Site Settings Part-7 ( Site Collection Administration )

Welcome to the last part of site settings in SharePoint 2013. So, let’s begin quickly.

Today, we will be discussing about Site Collection Administration features. Here, you can see the followingsettings in the below category. Let’s discuss about them one by one.

 Recycle Bin

Here, we have Recycle Bin with a new added feature showing the view as per the End User Recycle Bin items and Deleted from end user Recycle Bin.

Site Collection Features

The following are the Site Collection features. It contains default features and custom features (created by developers).

Site Hierarchy

The following view contains the Site Hierarchy which displays Content’s URLs, Titles of contents like (List & Document Library) and a link to Manage them directly going to content library and list settings.

Site Collection Navigation

This contains the site collection navigations which contain options to enable Navigation Enabled like the Left Navigation and Global Navigation, then we have Security Trimming and Audience Targeting to be enabled to all the sites in the Site Collection.

Search Engine Optimization Settings

Here in search engine optimization settings, we can optimize it by adding metatags in the pages. You also have an option to filter the link parameters to avoid link based on popularity coming up as the search option.

Site Collection Audit Settings

It is a beautiful feature to track down the log files for changes in the site contents like Editing items, Checking out or checking in Items or Moving or Copying items to another location in the site and lastly Deleting or restoring items.

It also logs in the events of searching feature, editing the content type or a column and even the changes in the permission levels.

Audit Log Reports

This feature is the same as the previous versions where the reports are generated on content viewing, content modifications, deletion, content type and list modifications all related to content activity reports, then we have Information Management Policy Reports which contains Policy modifications and Expiration and Disposition. Then under Security and Settings Reports, we have Auditing settings, Security Settings and Lastly under Custom Reports, we have Run a custom report in which you can configure your filter yourself to generate a report.

Portal Site Connection

Then, we have a new feature to connect to your own external content by entering the URL or the name to connect to the portal.

Content Type Policy Templates

Again a new feature in SharePoint 2013 where we can set up policy in content type as well which is to be satisfied before deleting it.

So as per below screen shot, you can either create one or Import a policy.

You can create the policy using the form below. You can add up Name and Administrative Description, then we have Policy Statement. You can have the Retention policy where you can schedule the content by specifying the sequence at each stage.

Then, we have Auditing specifying if you want to audit the items and documents subjected to policy. Lastly, Barcodes which can be included as per policy to the documents and Bar codes can be attached.

Then, as mentioned, we can Import the same settings to their other sites by exporting the similar kind of policy and importing it back.

Storage Metrics

Here, as we can see, it contains the size of the site on the right corner and all the contents below.

Site Collection App Permissions

It contains the App Names or the site content’s Display Name and their interface identifier regarding their permission level.

Site Policies

Here, you can create new Site Policy putting in Name, Description. Then, we have rules to have Site Closure and Deletion configuration where we have three options:

·         Do not close or delete site automatically

·         Delete sites automatically

·         Close and delete sites automatically

Lastly, we have Site Collection Closure settings which makes them as read only when it is closed.

Content Type Publishing

Then, we have content type publishing hubs where we can see we have Refresh All Published Content Types where we have an option to refresh all the updated content types in site collection level.

Then, we have Content type error log which contains errors that will cause during content type syndication for this site which will have the following fields - the Item, Failure Stage, Message and the time.

Lastly, we have the Hubs for storing the content types for our case, it is our site collection which will be storing the content types.

Site Collection Output Cache

As per our screen, we can see Site’s Output Cache settings. Where we have Output Cache option to enable or disable them, so it will enable it to generate the output using the query input by the Administrator.

Then, we can maintain a default page output Cache Profile where you can provide an option as to how long items should be held in cache.

Then, we can see a Page Output Cache Policy which will define the page which is to be used to provide the cache output values.

Lastly, we have an option for default Cached Debug information on the pages which will help us developers to closely track the error logs.

Popularity and Search Reports

Popularity and Search Reports are a part of generating Excel reports based on a lot of queries as shown in the screen shot.

