The Bamboo Team Blog

New Faces of Bamboo: Introducing Korey Whiting

2013-06-19T19:00:00Z

When did you join the Bamboo Solutions team, and what is your role?

I joined the Bamboo team in June of 2012, and my role is Technical Support Engineer.

What are your personal goals regarding your position for the remainder of 2013?

To get my MCITP: SharePoint certification and to continue to learn more about the unique ways different organizations are utilizing SharePoint.

What's your professional background?

Education.

What prompted you to join the Bamboo team?

I started working with SharePoint at my previous job and I decided that I wanted to become more technical.

What were some of your first impressions of working at Bamboo?

I know I already said this, but it's pretty cool seeing and hearing about the different ways people are using SharePoint. Also, one of the first things I thought about was the amount of information that I was going to be exposed to.

With over 70 products to learn, did/do you feel overwhelmed? What's your strategy been for getting up to speed?

At times I can feel like that, but it's more out of frustration because I am not efficiently resolving an issue that I've seen before. My strategy for getting up to speed is to not go more than two weeks without supporting a particular product.

Other than your deep and abiding love of extending SharePoint, what interests or hobbies do you enjoy outside of work?

My hobbies outside of work include the Redskins, Nationals, Wizards (mainly when they play a good team), the Caps, and boxing. I guess I could've said sports.

Announcing the Release of In/Out Schedule Board for SharePoint 2013

2013-06-19T15:15:00Z

When collaborating with, and managing a team's time and effort, it is important to share relevant information with the team, such as everyone's out-of-office schedule, so that the team can plan ahead accordingly for scheduling and coverage. Bamboo's In/Out Schedule Board allows you to do precisely that, with "who's in" and "who's out" of the office notifications, while not over-sharing. In/Out Schedule Board's functionality is now available for SharePoint 2013.

High Level New Features:

New! Now supported on SharePoint Foundation 2013 and SharePoint Server 2013.

Supported on SharePoint Foundation 2010 and SharePoint Server 2010.

Displays current status information for all users in a sortable, groupable, color-coded Schedule Board.

Generates a Gantt-style calendar view of current and future statuses for some or all team members, allowing visitors to review information on individual calendar events.

Quickly scans for individual users by Name, Department, or another run-time filter column.

Allows for easy status updating via the My Status Web Part, which can be added to an external site and used to view and update data from the central Schedule Board site.

Reads user information from either a custom Contact List, or the default SharePoint User Info List.

Administrators can customize the displayed metadata, color-coding, Web Part skin, default search category, and more from the tool pane.

To provide some helpful hints for using In/Out Schedule Board on SharePoint 2013, we've prepared two instructional posts: Using User Info Mode, and Using Contact List Mode.

In/Out Schedule Board for SharePoint 2013 is available for a 30-day free trial.

Want to know which other Bamboo components and applications are currently available for SharePoint 2013? Check out the complete series of announcements via the links below:

New Faces of Bamboo: Introducing Jared Hall

2013-06-18T19:00:00Z

When did you join the Bamboo Solutions team, and what is your role?

I joined Bamboo Solutions one year ago this month; I believe it was around May 10, 2012 that I started my first day. My role at Bamboo Solutions is Customer Support, as I work with customers in trying to solve any Bamboo software-related issues.

What are your personal goals regarding your position for the remainder of 2013?

My personal goals for this year at Bamboo Solutions are to learn as much as possible about the 2013 product lineup, as well as continuing to serve Bamboo's customers to the best of my ability in the Customer Support Department. I have also been thinking of acquiring some more certifications in multiple areas to advance my knowledge in 2013.

What's your professional background?

My Professional Background includes the following:

I was a Senior IT Support Tech at DRH Technology Services from June, 2007 - May, 2012. My experience in the position I held included:

Network administration and IT support for a variety of client small business firms and individuals.
Planned, tested, and installed workstations and software for clients
Diagnostics and repairs for clients
Built new custom workstations for clients
Removal of viruses and malware
Administration, Maintenance, and Monitoring of various Windows 2003/2008 and Small Business Server networks, including workstations and servers.
Installation of wired and wireless LAN systems.
Installed/Maintained Sonicwall Hardware Firewalls
Installation of VOIP systems
Offsite backup of client networks

I have also previously worked as a network Administrator at a small Engineering firm from January, 2004 -June, 2007. My experience in the position I held included:

Network Server 2000/2003 Administration and maintenance
Tested, installed, and maintained workstations and software for workstations
Maintained virus control and removal
Diagnostics and repair of various hardware components including servers, workstations, and printers
Helpdesk support for other employees as required
Daily backups of company data

What prompted you to join the Bamboo team?

