Provisioning

In collaboration scenarios, SharePoint webs are often created dynamically, i.e. when a new project is started. These webs can be based either on standard SharePoint base templates or on custom site templates (developed specifically for this purpose). Usually, collaboration workspaces need to be customized to meet the business requirements for the collaboration environment and might have to be updated frequently. For this purpose, MatchPoint provisioning templates provide a simple solution for creating custom site templates in a SharePoint environment without having to redesign and deploy site definitions.

Provisioning templates can be managed by selecting the link Provisioning Configurations (on the Instance Administration site) or by pressing [Ctrl+M]. All existing provisioning templates are listed (see Figure 16) and new configuration can be created.

Using Provisioning Template Configurations

If a provisioning template is used as a SharePoint site definition, changes on the provisioning configuration root element require that the configuration is re-published. Changes on the underlying WebDefinition element (or below) do not require publishing.

Publishing templates requires farm administrator permissions, using a PowerShell CmdLet. For more information, please refer to the document MatchPoint Installation Guide.

Provisioning Configuration File

Within a provisioning configuration file, the root element contains basic configuration parameters that will determine the specifications of the SharePoint site template.

Once the root element is specified, two kinds of web definitions can be created within a provisioning configuration:

• A WebDefinition element allows specifying a standard SharePoint web.
• A PublishingWebDefinition allows specifying a SharePoint publishing web.

These two configuration elements are described within the following sections of this chapter. Additionally MatchPoint provides a mechanism for exporting an existing web as a provisioning template. For more information please see section Exporting Webs as Provisioning Templates.

Web Definition

Within the WebDefinition element, the "content" of the provisioning template is configured. The various configuration parameters determine layout, behavior and content of the SPWeb created by the provisioning template. All parameters are optional and their usage depends on the specific requirements of the site template.

Web Parts

Within a provisioning configuration, Web Parts can be configured

• on the default page of the new web on the WebDefinition-element
• on WikiPageDefinition elements within a ListDefinition
• Within a FormDefinition element for a ListDefinition

Within a PublishingWebDefinition additional configuration elements can be configured with Web Parts, see next section.

The following Web Part definitions are available:

• WebPartDefinition: specifies a standard SharePoint Web Part,
• WebPartReferenceDefinition: specifies a MatchPoint Web Part; the configuration is simplified and allows selecting an existing MatchPoint Web Part configuration file.
• XsltListViewWebPartDefinition: specifies a SharePoint "List View Web Part"

SharePoint Lists and Document Libraries

A ListDefinition element specifies a list or document library that should be created on the new web. If a list already exists (i.e. because it is created by the base template) it can be modified. Please note that you can modify the default create/view/edit forms of a list by using FormDefinition elements.

Tags and Folder Settings

Within a web definition, various configuration elements can be specified with additional settings:

• TagCollectionConfiguration allows defining tags for a container element.
• FolderSettingsConfiguration allows defining tag folder settings for a container element.

Tags

Various elements within the provisioning configuration can be configured with MatchPoint tags. For more information on the usage of tags, please refer to Tagging-chapter. Within a provisioning template, tags are specified using a TagCollectionConfiguration element:

• The WebDefinition element
• All ListDefinition elements
• Folders and items within a ListDefinition element (e.g. ItemDefinition or FolderDefinition)

Folder Settings

A FolderSettingDefinition element defines MatchPoint folder settings for an element within a provisioning configuration. Folder settings can be specified for all container elements:

• The WebDefinition element
• All ListDefinition elements
• All FolderDefinition elements

Permission Assignments

The WebDefinition elements can be configured with permission assignments:

• AccountPermAssignmentDefinition allows specifying permissions for a user account
• RolePermAssignmentDefinition allows specifying permissions for a workspace role

Permission assignments can be specified for any container element within a provisioning configuration:

• The WebDefinition element
• All ListDefinition elements
• Folders and items within a ListDefinition element (e.g. ItemDefinition or FolderDefinition)

Language and Navigation Settings

A SharePoint Web is always provisioned for a specific language. In multi-language environments, a web can be made available for other languages by using the language settings and specifying alternate languages.

In the provisioning configuration there is the parameter ProvisioningLanguage on the WebDefinition and PublishingWebDefinition configuration elements. The ProvisioningLanguage parameter specifies the language that is set as the current user interface language during the provisioning process. With this language existing SharePoint objects like lists or content types are identified and string resources are resolved.

If a web is exported using the "Save site as template" functionality (see section Exporting Webs as Provisioning Templates) the property is automatically set according to the primary language of the exported web.

Site Columns

The ColumnDefinition element allows the definition of site columns that should be created on the new web.

Content Types

A ContentTypeDefinition element specifies a SharePoint content type that should be created on the new web.

Enabling Features

A FeatureDefinition element specifies a feature that should be activated on the new web. The feature Colygon.MatchPoint.Workspace is automatically enabled when a workspace is created using the Workspace Editor Web Part.

Publishing Web Definition

A PublishingWebDefinition is essentially identical to a WebDefinition, except it provides additional functionality for SharePoint publishing webs:

• On the PublishingWebDefinition element itself, the CustomMasterPageUrl property allows changing the web's default page.
• The PublishingNavigationDefinition element allows specifying more detailed navigation settings.
• Within the PublishingPageDefinitionCollection configuration element, Web Part pages can be configured (to be placed within the "Pages" document library).

Exporting Webs as Provisioning Templates

Existing SharePoint structures can be exported as MatchPoint provisioning templates. Therefore, new templates can be created very easily by creating a SharePoint site, configuring it according to the business requirements and then exporting the site as a template.

MatchPoint provides two export mechanisms:

• If the MatchPoint feature Colygon.MatchPoint.Provisioning.SaveSiteAsTemplate is activated on a site collection, the export functionality is available directly within SharePoint: Every SharePoint site within that site collection provides a link Save site as provisioning template on its "Site Settings" page. This will automatically create a provisioning template based on the current site and save it within the "MatchPoint Configuration" document library.
• From the "SharePoint 2016 Management Shell", a PowerShell CmdLet can be used to export any SharePoint site.

The two mechanisms can also be combined, e.g. by exporting a SharePoint site using the PowerShell CmdLet and then uploading the template for use as a provisioning template.

The created provisioning template will include any content/functionality that is available on the base web. Since a lot of functionality (e.g. activated features, site content types, etc.) is already provided by the SharePoint base template, it is necessary to remove redundancies within the provisioning template manually.