Answers to Webinar Questions about Colligo Products
Well, our recent webinar, “The Myths & Truths of Email Management with SharePoint.”, with Joel Oleson, was a resounding success with almost 2100 registants. As Joel pointed out on his blog, this was the “Largest Global SharePoint Webinar/Webcast Ever!”.
There were so many questions from the attendees that we couldn’t get them answered during the allotted time. Joel was kind enough to post the answers on his blog to the questions directed to him. He also posted a series of podcasts on the material he presented during the webinar.
I pulled out the Colligo questions and I’m going to answer them here. Please let me know what you thought of the webinar. If you are interested in hearing a replay, you can get it here.
Q) Where does Colligo save its cache? I heard not in a PST or OST.
A) Contributor caches SharePoint content on the users local file system. The default cache location is in the users local profile area; the location can be changed. It can be moved to any other valid path, including: the local file-store; network location; or other (for example, USB drive). For performance and connectivity reasons the local file-system is the preferred location for the cache. Contributor can be configured to secure data using the Windows Encrypting File System (EFS); a good introduction to Windows EFS can be found on Wikipedia. EFS can be configured to be compliant with the Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS 140-1 and FIPS 140-2).
The Colligo Contributor Administrators Guide provides a bit more detail on how the deploy and configure the products.
Q) Also, could you please repeat what you said about Colligo and Outlook ONLINE mode? Does colligo not work with Outlook in cached mode?
A) Colligo offers a number of versions of its SharePoint product line. All versions work with Outlook in cached mode. The standard version enables users to selectively cache SharePoint content on their local machine. There is also a read-only version (Viewer) and an online-only version that does not cache SharePoint content (Outlook Online) available. Both standard and Outlook Online versions will cache content that is dragged and dropped onto Outlook folders when a user is offline, then syncs it to SharePoint when the user comes back online.
Q) Does Contributor add-on for Outlook require that email be enabled in SharePoint?
A) No. Only a standard document library is required on the SharePoint side, not an email-enabled library. Once configured with the right columns, email metadata (eg: To; From; Date; etc) will be extracted automatically from emails to columns with the corresponding names when users drag-and-drop emails into a Contributor folder in Outlook. This document on the Colligo support site explains this feature further.
Q) Offline sync is already provided with Office 2007 so why would one want to use Colligo?
A) Outlook 2007 only supports offline access to files already in document libraries, and two way-sync of discussions, contacts, tasks, and calendars. It does not support upload of emails, and attachments to SharePoint document libraries, nor does it support the application of metadata, filters or views. It does provide the ability to upload email messages to SharePoint 2007 Discussion lists, however, the “Subject” and “Body” properties are captured, but the majority of email metadata is lost or changed in this process. For example, Outlook changes “From” to the person who added the email to the Discussion list, not the original author of the email. Many organizations require full metadata extraction even for just collaboration purposes. Storing email in a discussion list is usually not considered an option for email retention purposes.
Colligo Contributor Add-In integrates many SharePoint elements into the Outlook interface, including document libraries, lists, metadata, views, and content types. With Contributor Add-In, files and emails can be dragged and dropped into SharePoint document libraries that are accessible through the Outlook folder tree. Emails can also be moved or copied into SharePoint automatically using Outlook rules. When an email is moved to a SharePoint folder, an event handler on the client extracts the message fields (e.g. To, From, Cc, Received, etc.) and automatically populates the corresponding metadata fields in the SharePoint document library. Users can also set the content type and add custom metadata at that time, or later (from within Outlook), for further classification. The email, attachments, and metadata are immediately uploaded to SharePoint as a .msg file with an automatically generated unique name.
We’ve posted a few articles on this blog on the topic, here and here.
Q) What will be the performance issues on Outlook when using offline sync when it is creating PST files.
A) The big problem of using PST files to store emails is that they are not backed up on corporate servers which puts the data at risk. Outlook 2007 stores SharePoint offline in PST files, though they are synced with SharePoint.
Q) Why do you think e-mail management hasn’t taken off in terms of document management?
A) It’s still in its infancy in terms of maturity. Email has been around for a long time, but it’s very unstructured. Today it takes people to turn mail into more structured information. Colligo is an example of turning your mail into structured data and integrating it into document management.
Q) What about metadata?
A) Colligo Contributor enables users to set content type and metadata at the time they drag-and-drop content into SharePoint. This means that they do not need to go to the browser afterwards to set required metadata or change the content type. With Contributor, users always stay in the Outlook interface.
Metadata support was further enhanced with Contributor Version 3.1 (released in June 2008). Folder-level metadata support fills in a SharePoint gap by enabling users, or IT through the configuration file mentioned earlier, to set default metadata properties at the folder- or list-level. Metadata prompting can then be turned off so users need only drop content into a folder to automatically upload and set default metadata. Also released in 3.1 was Office 2007 metadata support which enables users to set metadata through the “Document Properties” pane in Office 2007 as an alternative to the Contributor “New Item” dialog.
The “column support” feature group on Features section of the Colligo support site describes the wide range of support for SharePoint metadata.