When the economy took a dive, the company I was working for at the time was hit pretty hard. I was laid off and started looking for another job; Bamboo Solutions was one of the company's I interviewed with. Everybody I met during the Bamboo Interview process seemed very nice, and I liked what I saw in the company. It seemed that Bamboo Solutions really cared about their employees. The only personal negative of Bamboo was the long distance of the commute I would have to make. However, Bamboo has worked with me and provides me with the opportunity to break off over half of my commute by allowing me to work from home some days of the week.

What were some of your first impressions of working at Bamboo?

When I first started working at Bamboo Solutions I was more than a little overwhelmed by all of the new information that I needed to learn concerning Bamboo Solutions' custom software. However, by working with it repeatedly, I have come to learn, understand, and appreciate how Bamboo's Web Parts help with out-of-the-box SharePoint.

With over 70 products to learn, did/do you feel overwhelmed? What's your strategy been for getting up to speed?

I still feel overwhelmed on occasion, however, working with the products repeatedly really helps to learn the product. I tend to pick tickets that involve products that I am familiar with for the most part, and this helps with continuing to learn new stuff about those particular products. I do, however, also take tickets where I am not that familiar with the product, and this is where I sometimes feel just a little overwhelmed. I do feel more overwhelmed though when I have several tickets that I am working on at one time, as the tickets I am working on start to seem like they are running together.

Other than your deep and abiding love of extending SharePoint, what interests or hobbies do you enjoy outside of work?

I love to kayak; I spend most weekends on the rivers in my area (at least during the spring, summer, and part of the fall). I like white water kayaking, flat water kayaking, and overnight river camping bringing gear in my kayak. I like to take my kids and friends kayaking with me, and everybody has a great time. I also like fishing, but just relaxing out on the water is enough. During the cold seasons, when I am unable to go out on the river, I turn to video games and movies. I am an avid Battlefield fan and play both on the PC and PS3; it seems that as I get older though, this hobby seems to be diminishing in fun factor, so I rarely play anymore. Cooking is another love of mine, as I love to create my own tastes and dishes impromptu. I do use ideas from other people sometimes, but I always like to change it up a little and make it my own. Lastly, camping is also a favorite. I take my family every year to go camping and we have a lot of fun hiking, swimming, being outdoors, and cooking in the Dutch oven over a fire, which is just awesome.

Announcing the Release of Column Level Security and Validator Column for SharePoint 2013

2013-06-18T13:30:00Z

Bamboo's Column Level Security and Validator Column are now available for SharePoint 2013. With Bamboo Custom Columns, you can expand the capabilities of SharePoint as easily as adding a new column to a list or library.

With Column Level Security, you can control access to sensitive data by limiting which users can see and/or edit certain field values. Unauthorized users will simply see masked values, while authorized users can see or edit the data. Store and encrypt text, numbers, or currency values:

With the Bamboo Validator Column, you can specify the format, ranges, values, and more for user input. With predefined or custom-built pattern, value, or range comparisons, you can ensure the data getting stored in SharePoint is uniform and correct. Control data input with a user-friendly interface that eliminates the need to scrub or recapture bad data:

Download a free 30-day trial of Bamboo Validator Column or Column Level Security today, or try the 2010 versions of them both out online today in a free Bamboo Sandbox.

Want to know which other Bamboo components and applications are currently available for SharePoint 2013? Check out the complete series of announcements via the links below:

New Faces of Bamboo: Introducing Michelle Newton

2013-06-17T19:00:00Z

When did you join the Bamboo Solutions team, and what is your role?

I joined the Bamboo team on January 16, 2012, and my role is Customer Support & Renewals.

What are your personal goals regarding your position for the remainder of 2013?

Making sure the My Bamboo accounts are cleaned up and easily navigable by the customer in order to increase renewals and, in turn, bring profit and growth to the company as a whole.

What's your professional background?

Prior to working in Customer Support & Renewals at Bamboo, I previously worked as an Office Manager, as well as a Marketing Manager.

What prompted you to join the Bamboo team?

Looking for a new opportunity that allowed for growth and experience in SharePoint.

