How to: Setup anonymous write access to a list

So you are busy configuring your brand spanking new SharePoint website.  You’ve done all the dirty work (Page Layout, Master Pages etc) and you are now in the nitty gritty of configuring permissions and so forth.  You get a last minute request from you client that they would like some enquiry forms on your site.  What to do?

1. Write your own web part that uses lists for configuration and sends email? NOOOO, please don’t.  I know there is a license consideration here, but if at all possible, ensure you are able to use InfoPath forms on your SharePoint site.
2. Create a contact us list, and edit the InfoPath form to make it look pretty?

   Can I get a collective HELL YEAH?

Here is how to configure option number 2:

Web Application

Ensure that you have created your web application using Claims Based Authentication, this will allow you to enable Anonymous access for it.  Under web application management (~_admin/WebApplicationList.aspx), click on "Authentication Providers” and ensure Anonymous Access is enable:

 

Anonymous Policy

Under Web Application Management (~_admin/WebApplicationList.aspx) click on Anonymous Policy.  Ensure that no policy is selected.  Note:  You can get more granular with enabled write deny policies based on zones, but I’m just keeping it simple for now.

Site Collection Permissions

Navigate to Site Permissions (~_layouts/user.aspx) and click on Anonymous Access in the ribbon.

Ensure that Anonymous Access is enabled for the Entire Web Site.

Congratulations, anonymous access has now been enabled for your website.  Important thing to note is that by default you have now set read-only permissions for the site.

Configuring Write Access on a list

Navigate to the required list. In the ribbon click on List Permissions.  In the ribbon click on Anonymous Access.

Click on Add Items to ensure users can add, and click on OK.

Anonymous users can now add items to your list and from there you can configure the next steps be it as simple as an alert or perhaps something more complex like a workflow to ensure requests from the website get the attention it deserves. 

Fun with SharePoint 2010 pages

I was recently asked to look into why a page could not be checked-in after editing.  The person in question had completed all the basics check including permissions et al, but still could not check the page back in after editing.  I quickly resolved the problem, but realised that it may not always be straight forward so here are a couple of key things to consider when troubleshooting the authoring of pages:

• If anything out of the ordinary happens after check-in, ensure that you click on “Site Actions –> Show Ribbon” to review the status of the page.  9/10 times this will tell you exactly what is wrong;
• Ensure the page has not been declared as a record or is on hold;
• Ensure that the logged in user does in fact have sufficient permissions to complete the functions (Note:  When workflow is required and it the default were modified, then also look at permissions on related lists e.g. Tasks et al)
• If the ribbon doesn’t help, then navigate to the actual list housing the pages and open the context menu for a bit more granular control of the page.  (Note:  Although the ribbon and context menu are the same, I still found the context menu helpful due to its linear way of displaying the options)

Hope some of these options help you the next time you run into a funny while authoring pages.

Give your LinkedIn Profile an overhaul

Do we give much thought to our profiles when we construct the bio, experience and so forth or do we simply copy and paste what is in our CVs at present?  To be honest, I have spent a bit of time on my profile, but I haven’t really researched the “Top 10 do’s and don’t for your online profile” or tried to make me seem like something I’m not.  There are however other points to this also, for example, if your profile is not good enough / bland / too buzzwordy, then perhaps you won’t even get the interview which is typically where you want to get (if you should be in the job market).

My uncle sent me an email from the LinkedIn blog on what you can do to give your profile a refresh.  There a couple of really interesting points and I really liked the following:

Top 10 overused buzzwords in LinkedIn Profiles in the USA – 2010

1. Extensive experience
2. Innovative
3. Motivated
4. Results-oriented
5. Dynamic
6. Proven track record
7. Team player
8. Fast-paced
9. Problem solver
10. Entrepreneurial 



I don’t agree with all of the items listed above, but I get the point.  Imagine you actually used most of these words in an interview.  I’m laughing just thinking about it.

In any event, I found this article super interesting and although I won’t be doing it immediately, I’ll for sure be spending a bit of time on my profile to give it a once over.

You can read the full article on LinkedIn blogs here – http://blog.linkedin.com/2010/12/14/2010-top10-profile-buzzwords/.  Thanks for the great post Manu (http://www.linkedin.com/in/msharma1975).

2010 in review

The stats people at WordPress.com mulled over how this blog did in 2010, and here’s a high level summary of its overall blog health:

The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads Wow.

Crunchy numbers

About 3 million people visit the Taj Mahal every year. This blog was viewed about 38,000 times in 2010. If it were the Taj Mahal, it would take about 5 days for that many people to see it.

In 2010, there were 101 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 211 posts. There were 46 pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 1mb. That’s about 4 pictures per month.

The busiest day of the year was October 14th with 385 views. The most popular post that day was Comparison: K2 vs Nintex.

Where did they come from?

The top referring sites in 2010 were community.bamboosolutions.com, social.answers.microsoft.com, informationworker.co.za, google.com, and social.msdn.microsoft.com.

Some visitors came searching, mostly for visio shapes, the identity of application pool is invalid, visio templates, kb976462, and this item must be checked out before its properties can be edited..

Attractions in 2010

These are the posts and pages that got the most views in 2010.

1

Comparison: K2 vs Nintex October 2010
7 comments

2

MOSS 2007 Visio Shapes October 2008
3 comments

3

User Profile Sync Setup in SharePoint 2010 Beta March 2010
1 comment

4

SharePoint 2010: Cannot find link to Master Page / Page Layouts? February 2010
5 comments

5

Windows Live Messenger 2011 Not Signing In Through Firewall? October 2010
14 comments