Sharepoint Information
Setting an email alert
Alerts are a great way to keep informed about changes within a website, without you having to
go and check the page, list, or document in question every single day. For example, in the
Organizational Development group, we set alerts on each of our class registration pages so that
we can be notified whenever someone registers for a class, deleted her/his registration, or
changes it in some way.
An alert sends you an email about changes made to a page and gives you a direct link to view
those changes.
Click on an item for which you would like to receive notifications about changes (additions,
deletions, etc.).
Click on the Actions menu and select Alert Me, or select Alert Me from the item’s toolbar.
In the New Alert page that appears, your email address should appear automatically in the
“Send Alerts To” area.
You will need to specify the
following:
Change Type: what sort of
changes do you want to be
alerted about? (new items,
modifications of existing
items, deletions)
Send Alerts for These
Changes: allows you to set
filtering criteria, so that rather
than getting alerts about
every single change, you can
be more specific about what
sorts of changes concern
you.
When to Send Alerts:
specify if you want to be
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notified immediately, or get a daily or weekly summary.
When you have made all of the necessary choices, click on the OK button.
You will receive an email summarizing the type of alert you set up.
Checking a document out of a library
To work on a document in a library, you must first check it out. If you click on a file and open it,
it will open in a browser window. You can edit the file there, but you will not have access to any
of the normal toolbars you would expect in that application.
Navigate to the correct shared documents location.
Hover over the title of the document you want to check out; a dropdown arrow appears to the
right of the file’s name.
Click on the arrow and select Check Out from the menu.
A green arrow appears on the icon for that particular file.
Note the green
arrow indicating
that this
document is
checked out.
You can now click on the filename and open the file. A warning window may appear, explaining
that opening files can be dangerous and giving the name of the file you are currently trying to
open. Click on the OK button to continue.
Depending on the size of the file, you may see a progress window in the
upper-left corner before the application opens.
Once the application opens, you will see a “Shared Workspace” pane on
the right side of the screen. It shows who has the file checked out and
gives you a link to check the file back in.
When you have a file checked out, remember to save it periodically so
that your work will not be lost. The file will automatically save back to its
location on the Sharepoint site.
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Checking in a document
You can check in a document before closing it in the application. To do so, click on the Check
in link in the Shared Workspace pane on the right side of the screen.
A Check In Comments window appears where you can note the changes you have made; this is
particularly helpful for files you are working on with a group, so that others will know about your
edits.
Once you have entered information about the changes made, click on the OK button to close.
Close the file and the application as well, if necessary.
Note: if, for some reason, the Shared Workspace is not visible, you should get a window that
looks like this when you close the file:
Click on the OK button, fill out the Check In Comments window when it appears, and then click
on OK to complete the process.
Note: Other users won’t see your changes until you check a document in. If you need to keep
working on it, you can check in a version for others to open as a read-only file, and then check
the file back out and continue working on it.
Adding pictures to a picture library
A picture library is quite similar to a document library. There is one library by default; to keep it
from getting too messy departments should come up with a filing system and create the
appropriate subfolders.
The picture library provides a view for examining all pictures as a slideshow, which can be a
good thing. The picture library works with Microsoft Office Picture Manager to make it easier to
edit pictures.
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Navigate to the appropriate Picture Library.
Click on the dropdown arrow beside Upload and choose to upload a picture.
Click on the Browse button and navigate to the picture you want to upload.
Click on the file name to highlight it and then click on the Open button.
When you return to the Add Picture screen, click on the OK button.
The next page that appears displays the photo you selected and allows you to enter additional
information (known as metadata in Sharepoint lingo) about the picture. This step is critical to
ensure that users can successfully search for and organize pictures within the library.
The first part of the screen displays the filename given to the picture originally. If necessary, it
can be edited here to conform with departmental naming conventions.
Below the name the picture itself appears.
Below the picture are fields for additional information.
Title: a more descriptive title than the filename
Date Picture Taken: particularly important to complete if people in your department will be
accumulating multiple pictures of the same person or location and you want to be able to
distinguish among them.
Description: additional information about the image; this appears as alternative text if for some
reason the picture is not available, so it should accurately describe the picture.
Keywords: these terms are used in searches. To be effective, the department should agree
on a set of keywords that will be used consistently.
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Once you have entered all of the metadata for that image, click on the OK button. You will
return to the main page of the photo library.
Uploading multiple pictures
If you need to upload more than one image, click on the dropdown arrow beside Upload and
select Upload Multiple Pictures.
Use this pane
to navigate to
the location of
your images.