What were some of your first impressions of working at Bamboo?

Everyone here is very welcoming and willing to help when you come to a roadblock. I really enjoy the people and workplace environment. Also, lots of yummy food and fun company gatherings!

With over 70 products to learn, did/do you feel overwhelmed? What's your strategy been for getting up to speed?

Getting acquainted with all of the specific details about the products Bamboo has to offer does not greatly apply to my position in Customer Support & Renewals, as I am able to refer a customer to a knowledgeable salesperson if there is an inquiry about Bamboo's products.

Other than your deep and abiding love of extending SharePoint, what interests or hobbies do you enjoy outside of work?

Beaching, hiking, boating, concerts, and animals!

Announcing the Release of Bamboo Lookup Selector and Rich Text Columns for SharePoint 2013

2013-06-17T13:30:00Z

Bamboo Lookup Selector Column and Rich Text Column are now available for use on SharePoint 2013. With Bamboo Custom Columns, you can expand the capabilities of SharePoint as easily as adding a new column to a list or library.

With Bamboo's Lookup Selector Column, you can create easy lookups to lists across sites, and even create dependencies between columns. Automatic duplicate removal and auto-suggests while typing let users get past the clutter to get to the information they need. There is even the ability to select multiple values while still realizing the benefits of linked columns:

With Bamboo's Rich Text Column, you can make rich content creation simple with automatic Picture Library integration, uploading and displaying of images, in-line editing with multi-language spell check, and style support for CSS:

Download a free 30-day trial of Bamboo Rich Text or Lookup Selector Column today, or try the 2010 versions of them both out online today in a free Bamboo Sandbox.

Want to know which other Bamboo components and applications are currently available for SharePoint 2013? Check out the complete series of announcements via the links below:

New Faces of Bamboo: Introducing Jen Schoch

2013-06-14T19:00:00Z

When did you join the Bamboo Solutions team, and what is your role?

While I'm not necessarily a "New Face," I haven't had the opportunity to formally introduce myself yet – I joined the team in November of 2011 as an Account Manager on the Sales Team.

What are your personal goals regarding your position for the remainder of 2013?

Because of the diversity of the territory I manage–which includes the West Coast of the U.S. and Canada, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean–one of my main goals is to gather new use cases and user experiences regarding Bamboo products in order to help share with potential customers how Bamboo products are currently being utilized to enhance business models. For example, I would like to share with our potential customers in Jamaica what our current customers in California are doing to enhance their businesses in using PM Central, which affords me the opportunity to provide potential new customers with real-world examples of how Bamboo products would be a beneficial choice for them. If you are interested in participating and helping me reach my goal of gathering current use cases and user stories regarding our products, or if you have any inquiries with which I may assist you, I have listed my contact information below:

Jen Schoch

Account Manager | Bamboo Solutions Corporation

Direct: 703.964.2016 | Toll Free: 877.226.2662 ext. 2016

Jen.Schoch@bamboosolutions.com

What's your professional background?

I have 5 years of B2B software sales experience and, prior to that, 4 years of B2C sales and customer service experience.

What prompted you to join the Bamboo team?

There was no question that joining Bamboo wasn't going to be fun, but what I was really looking forward to was being a part of a company that was so well known and had such a great reputation within the SharePoint arena. I've been able to witness Bamboo's great presence within the SharePoint arena at various shows and events where I have had the opportunity to represent the company. The number of people who go out of their way to stop by to share with us the great experiences they've had using our products, and how Bamboo's products have positively impacted their business only confirmed–and has continued to confirm–my initial thoughts about joining the Bamboo team.

What were some of your first impressions of working at Bamboo?

Collectively, Bamboo really makes it a point to embrace and practice a team mentality amongst the different departments that make up the company's body. There is absolutely no division between different departments, and everyone is constantly working together, bouncing ideas off of each other and asking for feedback or help when needed. I also couldn't get over how refreshing it was to find a group of people so passionate about their products, and helping their customers achieve their goals.

With over 70 products to learn, did/do you feel overwhelmed? What's your strategy been for getting up to speed?

