Contributing content to
a Sharepoint website could not be easier! As with most tasks in Sharepoint, there are several ways to add new items to a list or library.
Document Lists
To add an item to a list on the page such as announcements or events:
Or
Click on the Title Bar of the list, and you will navigate to the default detail view of the list. From there you can click on "New Item", and with certain lists, you can also "Edit in Datasheet", which is handy for making many changes in a spreadsheet style.
Or
Depending on the type of item you are adding or editing, you can provide certain information:
-
Announcements require a Title and Body of the message to be posted. Be aware that very long announcements will be truncated on the default list of the home page. Announcements can have an expiration date. After that date the item will be deleted automatically.
-
Events have a Title and a beginning date and time, and optionally have an ending date and time. This is handy for a two day conference or a one hour meeting. Description and location can provide more information about the event. To create a reoccurring event, such as a weekly staff meeting, choose the appropriate occurrence and specify the day of week or month. The system will automatically create as many events as you would like. An event can also have its own workspace where members can collaborate on attendees, agendas, documents, minutes, and other details. See "Creating a site" for more information on meeting workspace.
-
Links simply require a Title and a URL (an address, or Universal Resource Locator. Sharepoint provides a "Test" button to assure the URL is accurate. It can save time if you simply navigate to the page you want to link, copy the text from the address bar, and then return to the form and paste the address text into the input box.
-
Contacts require a Name, and are useful for displaying a set of persons with their phone and email address. Other optional information you can store includes their company and mailing address.
-
Tasks have a person assigned, a status indicator, and date fields for completion. This kind of list is most useful for meetings and projects.
-
Custom lists allow you to define the columns and views for your own style of information. See Creating Lists for information on the types of fields and options available.
Document Libraries
Contributing to a library can be just as easy, but more options are available for documents. One attribute of a document library is the default template used by the "New Document" link. When you click this link from the library view, Sharepoint will open a template such as a Microsoft Word document.
"Upload Document" is the more common method for adding to a library. This form has a "browse" button that allows you to select the document from your local computer, and the file is uploaded and saved for use by others.
A document can be "Checked Out" for modification. Other contributors can not modify the document until the document is checked back in, but it can still be opened for reading. See Creating Lists for more information about document libraries.
Document libraries can be configured "Content Approval Required", where new documents do not appear on the public list. The contributor creates a document and it appears in the "Pending" list. The administrator has an "Approve/Reject Items" list view where the item can be approved for public view. The contributor has a "My Submissions" link to see the status of their documents. See Creating Lists for more information on Content Approval