In the Uploading Selected Pictures window, use the navigation pane on the left side to locate
the folder where your pictures are stored.
Click on the folder name on the left to display its contents in the middle of the window.
Use the View buttons above the middle pane to change the way the images are displayed
(thumbnail, filmstrip, or single picture view).
To select more than one picture, hold down the Ctrl key as you click on each picture.
The Upload pane on the right allows you to choose whether to upload the original or one that is
in a smaller file size that has been optimized for web viewing.
Once you have selected all of the pictures, click on the Upload and Close button. When the
Upload is complete, you will be returned to the Sharepoint screen. Click on the link that says
“Go back to “[name of picture library].””
You will be returned to the main page for that picture library, where you will see all of the
pictures you have uploaded to date.
Editing metadata for already-uploaded pictures
Click on the picture to open it, and then click on the Edit Item link.
The Edit screen appears; it is the same as the one that appears when you upload a single
picture.
Once you have filled out all of the information, click on the OK button at the bottom.
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What can you do with a picture library?
Once pictures have been uploaded to your Sharepoint site, there are a number of things you
can do with them, including viewing them, inserting in documents or emails, downloading for
use in presentations, or editing them.
Editing a picture
To edit a picture or group of pictures, first check the box beside the picture(s) you want to edit.
Click on the Actions button and choose Edit from the dropdown menu.
A separate window opens; this is the Microsoft Office Picture Manager tool. You will use this
application to edit your picture.
The Sharepoint page becomes a blank page with a link back to the picture library.
Once you have edited all of the pictures, click on the Save and Close button in the lower-right
corner.
All of your changes will automatically be saved back to the Sharepoint site.
When you return to the Internet Explorer page, click on the link to go back to your picture library,
where you will see your newly-edited pictures.
Deleting pictures
To delete a picture or group of pictures, first check the box beside the picture(s) you want to
delete.
Click on the Actions button and choose Delete from the dropdown menu.
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A warning window appears asking if you are sure you want to send the item(s) to the Recycle
Bin. Click on the appropriate button.
Note: if you mistakenly delete the wrong picture, it can be retrieved from the Recycle Bin within
30 days of its deletion.
Downloading pictures
Sharepoint makes it really easy to download pictures directly onto your computer, into an open
file, or into a new file in Outlook, Word, Excel, or PowerPoint.
Check the box beside the picture(s) you want to download.
Click on the Actions button and choose Download from the dropdown menu.
The Download Pictures page appears.
First you must decide the size for the pictures; you can choose Full Size, Preview, or Thumbnail
(these titles translate roughly into large, medium, or small).
If these size options don’t give you the options you need, click on the link for set advanced
download options.
On this page you can choose a different file format as well as choose from a larger number of
picture size options.
Once you have made all necessary choices, click on the Download button.
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The Download Pictures window appears. In this screen you specify where you want the
pictures to go.
By default, Sharepoint will suggest creating a new folder in your My Pictures folder with the
same title as the picture library from which the images were taken.
You can click on the dropdown arrow to choose from other options, or click on the Browse
button to navigate to a folder outside of My Pictures.
If you want to rename all of the files as part of the download process, click on the checkbox
beside “Rename” and then enter the new name in the textbox below.
If you want to view the pictures in Picture Manager, check the “View the downloaded pictures
with Microsoft Office Picture Manager” box.
Once you have made all of your downloading decisions, click on the Save button.
If you are sending the photos to a folder that doesn’t yet exist, a warning window will appear
asking if you want to create a folder with that name. Click on the Yes button to proceed.
As the download happens, you may see a progress window flash on the screen similar to the
one shown below:
Once the download is complete, you will be returned to the main page for your picture library.
Sending images directly to an application
In addition to downloading images to a location on your computer, you can send them directly
into the application of your choice.
The first step is to check the box beside the picture(s) you want to download.
Click on the Actions button and choose Send To.
In the Send Pictures dialogue box, you can choose where the pictures will go. If the file where
you want to put them is already open, click on the dropdown arrow under “Insert into an open
file” and choose the correct destination.
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To create a new file, choose the appropriate application from the list.
If you also want to modify the size of the image(s) before it is sent anywhere, click on the
Options link just above the Send button.
In the Options dialogue box, click on the dropdown arrow beside “Select a size” and make a
choice from the list.
Click on the OK button to return to the Send Pictures dialogue box.
Click on the Send button to initiate the sending process.
Depending on the location you chose, you will see a new file with the pictures or they will be
inserted in the open file you designated as the location.