I had 4 weeks of Bamboo Boot Camp before taking over my territory. Getting acquainted with Bamboo's vast product line was definitely a challenge, but since I came from a company with a very small product line this was an exciting change of pace for me. I spent as much time as I could with other departments in order to fully get to know our products. For example, I spent time with Product Management in order to learn why we developed a certain product; Marketing, which helped me learn how we shared our offerings; Services, which taught me how we trained our users on our products; and Technical Support, which showed me how we offered advice or troubleshooting. The individual products themselves are ever-changing–we are constantly improving functionality and adding features to improve our user's experiences–so with each new version, it's back to Bamboo Boot Camp!

Other than your deep and abiding love of extending SharePoint, what interests or hobbies do you enjoy outside of work?

I am currently working on my skills in the kitchen, and thankfully there are plenty of fellow "foodies" here at Bamboo! We take advantage of any excuse to throw a party! We bring a fun, social aspect to the office as we often get together in the kitchen to de-stress and recharge with Bamboo events like Holiday Baking, our Annual Chili Cook-off, plenty of Spring and Summer BBQs, and celebrations like birthdays, anniversaries and, more recently, announcing the release of our first wave of SharePoint 2013-compatible products! As you can see, there is no shortage of reasons to celebrate with food around here, so this provides me with plenty of opportunities to try out new recipes or some old favorites on my co-workers. To balance out the fully stocked kitchen and celebratory feasts, I've also gotten back into running. I'm currently training for the Army 10-Miler and the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half-Marathon in October.

Announcing the Release of Bamboo Rating & Custom Identifier Columns for SharePoint 2013

2013-06-14T14:00:00Z

Bamboo Rating and Custom Identifier columns are now available for use on SharePoint 2013. With Bamboo Custom Columns, you can expand the capabilities of SharePoint as easily as adding a new column to a list or library.

With Bamboo Rating, you can let users rate items, lists, and even pages through any one of several different UI choices:

Bamboo Rating Feature

Description

Multiple Rating Types

Select from 3 types of rating controls:

True/False Rating	5-Star Rating	10-Point Rating Scale

Variety of True/False (Voting) Controls

Select from 3 styles of True/False (Voting) controls:

Thumbs Up/ Thumbs Down	Green Checkmark/ Red X	Action Buttons with Customizable Text

Customizable Skins for 5-Star Ratings

Select from 8 different skins (colors) for Ratings, including:

Black	Sitefinity	Vista

Half Star or Whole Star Ratings

Define if users can rate using half or whole stars for 5-Star Ratings:

Half Star Ratings	Whole Star Ratings

Detailed Statistics When Hovering

View statistics using tooltips with just a quick hover of the mouse:

True/False Rating	5-Star Rating	10-Point Rating Scale

Real-Time Statistics

Unlike SharePoint Server, where you have to wait up to an hour to view the latest statistics, Bamboo Rating updates the statistics immediately.

Support Across All Lists and Libraries

Bamboo Rating is simply another column type you can choose from when adding columns to any List or Library, including our popular video management library SharePoint Video Library.

Rate Site Pages

Simply add a new column to the Site Pages library, then add the Bamboo Rating Web Part to the individual pages in the library. Bamboo Rating Web Part will display the Rating control right on the Site Page.

Filter and Sort Based on Rating Columns

Filter and sort based on Bamboo Rating columns. Quickly view the highest rated or most popular items by filtering, grouping, and sorting based on the current average rating or the number of ratings submitted.

Allow Anonymous or Authenticated Ratings

Define if users must be authenticated (only one rating per user, but can be updated anytime) or anonymous (users can rate many times).

Allow Individual Item Ratings to be Reset

Uploaded a new version of a document or modified a site page? Need a new set of rating data? With Bamboo Rating, define which users have the ability to reset individual item ratings.

With Custom Identifier Column, you get an easy way to create customizable unique identifiers for items using any combination of text, lookups, dates, site names, and more:

Custom Identifier Feature	Description
Auto-Generate unique values across one or more lists.	Scope the checking for unique values to the current list, site, or across multiple sites in a site collection.
Allow users to manually enter unique values.	Give the users flexibility to manually enter values while confirming the uniqueness of the value on submittal.
Format identifiers	Construct meaningful item identifiers by combining text, date/time, system and column values.
Works with all SharePoint List Types	Lists: Tasks, Announcements, Calendars, Custom Lists, Discussion Boards, etc. Libraries: Document Libraries, Form Libraries, Picture Libraries, etc.
Set Capitalization Option	Force manually entered values to upper or lower case to ensure uniformity.