They are as follows:

Usage Reports

Usage

This report shows historical usage information about the site collection, such as the number of views and unique users. Use this report to identify usage trends and to determine times of high and low activity.

This report shows popular search queries that received low click-through. Use this report to identify search queries that might create user dissatisfaction and to improve the discoverability of content. Then, consider using query rules to improve the query's results.

No Result Queries by Month

This report shows popular search queries that returned no results. Use this report to identify search queries that might create user dissatisfaction and to improve the discoverability of content. Then, consider using query rules to improve the query's results.

Usage Reports

Usage

This report shows historical usage information about the site collection, such as the number of views and unique users. Use this report to identify usage trends and to determine times of high and low activity.

Number of Queries

This report shows the number of search queries performed. Use this report to identify search query volume trends and to determine times of high and low search activity.

Search Reports

Top Queries by Day

This report shows the most popular search queries. Use this report to understand what types of information visitors are seeking.

Top Queries by Month

This report shows the most popular search queries. Use this report to understand what types of information visitors are seeking.

Abandoned Queries by Day

This report shows popular search queries that received low click-through. Use this report to identify search queries that might create user dissatisfaction and to improve the discoverability of content. Then, consider using query rules to improve the query's results.

Abandoned Queries by Month

This report shows popular search queries that received low click-through. Use this report to identify search queries that might create user dissatisfaction and to improve the discoverability of content. Then, consider using query rules to improve the query's results.

No Result Queries by Day

This report shows popular search queries that returned no results. Use this report to identify search queries that might create user dissatisfaction and to improve the discoverability of content. Then, consider using query rules to improve the query's results.

No Result Queries by Month

This report shows popular search queries that returned no results. Use this report to identify search queries that might create user dissatisfaction and to improve the discoverability of content. Then, consider using query rules to improve the query's results.

Query Rule Usage by Day

This report shows how often query rules fire, how many dictionary terms they use, and how often users click their promoted results. Use this report to see how useful your query rules and promoted results are to users.

Query Rule Usage by Month

This report shows how often query rules fire, how many dictionary terms they use, and how often users click their promoted results. Use this report to see how useful your query rules and promoted results are to users.

Variations Settings

Then, we have the Variation settings which is a very important feature. It is like how the labels will perform when you create a new site, list or a page.

You can also recreate the deleted pages and also you can have a check on the updates on a web part while you are updating one of them.

Lastly sending notifications on newly created or updated items.

Variations Labels

In this part of settings, we can create a new label as per the form below:

Firstly, we can set up the language, then the type of what the label will be, then we will have the Variation Homesite URL, Label name and Description, the Display Name and lastly contracts to put in users who can actually receive notifications.

Translatable Columns

Here, you can select the columns you would like all lists on your targets to translate by default. Individual lists may choose to customize their settings through the Library Settings on the Library tab.

Suggested Content Browser Locations

Here we can have suggested content browser locations settings.

We can have the Display name, url, Description for the content browser locations to be suggested.

HTML Field Security

Here, we can insert external iframes in HTML fields on pages in the site where you can set permissions on the pages to show dynamic content from other web sites and also it will add iframes from this domain.

SharePoint Designer Settings

Here, we see SharePoint Designer Settings for the first time where a developer can configure SharePointDesigner to be enabled or disabled on the site, then we have Enable Detaching Pages from the Site Definition where it states whether to allow Site Owners and Designers to detach pages from the original site. Then, we can see Enable Customizing Master Pages and Page Layouts, where Owners and Designers can be assigned access to Master Pages and other Page Layouts and lastly Enable Managing of the Web Site URL Structure to provide them with access to allow structure of their web site using Designer.

Site Collection Health Checks

This is nothing but a Microsoft Console which will run and check the Site’s space size, load on the site and other statistics parameters.

Site Collection Upgrade

Here, this is a new feature where the site is upgraded, according to the changes made on the master pages and page layouts.

We can see in the below screen shots to see our upgrades.

