This session provides information on how to best implement a Document Management System within SharePoint. All elements used to create a DMS are explained in detail and best practices are provided as well.

1. CM304 - Thinking LEGO
Mastering the Art of SharePoint
DMS Implementation
Oliver Wirkus (MVP)
Sr. Consultant at DevFacto
Oliver.Wirkus@devfacto.com

2. INITIAL SITUATION
How many DMS projects start ….

3. DETERMINING FACTORS
Considerations regarding a DMS implementation

4. REQUIREMENTS WORKSHOP
Gather requirements from the stakeholders
 What does the customer understand when thinking
about document management?
 How does the customer work with documents today
and where are the “pain-points”?
 How does the customer envision a future document
management system?
 What internal processes, requirements, and
characteristics must be considered?
Important: Understand your customer and their requirements by listening!

5. INTRODUCTORY WORKSHOP
Introduce SharePoint DMS functionality and provide next steps
 Quick introduction to SharePoint and standard
possibilities for working with documents
 Examination of observed pain-points and outlines of
possible solutions
 Detailed description of the migration plan and the
migration process
 Explanation of further steps based on a project plan
and definition of milestones
Important: The customer wants to be confident that they have been understood!

6. STRUCTURE WORKSHOP
Work with stakeholders on building a structure for a corporate document repository
 Quick introduction to SharePoint site structure, site
templates, document libraries and folders
 Examination of corporate policies and requirements
regarding the structure of a document repository
 Involve all units and divisions
 Explanation of further steps regarding the creation of
the document repository structure
Important: Coordinated document repository structure concept for the entire enterprise!

7. METADATA WORKSHOP
Work with stakeholders on a corporate metadata structure
 Short presentation on metadata and their value to
document management
 Involve all units and divisions
 Support tool: Use an Excel sheet to build metadata
structures (can be imported back into SharePoint)
 Term sets should be comprehensive…these can still be
amended later
Goal: Coordinated metadata concept for the entire enterprise!

8. CONTENT-TYPE WORKSHOP
Work with stakeholders on a corporate content-type structure
 Short presentation about content types and their use
for document management
 Involve all units and divisions
 All available document types should be known and
validated (e.g. via a review)
 Consideration should be given to the previously
defined metadata structure
Goal: Clear alignment of corporate document types to content types!

9. CONTENT-TYPE CONCEPT
Work with stakeholders on a corporate content-type structure
 Up to three (3) company-wide (global) metadata
definitions per content type (required)
 Up to four (4) unit-specific metadata definitions per
content type
 Optional metadata and required metadata should
be well-balanced
Content
Type 1
Global Global Global Devision 1 Devision 1 Devision 1 Devision 1
Content
Type 2
Global Global Global Devision 2 Devision 2 Devision 2 Devision 2
Content
Type 1
Global Global Global Devision 1 Devision 1 Devision 1 Devision 1
Content
Type 2
Global Global Global Devision 2 Devision 2 Devision 2 Devision 2

10. USING TEMPLATES
Associate approved corporate document templates to Content-Types
 Close tie-ins with the MS Office client applications
 Saving directly to libraries, no need to navigate with
URLs
 Easy transition from previous ways of working
 Ensures that new documents are created based on
an approved corporate document template
(corporate Governance)

11. DOCUMENT EDITING
Enable additional features regarding editing of documents
 Enable Versioning
 Clear User Experience advantages
 Be aware of Draft Item Security!
 Offer Check-In / Check-Out functionality
 Helps users transition from previous ways of
working
 Co-Authoring works with:
 Microsoft Office client application
 Microsoft Office Web apps

12. DOCUMENT SET vs FOLDER
Avoid folders if possible – check if Document Sets are an alternative
 Multiple documents can be grouped together as a Document Set
 Comparable to a typical file folder
 Document Sets are saved as one single entry in libraries
 Document Sets are much more powerful than folders
 Recommendation: avoid using folders in libraries!
 To use, the relevant Site Collection Feature must be activated
 … and a custom Content Type based on Document Set must be added to each library!