Download a free 30-day trial of Bamboo Rating or Custom Identifier Column today, or try the 2010 versions of them both out online today in a free Bamboo Sandbox.

Want to know which other Bamboo components and applications are currently available for SharePoint 2013? Check out the complete series of announcements via the links below:

New Faces of Bamboo: Introducing Trevor Evans

2013-06-13T19:00:00Z

When did you join the Bamboo Solutions team, and what is your role?

I joined Bamboo Solutions in June of 2011 as a Support Engineer.

What are your personal goals regarding your position for the remainder of 2013?

My personal goals for the remainder of 2013 are to continue to improve my technical skills in SharePoint 2010 and 2013, and to also take any certification exams that will help me in this process.

What's your professional background?

I have 13 years of IT experience, Lotus Notes administration and Networking.

What prompted you to join the Bamboo team?

The company I was with at the time was beginning to build a SharePoint platform to meet the current business needs. Because SharePoint reminded me a lot of Lotus Notes, and the fact that I like Web Design and Development, from there I started looking for a company like Bamboo Solutions that would give me the opportunity to further my interests, and so I found Bamboo.

What were some of your first impressions of working at Bamboo?

Having dealt with mainly internal customers in my previous position, I learned that dealing with external customers is quite different. The hardest part was not knowing the customers' environments, along with needing to know my own.

With over 70 products to learn, did/do you feel overwhelmed? What's your strategy been for getting up to speed?

It is a LOT of information with 70 products. My personal strategy has been to read and re-read, configure and re-configure, any and all of the Web Parts, as often as I have downtime.

Other than your deep and abiding love of extending SharePoint, what interests or hobbies do you enjoy outside of work?

My hobbies outside of work include art, biking, and hanging out with family.

The SharePoint Conference Announcement is Here: SPC 2014 Coming to Vegas March 3-6

2013-06-13T18:30:00Z

The wait (and the speculation) is finally over, and it's now official: Microsoft SharePoint Conference 2014 will once again take place in fabulous Las Vegas* but, this time around, the action will move from Mandalay Bay over to the Venetian. March 3-6, 2014 are the dates to block in your calendar.

Check out the snazzily animated official (SharePoint, duh) site at sharepointconference.com, and get yourself signed up to receive updates as they become available.

Then start counting the days, 'cause SharePoint's coming back to Vegas, baby!

* Boy, the city of Las Vegas and/or the state of Nevada must offer some serious monetary incentives for repeat conference business, huh? At this point, I guess anytime there's speculation as to where the next SPC will be held, odds should always be on Vegas.

Announcing the Release of List Rollup for SharePoint 2013

2013-06-13T18:00:00Z

One of Bamboo's most popular products now brings its powerful, automatic data aggregation to SharePoint 2013. Bamboo's List Rollup allows you to see and interact with the information you need the way you want, not just how it's stored in SharePoint. Flexible data aggregation schemas let you decide which data to combine and display, and can automatically add new data sources as they are created. The data shown is current and can be updated directly from the rollup without the need to go to the source data lists. With Bamboo's List Rollup Web Part, you get all of the features you need to combine and interact with data from multiple sources.

Aggregate List Data: Combine list data across Site Collections into a single, "live" view. Search, filter, group, and sort the combined data before or after viewing.
Automatic List Discovery: Automatically include new lists of the same type from sibling sites, sub-sites, or the entire Site Collection, or automatically add new lists with the same name.
Combine Different Data: Join columns with different data types, or combine lists of different types.
Use Specific Lists and Columns: Add or exclude individual lists from the rollup, and decide which columns will be included.
Broad Column Support: Roll up data from Multiple Selection Lookup & People and Group columns.
Display Options: Display the combined list data as a standard list view, calendar view, chart view, or grid view (including conditional formatting).
Export Data: Export data from grid view into Excel for offline use

Get started today by downloading a free 30-day trial, or play with it for free in one of our online sandboxes. Be sure to stay tuned to Bamboo Nation for more news on SharePoint 2013 products coming soon from Bamboo!

Want to know which other Bamboo components and applications are currently available for SharePoint 2013? Check out the complete series of announcements via the links below:

How to Connect SQL Server 2012 when Configuring Data-Viewer Web Part

2013-06-13T17:00:00Z

When configuring data in the tool pane of the Bamboo Data-Viewer Web Part with a connection to a Data Source in a SQL Server Table or View, you will see two options for this function:

1. Current Login Account - Standalone Deployment

2. Login Account - Remote SQL Server

I select the Login Account - Remote SQL Server option and, although I have configured all conditions exactly, it cannot connect to the database. You will see a big error show up in the tool pane as pictured below:

In this article, I will guide you on how to remote into SQL server 2012 when configuring Data-Viewer Web Part.