Q) Where are Colligo data stored locally in off line mode?
A) Contributor caches SharePoint content on the users local file system. The default cache location is in the users local profile area; the location can be changed. It can be moved to any other valid path, including: the local file-store; network location; or other (for example, USB drive). For performance and connectivity reasons the local file-system is the preferred location for the cache. Contributor can be configured to secure data using the Windows Encrypting File System (EFS); a good introduction to Windows EFS can be found on Wikipedia. EFS can be configured to be compliant with the Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS 140-1 and FIPS 140-2).
Q) Can Colligo separately capture and apply content type metadata to document attachments in MOSS?
A) Yes. As you know, content types can provide a way to specify document retention policies, which are used to determine when files are to be deleted or where they are routed for archival. When a user drags and drops attachments into a document libraries, they can be prompted to add custom metadata and set content type at that time.
Q) What versions of Office does Colligo Contributor work with?
A) Colligo Contributor works with both Office 2003 and Office 2007. It also works with SharePoint Portal Server 2003 (and WSS 2.0) and MOSS 2007 (and WSS 3.0).
Q) Does Colligo support single instance store for documents that are stored in a list by two users?
A) Yes. When two users make a change to the same document or list item, a conflict will be created during the synchronization of the change. When this occurs, the Errors and Conflicts pane is opened and the conflict is displayed. The conflict is also highlighted in the list where the item resides. The user has the option to select which version (server or local) should become the new current version on the server. If they select the server version, the local copy with their changes will be permanently deleted. If the user selects the local version, it will be uploaded to the server on the next sync cycle and become the latest version.
Q) Does Contributor need to be installed on Sharepoint server or is it just client application?
A) Colligo Contributor is a 100% client installation. The .msi is about 5MB. Installation is highly configurable. There’s a good knowledge base article on the Colligo support site that talks about the different installation options.
Q) are you recruiting .net developers?
A) Yes. We currently have some openings for good developers. Please send your resume to devjobs@colligo.com to the attention of Dave Foster, VP Development.
Q) Did Colligo provide a solution to migrate existing public folder to SharePoint including security attached to these public folders.
A) Colligo does not enable bulk migration of content stored in Exchange Public Folders to SharePoint. Some of our customers, however, are using Colligo Contributor Add-In to enable end users to migrate the content themselves, since they can simply drop emails and attachments in Public Folders directly into Colligo SharePoint folders. Contributor does support moving multiple files at a time by the way. User-based migration can provide some benefits since it enables end users to choose important content that needs to be moved.
Q) Is colligo contributor compatible with Outlook cached mode for offline working?
A) Yes. Colligo Contributor works in both Outlook cached and non-cached modes.
Q) Are Content Type Groups supported?
A) . Content types that are based on a content type group are supported by Colligo Contributor. If a global change is made to a content type group, that change will be reflected in the content type that is cached on the client next time a full sync is performed.
Q) What kind of “script language” is used for Colligo Scripting in terms of script a Colligo installation..?
A) The Colligo Contributor AdminShell is provided to allow administrators to perform specific administrator-functions with Colligo Contributor. It is possible to supply a script for the Admin Shell to execute. For a complete description of AdminShell commands please see this document on the Colligo support site.
Q) Will Colligo work with Outlook 2003 and WSS?
A) Yes. Colligo Contributor works with both Office 2003 and Office 2007. It also works with SharePoint Portal Server 2003 (and WSS 2.0) and MOSS 2007 (and WSS 3.0).
Q) How is the local cache secured?
A) Contributor can be configured to secure data using the Windows Encrypting File System (EFS); a good introduction to Windows EFS can be found on Wikipedia. EFS can be configured to be compliant with the Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS 140-1 and FIPS 140-2).
Q) Can colligo be configured by group policy? How scalable is configuring the client for very large organisations?
A) Contributor offers administrators the ability to configure a number of settings at install- or post-install-time. Contributor saves settings in the registry. Many settings can be configured post-install by pushing out settings to the registry. The Colligo Contributor Administrators Guide provides a bit more detail on how the deploy and configure the products.
Colligo Contributor is very scalable. We have many large organizations with thousands of users deployed. We would be happy to provide references if you need them. There are also some case studies on our website.
Q) Can I add custom meta-data like ‘tags’ to annotate the content using Colligo contributor, and how do these tags then integrate with SP (are they retained)?
A) Colligo Contributor enables users to set content type and metadata at the time they drag-and-drop content into SharePoint. Afterwards, these are retained in SharePoint. Users do not need to go to the browser afterwards to set required metadata or change the content type. With Contributor, users always stay in the Outlook interface.
Metadata support was further enhanced with Contributor Version 3.1 (released in June 2008). Folder-level metadata support fills in a SharePoint gap by enabling users, or IT through the configuration file mentioned earlier, to set default metadata properties at the folder- or list-level. Metadata prompting can then be turned off so users need only drop content into a folder to automatically upload and set default metadata. Also released in 3.1 was Office 2007 metadata support which enables users to set metadata through the “Document Properties” pane in Office 2007 as an alternative to the Contributor “New Item” dialog.