13. DOCUMENT SET BENEFITS
Document Set provide the following benefits
 Permitted Content Types can be defined
 Metadata are inherited from Shared Columns by all documents in a
Document Set
 The Welcome Page is configurable
 Columns to display metadata can be defined
 Individualized logos can be displayed
 SharePoint Designer can be used for configurations
 Default documents can be added automatically when a Document Set gets
created
 Workflows can be linked with Document Sets
 Version control can be implemented for Document Sets und embedded
documents

14. RATING vs LIKE/DISLIKE
Rating is a great feedback channel, 5-Star rating is more meaningful
 SharePoint offers two (2) different types of Ratings
 Both types of rating can be configured for every library or list individually
 Helps to engage users and to improve search results
 Can safely be added via PowerShell to Communication sites. (Reference)
5-Star Rating (anonymous)Like / Dislike (personalized)

15. DOCUMENT CENTER
Create a Document Center to be a central repository for corporate documents
 All available possibilities are introduced and
summarized in the “Document Center”
 Configure Document Center
 Design the Welcome Page
 Set up permissions
 Create libraries based on Content Types
 Define procedures, e.g. when documents are
moved to a Document Center

16. DOCUMENT CENTER APPROACHES
There are mainly two approaches which can be used to build document repositories
Traditional Distributed

17. DOCUMENT CENTER STRUCTURE
How to build an internal structure for a corporate document center

18. SiteSiteSite
CONTENT-TYPE SYNDICATION
Utilize the Content-Type hub as central repository for all corporate Content-Types
 Corporate Content Types should be saved and
managed centrally
 SP on prem: Site Collections are defined as Hubs
within the Managed Metadata Service
 SP on prem: Activate the Site Collection Feature
Content Type Syndication Hub
 SP Online: Already defined OOTB
 Content Types are published via a TimerJob (Content
Type Subscriber Job) – Content-Type publishing can
take some time!
Content-Type Hub
Site Site Site
Corporate Content-Types
https://<<Tenant>>.sharepoint.com/sites/contenttypehub

19. PUBLISHING DOCUMENTS
How can we ensure, that documents are saved to the correct libraries?
?

20. CONTENT ORGANIZER
Create a rule-based automatic document forwarding system
 Users do not necessarily need to know where to save a document.
 The Content Organizer automates saving within the Document Center
 Documents are moved to target Libraries based on defined rules
 Users use the Drop Off Library exclusively
 The required Site Feature must be activated:
 Documents can also be moved to other sites:

21. CONTENT ORGANIZER
Create a rule-based automatic document forwarding system
Rules are based on Content Types…
…and expressions that evaluate metadata…
…and a target library where documents are moved
when rule applies

22. CONTENT ORGANIZER
Create a rule-based automatic document forwarding system
 Documents should not remain in the Document Center forever. They must be checked or subjected
to review periodically!
 Setting Retention Rules (in Information Management Policy Settings)
 Retention Rules are based on conditions and actions
 For example: “When document is older than one (1) year, execute a workflow”
 Retention Rules are configured based on Content Types and Metadata
 Local Retention Rules apply to individual Libraries or Folders. They are activated via this Site
Collection Feature:

23. SUMMARY
In a nutshell – this is what I want to show you
 Professional Document Management is possible
with SharePoint
 Many features improve working with documents
 Templates support the building of structures
 Content types and metadata can both be
managed centrally
 SharePoint is optimized for large volumes of data
 Office 365 & Azure offer solutions to protect your
documents

24. MY BEST-PRACTICES
Personal lessons-learned from various DMS-related SharePoint projects
 Use workshops with all divisions in order to create metadata structures truly reflective of company
requirements
 Use Content Types and Content Type Inheritances whenever possible! Provide corporate templates
associated with Content-Type to ensure a consistency!
 Carefully plan Content Organizer Rules! Involve corporate divisions as Rule Administrators!
 Subject Metadata and Content Types to multiple validations before beginning the implementation of
a Document Center or Records Center in SharePoint!
 Involve corporate divisions as metadata administrators. Metadata should not be administered by the
IT department alone!
 Decide on a document repository structure that reflects corporate requirements and policies.
 Plan user-adoption campaigns and tailored training for all employees!

25. QUESTIONS
Are there any questions regarding Document Management in SharePoint?