Step-by-step

First, go to the Microsoft SQL Server program, right-click on the root node. Select the Security tab, and check the Failed logins only radio button.

Click the OK button:

Next, go to the SQL Server Configuration Manager.

Select SQL Server Services, and make sure that the SQL Server (MSSQL SERVER) is running automatically:

Under SQL Native Client node, select Client Protocols and enable for Shared Memory, TCP/IP, and Name Pipes:

Under SQL Server Network Configuration node, select Protocols for MSSQL SERVER -> enable for Shared Memory and Name Pipes:

Under SQL Native Client 11.0 Configuration, select Client Protocols and enable for Shared Memory, TCP/IP, and Name Pipes:

Finally, go back to the Data-Viewer tool pane, and then connect to SQL with the Custom Login Account - Remote SQL Server.

After clicking the Load Databases button, you will see that Database Name and Table Name have loaded:

Now, we are able to see data displayed on the Web Part as pictured below:

New Faces of Bamboo: Introducing Lindsay Bergstrom

2013-06-12T19:00:00Z

Editor's note: Longtime readers may recall our "New Faces" series, in which we would introduce our new hires to Bamboo Nation. Shamefully, by my count, there are nearly 20 "new" faces at Bamboo since the series last appeared (in the spring of 2011!). In other words, we're long overdue to make some introductions, so let's not delay any longer, and get right down to it. To kick off this new round of introductions, we're going to turn the clock back to a 2010 hire whose role at Bamboo has changed substantially since her start date: Lindsay Bergstrom.

When did you join the Bamboo Solutions team, and what is your role?

I first started with Bamboo as the Assistant Controller back in June of 2010. My current role, however, is Director of Finance and Operations.

What are your personal goals regarding your position for the remainder of 2013?

Considering my role has changed dramatically over the past 6 months, my current personal goal is to be a strong resource for my team to rely on when needed. Focusing on both Finance and Sales is a hard act to juggle at times, but the common thread in my mind is being there for my co-workers, and using any strengths or tools I have to help them succeed, which in turn helps the company as a whole to succeed.

What's your professional background?

I began my career in 2005 as a DOD auditor for the Defense Contract Audit Agency. Throughout the years, my job has slowly changed from government accounting, to government consulting with KPMG, to a mixture of government and commercial accounting at a software company, and now I am lucky to dip my hand into many pots between accounting, finance, sales, and anywhere else they let me here at Bamboo!

What prompted you to join the Bamboo team?

I was actually recruited by a former boss of mine who was, at the time, the CFO of Bamboo. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to join Bamboo at a pivotal point in the business, allowing me to work in setting up a sound accounting structure that would be able to keep up with the ever-growing organization here at Bamboo.

What were some of your first impressions of working at Bamboo?

That I needed to get a gym membership ASAP! There. Is. Food. Everywhere. A kitchen stocked better than my own house, breakfasts, potlucks, and picnics, oh my! But all joking aside, the food was a miniscule perk in comparison to the people. It was such a friendly, motivated, and encouraging atmosphere. Working with this team made (and still makes) me want to come in every morning and do my absolute best.

With over 70 products to learn, did you feel overwhelmed? What was your strategy for getting up to speed?

Is it OK to admit that I'm still not up to speed? It was very overwhelming, especially because I don't come from a software background. My mindset is numbers, debits, and credits - not SharePoint, Web Front-ends, and applications. But it's a constant opportunity for me to learn, and I can honestly say that the software industry is where I feel I belong (I would have laughed in your face if you told me that 10 years ago). Getting more involved in the sales department and working with multiple departments such as marketing, product management, and customer support has really allowed me to gather more information about the company outside of "just the numbers."

Other than your deep and abiding love of extending SharePoint, what interests or hobbies do you enjoy outside of work?

Ask any of my co-workers what one word describes me and I'm sure you will get the same answer every time: PITTSBURGH. That's where I was born and raised, and we "yinzers" like to describe Pittsburgh as a lifestyle, not just a city. That being said, my interests include Steelers football, Penguins hockey (you can have the Pirates as far as I'm concerned), camping, fishing, softball, and-dare I say it- shooting guns?!? I also love cooking and baking, which may be why I feel Bamboo is the place for me.

