The Understanding SharePoint Journal is a periodical focusing on building understanding of various aspects of SharePoint, including development, customization, usage, business intelligence, workflow, business process automation, and other topics.

In this issue of Understanding SharePoint Journal, you will learn how to develop SharePoint web parts.

This eBook, spanning 76 pages, covers the following aspects of SharePoint web part development:

• web part background
• web part architecture
• core web part development competencies
• web part properties
• web part connections
• user interface development for web parts

Subtopics include:

• web part definitions
• building visual web parts in SharePoint 2007 and 2010
• modifying web part layout in SharePoint Designer
• building web part pages

Please note: This issue is SharePoint version agnostic. Examples are show using SharePoint 2010, but all code runs and all knowledge taught works great in SharePoint 2007 as well.

You can read more about SharePoint Web Part development on the issue page at http://www.sharepointwebpartdevelopment.com/ where you can also download a 20-page preview of the issue.

In the USP Journal issue “SharePoint Content Types for Business Users” you will learn the why and how of SharePoint content types. You’ll learn both the theory and best practices and also explore how to build a complete invoicing solution using SharePoint content types.

In this 84 page issue, you’ll find the following topics covered:

• Content Types and Why You Should Care!
• Content Type Taxonomy
• Behavior, including SharePoint Designer workflows
• Layout and design
• Best practices

In each chapter, you’ll find easy-to-understand explanations about the benefits and pitfalls of content types. In addition, you’ll find step-by-step exercises walking you through how to implement a complete SharePoint solution.

The best part is, you don’t need to write or understand a single line of code. Everything is accomplished using the web interface or the free SharePoint Designer.

Targeted at both SharePoint 2007 (WSS/MOSS) and SharePoint 2010 (SPF/SPS) users, this issue may be your most important tool to help you build scalable and easy-to-maintain SharePoint solutions.

You can buy the issue on the SharePoint Content Types for Business Users page now.

The truth, however, is that despite the initial appearances, much of what you know about SharePoint development from the 2007 version still applies to SharePoint 2010.

So, rather than create a whole new issue which would cover much of the same material as the previous version, I have decided to release a shorter report that covers what’s new in SharePoint 2010.

The report, spanning 69 pages, covers topics such as LINQ to SharePoint, the client object model, and the new Ribbon customization options. In addition, you’ll learn about the new Visual Studio 2010 tools, how to upgrade your code from previous versions, and a range of other new, cool features.

This report is now available for all members of the USP Journal mailing list as is available in the Free Content section of this website. The password is distributed to USP Journal mailing list members only, but because membership is free, you can just sign up to get this report, as well as all the other free content, right now.

Sign up here

SharePoint Designer 2010 offers powerful workflow authoring options, but building such workflows can be bewildering.

This issue targets beginning developers and business users looking to save organizations time and money by automating business processes.

With your purchase, you will get the beautifully illustrated 143 page journal issue plus over four hours of video content, including a recorded lecture from USPJ Academy on SharePoint Designer 2010 workflow types.

Topics covered in the issue are:

• Workflow in a NutShell
• Introduction to SharePoint Designer workflows
• Your first SharePoint Designer 2010 workflow
• Initiation forms and parameters
• Working with variables
• Collecting data from users
• Workflow lookups
• …plus many more

The issue costs $14.95 and you can buy it now from the issue download page at http://www.sharepointdesigner2010workflow.com/

The report is targeted at business analysts and managers who want to know whether to go with SharePoint or not. I’ll show you strengths and weaknesses of SharePoint, show some sample scenarios in which you would or would not use SharePoint, and show you some simple questions to ask yourself or your organization to determine whether you should look more into SharePoint.

The report is available in the free content section on this website. Access is for USPJ mailing list members only, but you can sign up to get access right now.

Sign up on the new report web site at http://www.issharepointrightforme.com/

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spoint.me has a ton of features and I’m not going to bore you with those, but what’s important is this:

There’s a USP Journal group at spoint.me. Inside that group is a set of forums where you can ask questions, leave comments, yell at me for whatever you want, or simply chat with other readers about what you’ve learned.

You need to sign up for spoint.me but it’s free and takes but a few minutes. After that, you get all the brilliant benefits from spoint.me including USPJ forum access

Sign up and join the USP Journal spoint.me group afterwards!

http://spoint.me/

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Now, one year later, thousands of readers have learned about SharePoint through USPJ.

Now, one year later, we’re running full speed toward bringing the world’s first SharePoint academy online. Even through desperate financial times, the USPJ team has grown to more than 10 people, most of which are working on that academy.

Keep your eyes peeled on this blog next Monday, as I have a nice surprise for you then

Happy birthday, USPJ, and thank you so much to all readers, employees, and authors!

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Throughout this issue, I’ll introduce you to SharePoint 2010 whether you are a developer, an administrator, or an end-user (Sorry Mark, I had to put something in for end users since you’re not…)

Here is an overview of the content:

SharePoint 2010 New Features Overview
Get an overview of the new features of SharePoint 2010. In addition, I’ll walk you through installing SharePoint 2010 Beta 2 in a 40 minute video, including installing Active Directory, SQL Server 2008, and the pre-requisites for SharePoint 2010.

Getting Started with SharePoint 2010
This issue will get you started with SharePoint 2010 in record time and walk you through several exercises to show you many of the new features in action. I’ll also show you, in four accompanying videos, how to set up a metadata model in SharePoint.

SharePoint Designer 2010
SharePoint Designer 2010 offers massive improvements over the previous version. I’ll walk you through this new version, including setting up your first SharePoint Designer workflow using the new workflow editor.

Visual Studio 2010 and SharePoint
Visual Studio 2010 completely changes the playing field for SharePoint development. Find out what features will benefit you and if this tool is really for you.

The New SharePoint 2010 Developer
It’s time to learn what the new SharePoint 2010 development model means for you as a developer. I’ll walk you through what you need to learn in order to harness the new features of SharePoint, including the client object model, LINQ to SharePoint, REST and WCF services, using the new UI features, and more!

SharePoint 2010 Administrator Update
The administrator’s job gets a whole lot easier in SharePoint 2010. I’ll walk you through the features that will make your life easier as an IT-pro, including upgrading sites from SharePoint 2007, PowerShell (I promise to make it easy), managing a SharePoint 2010 farm and performance and monitoring.

Oh, and I’ve also included more than two hours of video to walk you through important features of SharePoint 2010, including a 40 minute vide on installing everything you need for a SharePoint 2010 lab environment.

What’s keeping you? Get over to the Introducing SharePoint 2010 site and get your copy now!

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USPJA is an online university style academy dedicated to providing SharePoint training for developers, administrators, and business users on all levels, from beginners to professional SharePointers.

Here’s the official presentation:

http://www.understandingsharepoint.com/training/

I’ll reveal far more information over the coming weeks and if you want to keep up-to-date, there’s even a special mailing list to serve your information thirst.

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