References : Microsoft & CodeProject

Site Settings Part 6 ( Site Actions)

Welcome to the 6^th part of site settings in SharePoint 2013. Here in this tip, we will be covering the Site Actions of the site.

Site Actions look small with three features, but it is an important part of SharePoint as it withholds our features with which our whole site works.

So let’s see how it works.

Manage Site Features

The first link is Manage Site features, as we can all see the site features in the below screen shots.

It contains default features, custom features (created by developers) and a new added advantage. The apps we download also come up as a feature but it is a kind of a trouble as it does not give them suitable names so all features will have the name as AppFeature.

Reset to Site Definitions

Next, we have Reset to Site Definitions. Here, if you have any custom page and you want to revert it back to a default page without all custom changes and custom web parts, You need to put the URL of that particular page and reset its particular default layout or if you want all the pages to get Reset, you can choose the other option.

Delete this Site

As the name states, clicking on Delete this Site deletes it.

See you again in the last part of Site Settings coming soon.

Site Settings Part 5 ( Search )

Introduction

Welcome to the Search feature in SharePoint 2013. This is a wonderful feature now available for all our important tasks. I know as a developer how many requirements we get on Search and as we don’t have much freedom in other versions of SharePoint we land up making custom search boxes for the users.

But history is not going to be repeated. Welcome to Search in SharePoint 2013.

I know your excitement. Let’s see what it has got for us developers.

Result Sources

Starting with the Result Sources, we can use this feature to scope our search queries. As per the below screen shot, we can see the following default search query which is provided by the external search service andSharePoint.

You can also have your own Query by creating one of your own. Like we can see:

·         Add the Name

·         Description

·         Protocol as to from where you want to query within SharePoint, or in another Remote Connection, Open Search or Exchange

·         Add the type whether it is SharePoint search results related to the indexing of SharePoint or it is People Search results where an index is set up to people.

·         Then we have Query Transform where you can build a query to index your search results.

·         Lastly, we have Credential Information where the search can be set up as if it is allowed to certain people or certain groups.

Result Types

Next, we have in here is Result Types as to how you want the result to display. As in the screen shot, we can see we have Person, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint. These are special templates created to show the search results so if you search a particular user it will come in a specific people template and the others in a similar way.

We almost have everything in our default result types, but if you create a Custom content type then for that we need a different template. But don’t worry, we can create one as below:

As stated, give it a name, conditions as to how you want to query and then select a Template. Template is nothing but a platform to show your results. You can easily create a template in Look & Feel section in SiteSettings to display your query results.

Query Rules

When it comes to Query Rules, you can have one to create queries using default rules like shown below:

As we can see, a Result Source from where you can select a source for your query, once you select any you have options to narrow down the query using user segments and categories.

Using this, you can have your own rule set up for your own search queries.

Schema

Managed Properties

Let’s come to the schema part we need not search for our schema files as it is present in the site settings itself as we can see we can look them up under Managed Properties

Crawled Properties

In a similar way, we have Crawled Properties which can be viewed from the Schema.

Categories

Here lastly, we have Categories which can be viewed as to under what category our search schema falls.

Search Settings

Here, we have search settings where you can enter a search URL if you want it to get searched from an external URL as well. In a similar way, you can identify a page to which the query results should go to and display the results and lastly you can configure the search navigation. These are so good and easy settings which were not available in our configurations in our last versions of SharePoint.

Searchable Columns

We would be aware by the term itself searchable columns which states it contains all the column names which are searchable and included as well can be included in the queries.

Search and Offline Availability

Then, we an exciting option for search and offline availability where we can index the site content as well as the aspx page content, we can also configure the offline client availability and lastly we can render the site and configure it as per our requirements.

Configuration Import & Configuration Export

Then, we have Configuration Import functionality where for every site you need not configure the above settingsagain. You can just export them from the site you want to use to and import it to your desired site, hereby saving lots of efforts.

A real interesting feature, isn’t it?

It does not even save our efforts but also our time which developers like us already have less of.

References : Microsoft & codeproject