In Case You Missed It: The Importance of Project Portfolio Management for the Enterprise

2013-06-12T14:48:00Z

Yesterday, Bamboo presented the third webinar in its Best Practices series which focuses on SharePoint-based project management and how technology can be leveraged to effectively automate and administer key project management functions. The webinar, led by Julie Auletta, Director of Bamboo's Solutions Center, and Rob Manfredi, Business Analyst and Partner at SharePointXperts, centered on the topic of portfolio management, and included a discussion of what is portfolio management, key business drivers and the core PPM process.

After a discussion of the major stakeholders involved in managing a project portfolio, the presentation delved into portfolio management strategy and the common "Create -> Select -> Plan -> Manage" lifecycle inherent to successful portfolio management. Specifically, Julie provided a demonstration of Bamboo's popular Project Management Central (PM Central) application, and the various portfolio management features that it offers. As a comprehensive, turnkey solution for collaborative project management on Microsoft SharePoint, PM Central centralizes several of the key functions of project management to increase efficiency and productivity. In regards to portfolio management, PM Central features several tools that provide you with a simple view of the progress, health, and risk level of a single project or the projects in your entire project portfolio as well as quickly communicate project status, cost, and budget information for each project using any combination of configurable status indicator lists, issue meters, bar or pie charts, and Gantt view widgets

For those who were unable to attend The Importance of Project Portfolio Management for the Enterprise, don't fret! The presentation was recorded and can be viewed in its entirety by clicking here. In addition, you can download a copy of the presentation deck used in the webinar right here.

After watching the webinar and checking out the presentation, you may wish to try PM Central out yourself. At Bamboo, we offer a number of different trial methods based on your needs and requirements. Bamboo offers a commitment-free 30-day trial with PM Central-as well as our full catalog of products-allowing you to deploy and evaluate our technology in your own SharePoint environment. We also offer an installation-free option to evaluate our products in a private or public hosted sandbox environment which is available 24x7 and provides instant access to PM Central, and includes a fully-functional PM Central site you can use to input, modify, and save data freely.

First Look: Bamboo Column Level Security for SharePoint 2013

2013-06-07T13:00:00Z

Worried about keeping columns within a list private and secure without having to hide the entire list from unauthorized users? With Bamboo's Column Level Security, you can do just that. Column Level Security will protect data stored in your lists and libraries, including type text, numeric, and currency, by allowing you to restrict access to an individual column. Simply create a Column Level Security column, and assign any combination of users or groups either Read or Edit access. You can then open the list itself to everyone, and those without viewing permission will not be able to see or modify your private data. In this article, we'll provide you with an overview of Column Level Security.

With Column Level Security, you have the option of encrypting three different types of data:

1. Text - Allows you to input any character.

2. Number - Only allows you to input a numerical value.

3. Currency - Only allows you to input a numerical value.

Copying Old Data:

You can select an existing column from a list or library and copy its content. This is especially beneficial if you want to protect existing data.

Granting User Permissions:

Bamboo Column Level Security allows you to specify which users can edit and read items in a list or library by:

Edit access: Specify which users can edit: Allows you to specify which users/groups can edit the contents of a column. Users with these permissions can view as well as edit a column's contents.

Read access: Specify which users can read: Allows you to specify which users/groups can read the contents of the column.

With these settings, you have the option of either entering an individual user name or an entire SharePoint Group. If you want to grant everyone rights to view the contents, simply select the option All Users.

A Secure Field column, and Lists which contain a Secure Field column, will appear as pictured below:

Accessing List Content:

If a user has been granted the rights to edit the contents of a column, the field will display the content and the user can enter or modify the content as needed.
If a user has not been granted the rights to edit the content of a column, the field will be disabled. If they have Read access, the content will be displayed, but the user will be unable to modify its contents.
If a user has not been granted either Write or Read access, they will see a row of dots in the place where the content would otherwise be.

Bamboo Column Level Security is now available for SharePoint 2013 and can also be purchased for SharePoint 2007 and SharePoint 2010. As always, we invite you to take advantage of a free 30-day trial download to evaluate the product within your SharePoint environment. Trial downloads are available for all three versions of SharePoint.