New SharePoint Applications and End-User Resources

A while back I griped about the lack of team sites that meet actual scenarios; today I'm pleased to report that Microsoft just released a pile of great sites that fit the bill nicely. It sets a great precedent and demonstrates what's possible, and I hope to see more collections like it sprout online.

Downloads available from SharePoint Applications site:

Absence and Vacation Schedule Board of Directors Case Work Management Change Management Classroom Management Competitive Intelligence Employee Activities Site Employee Timesheet and Scheduling Employee Training Event Coordination

Expense Reimbursement Help Desk HR Programs and Services IT Developer Team Site Legal Document Review Workflow Loan Initiation Management Marketing Campaigns Meeting Management New Product Development Performance Review

Professional Svcs Contracts Professional Svcs Site Project Team Site Public Official Activity Public Relations Work Site Publication Editorial Review Recruiting Resource Center Request for Proposal Management Room and Equipment Reservation Travel Request

Also included is a decent end-user walkthrough of SharePoint features.

[Updated: Yay Bil! Bil Simser has installed the applications to a public server so you can see how they look and what the heck they do!]

While we're on the subject of end-users, APress just released another good SharePoint book, this time it's one for "everyone else." It's the SharePoint 2003 User's Guide, and it's a terrific companion to internal training. Judging by the early feedback on Amazon, it strikes a sweet spot for people who don't like the online documentation or the scattered Training Kit, can't get IT to answer questions without further confusing matters, and don't need to learn about deployment or architecture. You can read a detailed description on the APress site.