Your Sharepoint page will return to the picture library.
PowerPoint Information
Copying slides from one presentation to another
If you need to copy from one presentation to another, the first thing to do is open each
presentation.
In Slide Sorter view, right-click on the slide you want to copy and select Copy from the shortcut
menu.
Bring up the presentation into which you want to copy the slide.
Right-click where you want the new slide to appear and select Paste from the shortcut menu.
Tip: To copy and paste multiple slides, hold down the Ctrl key while you click to select all of the
slides. Then right-click, select Copy, and proceed.
Add text directly to a slide
If you have selected an autolayout that includes textboxes:
The slide contains placeholder text instructing you where to click to add text.
Text added here
will be formatted
as a title.
Text added
here will be
part of a
bulleted list.
If you have selected a blank slide:
Click on the Insert menu and select Text Box.
The cursor changes to a crosshairs; click and drag on the slide to draw a textbox where you
want to position the text. Click into the textbox and begin typing.
To move the textbox:
Click on the textbox to select it. Dashed lines indicate that the textbox has been selected, and
the cursor changes to a four-sided arrow.
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Click and drag the textbox to its new location.
Note: to move multple textboxes at once, hold down the Ctrl key and click on each textbox.
Once they are all selected, release the Ctrl key and you can move all of them together (usually
most effective when using the arrow keys).
To resize the textbox:
Click on the textbox to select it. Dashed lines indicate that the textbox has been selected.
Click on one of the dots in the corners and drag to resize the textbox.
If you have existing text in another application:
Copy the text from the original source and paste it onto the slide. This method saves you from
retyping text, but it may require additional formatting work.
Adding drawing objects
To add a shape, click on the the appropriate button on the Drawing toolbar.
The cursor turns into a crosshairs; click and drag on the
slide to draw a circle of the size you need.
Once you have created the circle, double-click on it to
open the Format Circle window. Click on the Colors and
Lines tab.
To get rid of the background color:
In the Fill area, click on the dropdown arrow beside Color and select No Fill.
To change the thickness and color of the circle’s outline:
In the Line area, click on the dropdown arrow beside Color and select a different color.
Click on the dropdown arrow beside Style and select a different thickness.
Click on the OK button to finalize your changes.
Use these drawing
tools to add shapes
to your slide.
Grouping objects
If you want to apply an effect to multiple object at once, they must first be grouped together.
Hold down the Ctrl key and click on each object.
Right-click on the object, select Grouping, and then select Group from its shortcut menu.
All of the objects that were selected will now be treated as one object.
Layering pictures and swapping them out in PowerPoint
Add the first picture:
Click on the Insert menu, select Picture, and then select From File.
Navigate to the location where your picture is stored, select the file, and then click on the Insert
button.
Position the image where you want it on the slide.
Add the second picture, following the same insertion process
that you used before.
Position the second image on top of the first one.
Click on the image to select it; click on the Slide Show menu
and select Custom Animation.
In the Custom Animation pane, click on the Add Effect button.
A new menu appears; select Entrance, and then choose a type
of effect from the list (or click on More Effects at the bottom).
Once the custom animation is applied, you can repeat this
process, adding additional layers of pictures, each of which can
have its own animation.
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Adding animated arrows, textboxes, circles, etc.
Add the objects, being sure that they are in the proper order with the pictures.
Click on the object to select it.
Click on the Slide Show menu and select Custom Animation.
In the Custom Animation pane, click on the Add Effect button.
A new menu appears; select Entrance, and then choose a type of effect from the list (or click on
More Effects at the bottom).
Running Spell Check
Just like other Microsoft Office applications, PowerPoint contains a built-in spell-check function.
To run spell check, do one of the following:
Spelling
 Click on the Spelling button on the Standard toolbar
 Click on the F7 key on your keyboard
 Click on the Tools menu and select Spelling
PowerPoint scans your presentation for any spelling errors. When it encounters what it thinks is
an error, it brings up the Spelling window.
In this window you can choose from the buttons on the right to perform several different actions:
 Ignore: ignores this instance of a perceived error
 Ignore All: ignores all occurrences
 Change: corrects this spelling error. You can click on any of the options in the
Suggestions list to change to that word.
 Change All: makes the change you specify every time this spelling error occurs in the
email.
 Add: puts the word in Microsoft’s dictionary—a very useful feature! Adding a word to
the dictionary means that Microsoft will no longer flag it as incorrect.
When the spell check finishes, a window appears telling you that it is
complete.
Click on OK to end the spell check process.
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