The “column support” feature group on Features section of the Colligo support site describes the wide range of support for SharePoint metadata.
Q) Rules in MS Outlook – can they be used with SharePoint folders (using Colligo product)? I’ve tried setting up a rule for document library/discussion SharePoint folder in Outlook, but it wouldn’t work.
A) Yes. Outlook rules can be used to automatically move emails to Colligo folders for sync to SharePoint. It doesn’t work in Outlook because Outlook 2007 doesn’t support uploading emails to SharePoint by itself.
Q) How is Colligo licensed? Is it different for online and offline configurations?
A) Products in the Colligo Contributor 3.0 product family have an up front license fee, then annual maintenance and support fees. They can be purchased from the Colligo store, direct from a Colligo sales rep (email sales@colligo.com), or through one of our partners. Volume pricing and other enquiries should be directed to sales@colligo.com. The one-off pricing for offline product SKUs are available on our website. The licensing is the same for the online-only version, but the price is discounted.
Q) Is this a sales pitch for Colligo?
A) Good question. While we are in business to make a profit, we endeavor to provide content and speakers that are of general value to the SharePoint community. Of course we pick topics that we know something about, and that usually means somewhere in the webinar we talk a little bit about how Colligo applies to the subject at hand. We always hope that people who attend our webinars find value in the material we present and don’t feel it’s just a sales pitch.”
Q) What is the full cost of the contributor please?
A) Currently, the Colligo Contributor product line is priced in single lot quantities (including one year of maintenance and support) as follows: Colligo Contributor Client at USD$125/copy; Colligo Contributor Add-In for Outlook at USD$125/copy; and Colligo Contributor Pro at USD$150/copy. A 30-day trial of Colligo Contributor Add-In is available from the Colligo website.
Q) What are the differences between Colligo Contributor and Colligo Outlook Add-in?
A) Colligo Contributor is a family of .NET client applications that extend SharePoint to the desktop. The Colligo Contributor product line includes three products: Contributor Client (a standalone desktop client), Contributor Add-In for Outlook (SharePoint in the Outlook interface) and Contributor Pro (a combination of both interfaces).
Q) Does Colligo Contributor work with Microsoft Online’s SharePoint product?
A) The short answer is yes. We recently announced our support for SharePoint Online. Colligo was a part of the SharePoint Online beta and our products have been fully tested against it. By the way, Contributor Add-in will enable you to move content from Exchange Online to SharePoint online through Outlook if you plan to use it.
Q) Does the SharePoint Server backend need modified to accommodate the Outlook Plug-In, or is this a client modification only?
A) Colligo Contributor is a 100% client installation. The .msi is about 5MB. Installation is highly configurable. There’s a good knowledge base article on the Colligo support site that talks about the different installation options.
Q) How about such a product for Lotus Notes?
A) Unfortunately, most of the Colligo functionality presented will not work in a non-Microsoft environment. We have been considering doing a Lotus Notes drag and drop component similar to the Contributor Drop Box (see the bottom of this page). This would enable users to drag and drop out of the Lotus Notes client and have the emails stored in SharePoint. It would extract standard email properties and enable the user to set custom metadata at the time of drag and drop. Let us know if you would be interested in a product like this.
Q) Can u let me know about how to configure e-mail clients with MOSS 2007?
A) MOSS itself does not have any direct support for email clients. Outlook 2007 supports offline access to files already in document libraries, and two way-sync of discussions, contacts, tasks, and calendars. It does not support upload of emails, and attachments to SharePoint document libraries, nor does it support the application of metadata, filters or views. Colligo Contributor Add-In integrates many SharePoint elements into the Outlook interface, including document libraries, lists, metadata, views, and content types. With Contributor Add-In, files and emails can be dragged and dropped into SharePoint document libraries that are accessible through the Outlook folder tree. The email, attachments, and metadata are immediately uploaded to SharePoint as a .msg file with an automatically generated unique name.
Q) Will this suit for Lotus domino server?
A) Please see answer two questions back.
Q) How do you manage the UI if you have large number of libraries that you need to be able to copy to e.g. 300 projects each have a list which I might want to sync email to – how do I browse/search for the relevant list in the Outlook/Colligo UI?
A) SharePoint lists can be linked easily from within the Outlook UI. In version 3.2 a “connect” button is installed on the Outlook toolbar that let’s users self serve the link between Outlook folders and SharePoint. There is also an option to push out a configuration file to users which syncs a minimum set of folders to Outlook. So IT can control what is to be synced.
Contributor is optimized to work very well in the folder tree in Outlook. We have customers with a large number of folders and the interface is performing well.
The big issue here is manageability for the end user. Does it make sense for the user to have to deal with 300 document libraries? Perhaps a better way is to reduce the number of libraries and use folder hierarchies instead. Contributor supports default metadata at the FOLDER level, so users can drag and drop content into folders and the metadata is automatically set. Views and filters can then be used to organize content into projects.
