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QuickPlace Tips Newsletter #3 from Rob Novak (SNAPPS)
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| November 2005 |
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QuickPlace Tips Newsletter: November 2005
Tips from the QuickPlace, Sametime, and Workplace Experts
Dear Rob,
Just a few things to report on before diving into
this edition, which is called "Under the Covers at
SNAPPS!" I'm going to make this a regular feature,
letting you know how we go about development of
some of our coolest stuff here -- from methods to
examples.
Now some of you might be wondering whatever
happened to September and October...well I was
slightly distracted. I got married October 1 aboard
the catamaran Sweet
Liberty in Naples,
Florida, followed by 10 days in Belize. For
some reason, writing my newsletters didn't work its
way into the honeymoon plans. Call me crazy.
So in keeping with the fine tradition of honeymoons,
we're going to look "Under the Covers" at some
QuickPlace work SNAPPS has done in the past. Some
of this stuff is incredibly cool customizations done for
one client and never seen again, and some is given
away at events like Lotusphere. Speaking of
Lotusphere, the gang from SNAPPS will be on hand --
all of us -- to answer questions in six sessions and a
lab. Hope to see you there!
Occasionally between newsletters, I'll write a tip or
two in my
blog. Feel free to drop by.
Rob Novak, President, SNAPPS
rnovak@snapps.com
Under the Covers
Gimme some demos!
I've placed some demo sites on a few of our servers
here at SNAPPS. These represent some past efforts
and compilations that have been shown at
Lotusphere, Advisor LIVE, and other shows, but now
you can go access them and play around all you
want. I'll direct you to some of the
functionality that is important.
1.
http://bigbird.snapps.com/millennia
User name: Drinka Kokaday
Password: snapps
This QP was developed as a custom workflow and
lightweight document management facility for a
company keeping track of the approved "Gold"
documents related to their internal procedures. This
is the one we showed this year at Lotusphere,
Advisor LIVE, and as part of customer demos since it
illustrates several customization features. The
customizations you see include:
- A custom login form (not specific to the QP
but I
always recommend it)
- A custom theme (this one is actually our demo
theme, we built another one for the customer)
- Several custom DHTML/JavaScript forms (see a
document under Approvals)
- Integration of metadata into the import control (a
backend hack if there ever was one)
- Several placebots (nine) to handle document
processing, notifications, etc.
- Embedded XML views to replace QP folders, for
categorization
- User/manager-defined categories -- profiles
where workflow is defined for each document type
(see Categories page)
The application takes documents submitted by the
organization and sends them through a workflow
process. When approvers come to the document,
they can approve it in a single-click step, reducing
the need for training. Revisions are handled with
custom forms (not available in standard QP) and
notifications are managed by agents/placebots. This
application had a high ROI based on prior manual and
even automated solutions.
2.
http://devzone.snapps.com/phase3
User name: Carrie Desofa
Password: snapps
This QP has been part of a three-part session on QP
development we have given to several audiences. It
includes several modifications that were done for
various customers at different times. One of the
original reasons for the QP (especially the forms) was
a global company wishing to capture innovative
marketing ideas from the field across 150 countries.
Some of the customizations:
- A highly customized form (New Ideas -> New
Campaign Concept) that derives values from
JavaScript variables, XML lookups to other areas of
the QP, and innovative data entry mechanisms for
selecting from dynamic data sources
- Custom workflow based on the ideas/budget
submitted by an end user, field lockout on
submission, and custom validation
- Discussion threads in documents, part of the
custom theme (Watercooler)
- A custom export control to output data to csv or
Excel from the QP contents, dynamic & realtime
- Edit in Place -- the ability to view a list of QP
documents, make changes to several on one page,
and submit all the changes at once. Saves a lot of
clicks.
- Expandable and collapsible categories to replace
folders (Account manager view)
I hope this helps you envision some ideas. This
represents maybe 2% of our work with
QuickPlace/Sametime/Domino customization so feel
free to ask if we've ever done a specific task. If we
have we can show it to you, if not we can figure it
out!
Don't Get Too Excited....Now Hold Yourself Back...
Evaluation versions available for AnyPlace SiteMap and ServerMap
As you may be aware, SNAPPS produces five
products -- four productivity products for QuickPlace
and SnappShot
Chat Recorder for Sametime.
For those who've been interested in our dynamic
SiteMap for QuickPlace over the years (I can't believe
it's been five years since it was first developed...),
after much prodding, pushing, and arm-twisting by
prospective clients we have finally developed an
evaluation version.
