What are Content Types?
• Managing Content Types
• What are Site Columns?
• Managing Site Columns

B. Customizing Lists

• Creating Custom Columns
• Change Column Ordering
• Calculated Column Values and Formulas

C. Customizing Libraries

• Creating Custom Columns
• Change Column Ordering

D. Customizing Standard Views

• View Types

a. Standard

b. Datasheet

c. Calendar

d. Gantt Chart

• Creating Views
• Mobile Views

E. SharePoint Web Parts

• What are Web Parts?
• Web Part Pages

a. Creating Web Part Pages with the Web Interface

b. Creating Web Part Pages with SharePoint Designer

• Using Web Parts

a. Adding Web Parts with the Web Interface

b. Adding Web Parts with SharePoint Designer

• SharePoint's Default Web Parts

a. Business Data Web Parts

b. Content Rollup Web Parts

c. Dashboard Web Parts

d. Filter Web Parts

e. Miscellaneous Web Parts

f. Outlook Web Access Parts

g. Site Directory Web Parts

h. Default Web Parts

i. Search Web Parts

F. Data View Web Parts

• What are Data View Web Parts
• Using the Data View Web Part

Lab III - Customizing SharePoint Functionality

• Create several custom SharePoint lists
• Create a custom default view
• Enter data Into newly created lists
• Create a new Web Part Page
• Insert Web Part Zones
• Use the Data View Web Part
• Connect multiple Web Parts

IV. Microsoft Office InfoPath A. What is Info Path and why should we use it?

B. Designing Custom Forms with InfoPath 2010

• Understanding Form Design Elements
• Understanding Form Controls

C. Publishing InfoPath Forms

• Publishing InfoPath Forms to SharePoint Server

D. Submitting InfoPath Form Results

• Submitting Form Results to a SharePoint Library
• Submitting Form Results to a Web Service

E. Implementing Workflows to Process InfoPath Form Data

Lab IV - Working with InfoPath

• Working with Form Layouts
• Implementing InfoPath Controls
• Connecting InfoPath forms with Live Data
• Creating Multiple InfoPath Views
• Setting Form Properties
• Creating Custom Submit Actions
• Publishing InfoPath Forms to SharePoint Server
• Displaying InfoPath Form Data
• Utilizing Workflows to Automate InfoPath Form Data Processing

V. SharePoint Workflows A. Workflow Review

• What are Workflows?
• Why use Workflows?
• Determining the Need for Custom Workflows

B. Creating Workflows with SharePoint Designer

• The Workflow Designer
• Workflow Initiation and Variables
• Understanding Conditions
• Workflow Actions
• Branching and Else/If Conditions

C. Creating Reusable Workflows in SharePoint Designer 2010

• Why Reusable Workflows?

D. Creating Workflows with Visio 2010

• Designing a Workflow Flowchart
• Creating a Workflow with a Flowchart

Lab V - Working with Workflows

• Utilizing SharePoint's Built-In Workflows
• Planning a custom workflow
• Creating a custom workflow in SharePoint Designer
• Exploring workflow branching, conditions, and actions
• Implementing a Custom Action for Workflows
• Using Microsoft Visio to Create Workflows

VI. Site Templates, Site Definitions, and Themes A. Site Templates and Site Definitions

• What is a Site Template?
• What is a Site Definition?
• Comparing the Two

B. Customizing Site Templates

• Creating a Site Template with the Web Interface
• Creating a Site Template with SharePoint Designer
• Adding a Site Template to the Site Template Gallery

C. Customizing List Templates

• Creating a List Template with the Web Interface
• Creating a List Template with SharePoint Designer
• Adding a List Template to the Site Template Gallery

D. Site Definitions

• The Out of the Box SharePoint Foundation Site Definitions
• SharePoint Server 2010 Site

E. Themes

• Understanding SharePoint Themes
• Applying a Theme

Lab VI - Sites and Themes

• Create and Export a Custom Site Template
• Examine a Site Template Package File
• Create a new site based on the newly created template
• Create and modify a custom theme
• Install and Apply a theme

VII. SharePoint Master Pages A. What are Master Pages?

• The Master Page Gallery

B. Modifying Master Pages

• Examine the Default Master Page
• Resetting a Site to Its Original Site Definition
• Creating a Copy of the Default Master Page

C. Content Pages

• The Page Layout Library

D. Working with Page Layouts

• Creating New Pages Based on a Master Page

Lab VII - Working with Master Pages

• Upload some images for Customization
• Make a copy of the default Master Page
• Customize the Master Page
• Create a custom CSS style sheet
• Create a layout page based on your custom Master Page
• Applying a custom Master Page

VIII. The Business Data Catalog A. What are Business Connectivity Services?

• Why Use BCS?
• Example Uses for BCS

B. Understanding the Elements of BCS

• Defining the Roles & Responsibilities for Business Connectivity Services
• Defining the Goal of the Application
• Documenting the Data Source

C. Working with BCS Data

• BCS
• Using BCS Data in SharePoint Applications

N/A