The document discusses how to use the Collect Feedback workflow in Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 to gather feedback on files from multiple reviewers. It explains that the workflow automatically sends reviewers email tasks with links to the file, and that reviewers can edit the file and provide general comments to complete the task. The workflow sends all tasks at once rather than sequentially, and reviewers can check out a file to ensure they have enough time to provide feedback.

1. Microsoft ® Office SharePoint ® 2007 Training Workflows II: Collect feedback for a file Jim Taliaferro Community Mental Health Center

3. Overview: Feedback is essential Workflows II: Collect feedback for a file Does your organization use a Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 site? Do you use document libraries on that site to share files? If so, it’s essential that you know how to use the Collect Feedback workflow. This workflow allows you to gather feedback for a file in an automatic and efficient fashion.

5. Lesson How to collect feedback

6. How to collect feedback Workflows II: Collect feedback for a file Collecting feedback for a file can be challenging. However, if you save a file to a document library on a SharePoint Server 2007 site, you can use the Collect Feedback workflow. The workflow will send out the e-mail for you without using attachments, and will show everyone’s changes in the same copy of the file. Pretty convenient.

7. How it works Workflows II: Collect feedback for a file You start the Collect Feedback workflow from the document library that contains your file. Then, the workflow sends each reviewer an e-mail message, which SharePoint Server 2007 calls a task. The message will provide a link to the file. After the reviewers click the link, the file will open for them and they can give feedback.

8. Giving feedback Workflows II: Collect feedback for a file When someone opens the file that needs feedback, they have two buttons available to them: The Edit Document button. People should click this button first to make changes to the file itself — that is, if any changes are needed.

9. Giving feedback Workflows II: Collect feedback for a file When someone opens the file that needs feedback, they have two buttons available to them: The Edit this task button. This is the final thing each person should do. When they click this button, a dialog box will appear that lets them type a brief, general comment about the file.

10. Giving feedback Workflows II: Collect feedback for a file Important : Reviewers must click Edit this task , and then click Send Feedback in order to complete their task. If reviewers skip this step, the workflow will consider their task incomplete. When someone opens the file that needs feedback, they have two buttons available to them:

11. Before you begin Workflows II: Collect feedback for a file If you want changes tracked in a Word document, you’ll want to set that up prior to starting the Collect Feedback workflow. To do that, click the Track Changes button on the Review tab in Word, as shown here. Then save the document prior to starting the workflow.

12. How it all works Workflows II: Collect feedback for a file How do you start the Collect Feedback workflow, and how do people give their feedback? Let’s look at Frank’s scenario. Frank has written this marketing strategy document, which is stored in a document library, and he needs feedback from Amy, Brian and Chris. Before beginning, he turned on the Track Changes feature in Word. Now he’s ready to start the workflow. Animation: Right-click, and click Play .

13. How it all works Workflows II: Collect feedback for a file How do you start the Collect Feedback workflow, and how do people give their feedback? Say you have a document, stored in a document library, that needs feedback from colleagues. On the Workflows page, click the Collect Feedback link, shown here. Then specify e-mail addresses for each recipient, add instructions, and click Start .

14. Workflow status page Workflows II: Collect feedback for a file If you’re familiar with workflows, you’ll recall the Workflow Status page. It’s also important to use when running the Collect Feedback workflow. This is where you can see who has completed their review and who hasn’t. This is also where you can see the general comments from each reviewer, at the bottom of the page.

15. Tasks sent all at once Workflows II: Collect feedback for a file One thing to be aware of: The Collect Feedback workflow operates a little differently than the Approval workflow. The Collect Feedback workflow sends all tasks at the same time, whereas the Approval workflow sends them one person at a time. That means that in the Collect Feedback workflow, there is no sequential order of who should review the file first, second, and so on.

16. The File in Use message Workflows II: Collect feedback for a file Here’s what happens when two people try to edit a file at the same time. Amy clicked the Edit Document button first, and then Brian clicked that button on his computer just a second later. He gets the File in Use message and is not able to edit the file until Amy closes it.

17. The File in Use message Workflows II: Collect feedback for a file Here’s what happens when two people try to edit a file at the same time. But if Amy leaves the file open when going to lunch, Brian can gain access to the file anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour later. If Amy wants more time to work on the file, she should check out the file first.

18. If reviewers need more time Workflows II: Collect feedback for a file Sometimes people need a little more time to review. The recommended strategy in this case is for reviewers to check out the file first. Click the Microsoft Office Button point to Server , and then click Check Out .

19. When check out is required Workflows II: Collect feedback for a file If your library is configured to require check out, then you and reviewers will see the Check Out button instead of the Edit Document button. When you click Check Out , the file is then reserved for you until you check it in.