SharePoint vs. SharePoint

It's one of the most frequently asked questions on any frequently asked questions list (right after "How much will this cost?" and "Will it run on my Commodore 64?"). The question that’s keeping everyone up at night is this: What the heck is the difference between Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services and Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007? Allow me to explain…

Windows SharePoint Services is the technology in Microsoft Windows Server 2003 and 2008 that makes it easy to create collaborative Web sites like Meeting Workspaces, Document Workspaces, Team Sites, and more. It's so easy, in fact, that sites and workspaces tend to proliferate fairly rapidly throughout the organization. When a company reaches "critical mass," Office SharePoint Server 2007 (the successor to Office SharePoint Portal Server2003) rides to the rescue.

SharePoint Server 2007 is a standalone product that aggregates Windows SharePoint Services sites and workspaces under a single corporate Web portal. It offers enterprise search functionality, allowing users to search for people or information across the portal. It also extends Windows SharePoint Services functionality with tools for document, content, and records management.

SharePoint Server 2007 also includes an integrated version of Office Forms Server 2007 (also available as a standalone product) for streamlining forms-based business processes, as well as Excel Services for real-time browser access to Excel 2007 spreadsheets. With all of this great functionality built right in, SharePoint Server 2007 not only rides to the rescue, it brings the whole darn collaboration cavalry with it. Heigh-ho, SharePoint, away!

For more information of Microsoft SharePoint Products & Technologies, visit www.microsoft.com/sharepoint.

For more tips and tricks for the 2007 Microsoft Office System, pick up a copy of Evan Archilla's new book, So That’s How! Timesavers, Breakthroughs, and Everyday Genius, available now wherever books are sold.