- Understanding the SharePoint Server Roles
- Understanding the Reasons for Deploying Multiple Farms
- Choosing the Right Hardware for SharePoint
- Determining Optimal Operating System Configuration
- Planning for Database and Additional Software
- Examining Real-World SharePoint 2013 Deployments
- Addressing Common Business Issues with SharePoint Features
- Deploying a Team Collaboration Solution with SharePoint
- Deploying a Corporate Intranet Solution with SharePoint
- Deploying a Customer Extranet Solution with SharePoint
- Summary
- Best Practices
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
Deploying a Customer Extranet Solution with SharePoint
The primary purpose of the customer extranet portal is to service the needs of customers. The customer extranet enables customers to find information about products and services, and place help desk calls. In some customer extranets, client access is provided for things such as invoice payment and viewing account status and payment history. The customer extranet can also be used for document collaboration and managing joint projects with the customer. The content for this type of portal can originate from internal and external sources.
Meeting the Business Needs of the Customer Extranet Solution
The business needs of this group include searching for information, aggregating content from multiple sources, providing a dynamic view of relevant business information, collaborating on documents, sharing documents, managing joint projects, resolving issues, and providing a means for business transactions. The SharePoint features used to meet these needs are outlined as follows:
Searching:
- Providing customers with a means for viewing information about their account by using web parts that access line-of-business applications to retrieve and display customer-related information
- Enabling customers to find product/service information using the search features of SharePoint without having to speak with a service representative
- In addition to searching, providing the ability to view the results in a variety of ways depending on the needs using the filtering and sorting features of SharePoint
Content aggregation:
- Combining information from various sources into a single source for searching using content sources
- Accessing information from multiple business applications into one view using web parts
Dynamic views:
- Using filters to display subsets of information such as product-specific or location-specific data
- Using sort capabilities to present the information in a different order
Document collaboration:
- Sharing documents with clients using shared document libraries
- Controlling publication of documents using content approval
- Categorizing documents so that they can be easily found using document metadata
- Finding documents on a specific subject by searching the document text or the metadata attached to the document
Working on joint projects:
- Assigning/delegating tasks between parties using a tasks list
- Following up on overdue tasks by using views such as the Due Today view
- Sharing project-related information using a team site
- Discussing and resolving project issues using discussion boards
- Managing the overall project and reporting on status using a recurring event or multiple meeting workspace site
Resolving issues:
- Submitting issues/questions to a help desk using the issues list
- Responding to issues in a timely manner by using the alert feature on the issues list
- Having the ability to check the status of outstanding issues by using the My Issues view
- Managing and tracking issue resolution using views of the issues list
Business interaction:
- Providing clients with access to business information such as invoice/payment status using customized web parts
- Enabling clients to perform business transactions by providing links to web-based application interfaces or customized web parts
Implementing the Customer Extranet Solution
The customer extranet site is implemented using SharePoint 2013 Sites. In addition, integration for SharePoint-compatible applications can be provided using existing web parts, developing custom web parts, and providing links to web-based front ends to business applications. Single sign-on can also be implemented to make it easier for users to access applications.
Features available on the extranet portal home page include a links list, announcements, discussion board, and search. The quick launch area can contain links to lists such as a limited corporate directory (with the listings for the salespeople and other people who customers usually deal with, such as accounting personnel) and frequently accessed shared libraries such as newsletters, training documents, and product information. Areas can be configured for support, product/service information, and billing information. A content source group can be created for the content in each area to make searches more targeted.
Document workspaces can be used to collaborate on documents. Team sites can be used when working with the customer on a joint project. Content sources can be created for product/service documentation and historical accounting information.
Security needs to be tight to ensure the integrity of customer-specific information. Restrictions need to be in place to prevent one customer from obtaining access to another customer’s data.
Outlining Ideas for Using the Corporate Extranet Solution
This section includes some ideas to incorporate into the customer extranet site solution with the elements previously discussed. In addition to providing standard content, use audiences to target specific content to an individual or group of users.
Use the support area for linking to an issues list and a document library containing technical information. Links to supporting websites could also be in this area. Other possibilities would be to include a top 10 issues list and a download library.
Include a shared library with documents relating to products and services offered and links to corporate or other websites that have this information in the product/service information area. There could also be a discussion board on this area page so that clients could submit product- or service-related questions or requests and provide their ideas and feedback on products and services. When there is a need to get specific client feedback, a survey can be used.
Use team sites when working on projects with the customer. Include a tasks list to document division of responsibility, a contacts list for maintaining the contact information for members from both sides of the team, a custom punch list to document items yet to be completed, a general discussion area as an alternative to email for documenting project-related correspondence in a central location, and create a weekly status meeting event or use a multiple meeting workspace for tracking and managing project status.