Ah yes, and along these lines I (taking personal
responsibility here) made the uninspired
move of renaming a few products several months
ago, and after much self-chastisement and even
internal confusion on which product was which, have
changed "SiteMap" back. This initial event on June 6,
2005 became known in company circles as "Rob's
Most Boneheaded Moment of 2005". I think I even
get a crystal award.
So now, AnyPlace SiteMap for QuickPlace and
AnyPlace ServerMap for QuickPlace are both available
as downloads with 21-day evaluation periods.
Imagine - they say what they do, and they're easy
to understand!
Of course, AnyPlace Administrator is also available as
an eval version. AnyPlace Designer (Macromedia
Dreamweaver plug-in extensions) are not, because
you can't build it that way...and it's inexpensive.
I'm not quite dead yet...
Then again, maybe I am (sigh)
Don't forget! QuickPlace 2.0.8 reached
its "End of Life" on April 30, 2005. QuickPlace 3.0x
will reach the same point on April 30, 2006. For a
more detailed list of the dates that IBM software
products are withdrawn from support, visit
the IBM
support lifecycle site. All of
the Lotus products are found under "L". Remember,
QuickPlace was renamed "Lotus Team Workplace" for
the single release 6.5.1. Starting with
version 7, it's back to QuickPlace!
Lotusphere 2006!
SNAPPS will be front and center
Lotusphere is fast approaching, and as such we have
made our bid for sessions. The word is back --
SNAPPS will have four speakers this year at
Lotusphere, with a total of six sessions! In no
specific order, here they are:
- Big-Time Tips and Tricks for Your IBM Lotus
Domino Web Applications: The Great Code Giveaway!
(Rob and Viktor)
- Creating Compelling Business Applications with
QuickPlace 7 Using JavaScript, XML, AJAX and more!
(Viktor and Troy)
- Web Services and Domino 7 -- How to be a good
consumer! (Troy and Jerald)
- An IBM Lotus Domino Developer's Guide to IBM
Workplace Designer (Rob with Chris Reckling, IBM)
- Creating Compelling Business Applications with
QuickPlace -- Bootcamp! (Viktor and Troy)
- Slaying the Dragon 2006! Keys to Selling, Getting
the Fees you Deserve, and Writing Killer Proposals
(Rob - for IBM Partners)
In addition to the sessions, we'll be present at
GURUPalooza, in the Developer's Lab fielding
QuickPlace questions (as a Design Partner, we like to
help out) and of course at the newest event,
Lotusphere JAMFest 2006! Boy have we got a
surprise for you....
But on the sessions, feel
free to write and let me know what specific demos
you might like to see in these topic areas. See you
in Orlando!
The Shameless Plug
Consulting Services and the AnyPlace™ Line of QuickPlace Products
Strategic Net Applications, Inc., better
known as SNAPPS, is a consulting firm with several
key productivity products
for use with IBM Lotus QuickPlace and IBM Lotus
Sametime. Our product information can be found
below, but it might be useful to know what kind of
services we can provide. Over the past six years,
we have done 50 or so projects for QuickPlace,
Sametime, Domino, and Portal customers - each one
unique and each one with a high value to the
customer. It's hard to categorize what we do, but
here is a representative sample:
Strategy and Business ROI
Assistance - Executive consulting on
collaboration strategy
- Business case assistance for advanced
collaboration tools and development
Administration and Architecture
- QuickPlace deployment planning
- QuickPlace and Sametime integration
- LDAP and directory conversions
- Password management, expiration, and strength
enforcement
- QuickPlace usage reporting (New!)
- Handholding for upgrades, consolidation, and
administration
Development and Customization
- Custom workflow design and document
management schemes
- Back-end and Domino integration
- Customized "my places" portal interfaces
- Custom themes, across all Lotus products (New -
includes Portal and Workplace)
- Sametime integration, customization, bots and
development
- Business process place development
- API development - custom notifications,
invitations, auditing, and more
For more information on our AnyPlace line of products
for QuickPlace, visit the links below.
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phone:
+1-913-381-4165
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Be sure to forward this newsletter using the link
below and encourage
your colleagues to sign up! Also be sure
to check out the SNAPPS web site
for information on our AnyPlace line of
QuickPlace products, services, and example
downloads.
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Rob Novak, President, SNAPPS | 10560 Barkley St, Suite 320 | Overland Park | KS | 66212
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