SharePoint and Workfront : How are you using it plus tips and tricks

[LauraRa1]

I've started this discussion in the hope some good tips, tricks and general info can be posted to help those using the SharePoint integration with Workfront. We are 2 months into using Workfront and have integrated SharePoint so we can store and manage all our project documentation. We feel that SharePoint offers better version control based on our needs, however, our process has been to upload a pdf version of any document we want an approval on as Workfront handles the approvals better. We use 365 version of SharePoint. Intersted in your processes, comments and tips. Thanks!

[TerryCl]

Hello, Did you get workfront to see your sub sites in Sharepoint - We cannot get workfront to see subsites or an area.

[LauraAn4]

We are planning to integrate SharePoint, so would like to hear more about your process and any tips that you may have. We're still several months out before we will be integrating.

[LauraRa1]

Hi Laura :) We are successfully using the SharePoint integration. We have had some teething issues but it's mostly been ok. I'm assuming you're using 365? We use check in/check out currently which makes it a bit laborious but that's how the PMO wanted it configured. It would be much easier if we just used collaboration but it's a preference at the end of the day. We also use document sets rather than folders - again just a preference. Only one real issue is when you click on a linked folder and you're using Chrome, it downloads the file rather than going to the link. If the user isn't aware of the difference then it becomes a problem with duplicate documents. Let me know if you have any specific questions, I'm happy to help

[IanRo]

Hey Laura, It sounds like we are in the exact same boat. We use 365 SharePoint and Workfront. We have personally had a ton of problems with the integration and I have filed over half a dozen bugs. However, they appear to all be fixed now, so hopefully it will be smoother from here on out. We have not actually started using an online approval process yet (still emails), but are working towards it. Most of the employees in my organization use Chrome, which is what is so great about 365 SP. You can now open documents from any browser, not just IE. Unfortunately, you are right, from Workfront itself, you can only open the files when you are using IE, and not Chrome. Here are some things I think could solve the issue or mitigate it slightly. I have contacted Workfront on the first three: Fix the issue so that Chrome can actually open files from Workfront Have a link somewhere on Workfront to take me to the SharePoint locaction of the folder I am in. Users could then open from there. Have a link in the approvals email that goes out to users, taking them to the SharePoint location of the folder, so they can open it. Install Chrome extensions There is one that makes Chrome imitate IE. Unconfirmed that this works right now. There is another one that enables you to right click on a link and then select "Open in IE". I'd love to hear if you find a way to get around this issue also, or other ways to use Workfront and SharePoint. My support from Workfront has been somewhat limiting. At first they just kept telling me they don't have SharePoint, so they cannot test my issues. Whenever I suggest they don't have a solid approval workflow, they just suggest I use ProofHQ, which just doesn't work for us :(.

[LauraRa1]

Hi Ian We’re definitely seeing the same issues and we too have received varied support from WF, it feels half supported and I often run into ‘that’s the behaviour we expect’ which usually seems to make little sense. I like your suggestions for improvements, these would help for sure. It’s not very seamless at all for our users, I’m often being asked ‘why can’t I get to this link’ or this link isn’t working. If feels like they started working on the SharePoint integration then decided against it half way through. The only other suggestion I have is to add the URL link directly to the document, in the task details. That seems to be the most reliable and popular solution, besides going in through SharePoint which about 50% of our users do. I think that lack of response to this thread I started says it all - chicken or the egg though - has Workfront slowed down its interest in SharePoint because there’s not many users utilising it or aren’t there many WF users utilising SharePoint because of Worfkronts lack of interest in the connector….. Laura Ray Project Support Analyst Bakkavor Information Systems Bakkavor Group West Marsh Road, Spalding, Lincolnshire, PE11 2BB, UK Direct: +44 (0)1775 763 010 www.Bakkavor.com // Laura.Ray@Bakkavor.com< [cid:image002.png@01D22E9A.0E3B6320]

[EricLu2]

Hi: We would integrate SP and WorkFront if it were easier - if someone could describe how it is done. We spent a month or so trying to get someone in WorkFront to describe how to do it. I was told to schedule a remote consultant. As usual, the remote consultant was clueless and promised to get back to me, and he never did. I think uptake is poor because WorkFront does not facilitate this integration. The system is working as designed. Oh my, I feel passionately about this one. If your auto has a flat tire, and you speak to a mechanic about it, and the mechanic says the tire is working as designed, well, that doesn’t solve the problem at all, does it? I think “working as designed” is a totally lame excuse proffered by defensive software developers who cannot conceive of their code having any flaws. I completely disregard “working as designed” as a valid reason for anything being broken. Either they got lousy requirements or they have a software bug. It isn’t right, fix it. Don’t tell me to check my computer for viruses, reboot, and then tell me the software “is working as designed”. Happy Tuesday to all! ☺

[LauraRa1]

I like your rant Eric, I feel exactly the same. I came up against this on my ticket where documents were deleted in sharepoint but still showed up in Workfront. They told me that it was expected behaviour and not considered a problem or bug. Hmmmmm. We are successfully using SharePoint but as mentioned previously it’s a bit buggy so I’m not sure I’d recommend anyone using it if they’re able to manage documents via Google etc. Laura Ray Project Support Analyst Bakkavor Information Systems Bakkavor Group West Marsh Road, Spalding, Lincolnshire, PE11 2BB, UK Direct: +44 (0)1775 763 010 www.Bakkavor.com // Laura.Ray@Bakkavor.com< [cid:image002.png@01D22EDA.A8876740]

[IanRo]

The last message I got from Workfront support: "After looking at different forums from Google Support they all state that what is happening is that Chrome does not have the ability to just open the File, Chrome has to actually download it and then open it up and what IE does is they Save the file but in a Temporary area so it can open the file on the browser but it actually does not save/download it until you tell it to save it but at the moment Google Chrome does not have that function. Again I do apologize for the troubles that this may cause for you and your team. I was able find out in those Google Support Forums they state they people are creating extensions that can be found on the Google App store in Chrome that might be available for it to download but I can not say for sure if those will work because they are extensions and not something Workfront created. " I also know from experience that feature requests into Workfront (that would build a workaround) is kind of a black hole. So it looks like we are on our own. So Laura, it sounds like you have a task that you use and then put a link to the SharePoint document in that task. Does that mean you guys put it in there manually each time? Thanks, Ian

[georgez88320566]

hi Laura , Have you successfully integrated SharePoint online with workfront? I am looking into a way so we can display SharePoint online page in the Workfront. So far, I tried using external iframe page but no luck. Any comments are welcomed. Thanks George George Zhou Varex Imaging Corporation

[SophieBe]

Technical Workaround: Under Documents Add New Proof Then paste Sharepoint share link in the green web space and hit Enter. Click Create Proof (changing any other settings is optional) Then the clickable link is in your documents. You can then click Document Details, delete the link, and add a new title/name. After you hit Enter, the link itself will still work. Sophie Besl JFF