CLI315 Solution Architectures with Microsoft Office Professional Edition 2003: FabriKam and GeneriCo

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CLI315Solution Architectures with Microsoft
Office Professional Edition 2003 FabriKam and
GeneriCo

• Chris J.T. Auld
• Managing Director- Kognition
• Microsoft Regional Director MVP
• chris_at_kognition.co.nz

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Agenda

• Talk about Microsoft Office technologies in the
  context of Office solutions!
• Solution Scenarios
• Office technologies
• Examples

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Solution Scenarios

• Document Creation
• Reporting
• Line of Business
• ERP
• CRM
• Custom
• You name it!

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Solution Scenarios Document creation

• Client-Side
• User directed/initiated
• Done in the context of the document
• Context specific actions/information
• Assisted authoring e.g. Fabrikam Project Document
• Requires flexibility
• Examples contracts, financial documents
• Server-Side
• Done in bulk
• Must be fast and scalable
• Usually template-based
• Examples reports, etc.

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Solution Scenarios Document creation solutions

• Client-Side
• ISmartDocument
• Microsoft Visual Studio Tools for Office (VSTO)
  2003
• Server-Side
• WordprocessingML/SpreadsheetML
• Both
• VSTO 2005 (Data Islands w/o App running)
• ASPOSE Components (incl Powerpoint)
• ActiveDocs (High end document gen)

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Solution Scenarios Reporting

• Data browsing
• Connect to back-end systems
• Slice dice data
• Leads to actions
• Data viewing
• Server-generated
• Rich formatting
• Can lead to data browsing
• Mail Merges

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Solution Scenarios Reporting solutions

• Microsoft Office Excel
• XML Import/Export
• Pivot Tables, etc
• Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server
• BI Portal
• Microsoft Office Word
• WordprocessingML
• Custom schema support!

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Solution Scenarios Line of business

• Connecting to a single application
• Connect directly?
• Database, Web Service, .NET Remoting, etc.
• Multiple Apps
• Connect to each independently or
• Use a Service-Oriented Architecture
• Single interface
• Much easier for client development

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Solution ScenariosLine of business solutions

• Share work across multiple Office apps
• Connect to systems with managed code
• Web Services
• .NET Remoting
• Enterprise Services
• Some office apps interop better than others
• Build your own (GeneriCo)

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Technologies

• XML (Namespaces, XSLT, XML Schema, XPath)
• Managed Code Support
• Task Pane
• Collaboration and Workflow
• PAG Application Blocks

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Technologies XML

• Native File Format
• Document generation made easy
• Using XPath can query the document for data
• Custom Schema Support
• Documents now aware of data
• XML Import/Export
• Data detached from document!
• Extended Object Model
• Custom solutions target the data, not the
  document

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Technologies XML what it means

• Document format doesnt matter
• Logic not tied to structure
• Information not tied to document
• Less brittle automated grannyware
• Document format or even type can change on
  context
• Microsoft Office InfoPath for gathering
• Word for documentation
• Excel for reporting
• Same Schema

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TechnologiesManaged code

• Many new managed code solutions
• Word and Excel
• ISmartDocument, VSTO 2003
• VSTO 2005
• InfoPath SP1
• Native VSTO (limited)
• Outloook
• Managed Com Add-In
• VSTO 2005
• Powerpoint
• ASPOSE Powerpoint

Always got COM Interop
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TechnologiesTask pane

• Context-specific information
• Can be used to manipulate the document
• ISmartDocument, VSTO 2005
• Show contextual info from other sources
• IBF, Research Services, Smart Tags
• Document-specific
• ISmartDocument, VSTO 2003, VSTO 2005
• App-specific
• IBF (multi-app), Research Services, Smart Tags

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TechnologiesCollaboration and workflow

• Microsoft SharePoint
• BizTalk Server 2004
• Web Services
• SQL Server, SQL XML, SQL Notification Services
• Live Communications Server
• Etc.
• Come to PDC!

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TechnologiesPAG application blocks

• Remember, were coding .NET here!!!
• App blocks apply to us Office devs as well
• Smart Client Offline Application Block
• See BlogCast with AriB www.dot.net.nz
• Updater Application Block

Many Office solutions have very good updating
scenarios all of their own
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Examples

• Available Now
• DVDs swapped for Evals
• Examples for partners, customers and you!
• FabriKam
• 6 Office System Solutions and 4 Infrastructure
  Components
• GeneriCo
• Office System Smart Client connected to SOA

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FabriKamIntroduction

• Solution Platform
• Best Practices, Code Samples
• Team, Department, Enterprise Business Processes
• DVD Code, Documentation, Infrastructure,and
  Resources
• Delivery Format
• DVD, Fully configured and expandable
• (order from msdn.microsoft.com/fabrikam)
• Swap for evals at end of session.
• Documentation on MSDN

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FabriKamSolution overview
Components Solutions
Active Directory Integration SharePoint Library Aggregator SharePoint Routing Service SQL Server SQL XML service Expense Report Technical Manual Creation Project Site Manager Budget Planning Status Report Sales Order Capture/Processing
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FabriKam Solution DetailsExpense report
requirements

• Stored in database
• Tamper resistant
• Identity confirmation
• Automated workflow
• Must not be persisted on client disk

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FabriKam Solution DetailsExpense report solutions

• Stored in database
• SQLXML - shreds Form XML on submit
• SQLXML - recreates Form XML on request
• Tamper resistant
• Digitally sign form on server when it is
  generated
• Identity confirmation
• InfoPath digital signatures and windows security
  context
• Automated workflow
• BizTalk 2004 Orchestration
• Must not be persisted on client disk
• Disable save
• Custom SharePoint Web Part
• Displays form status in workflow
• Generates new/requested forms using SQLXML Adapter

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FabriKam Solution DetailsExpense report
architecture
SQLXML FPC
SQL
SharePoint Web Part
BTS04Orchestration
E-mail(Receipt)
InfoPathForm
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Demo

• Fabrikam Expense Application

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FabriKam Solution DetailsTechnical manual
creation requirements

• Gather project kickoff information
• Project contributors and roles
• Document meta-data
• Chapter headings, descriptions, etc
• Launch Project
• Generate SharePoint site
• Generate initial document
• Make doc generation easy
• Provide Routing and Workflow

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FabriKam Solution DetailsTechnical manual
creation solutions

• Gather project kickoff information
• Single InfoPath form walks user through process
• Launch Project
• InfoPath form submits XML to web service which
• Generates SharePoint site
• Adds users
• Generates WordprocessingML saves to site
• Make doc generation easy
• ISmartDocument solution aids authors while
  writing
• Provide Routing and Workflow
• Custom SharePoint Routing Service

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FabriKamStats

• 20k lines of managed code solutions
• 600 pages of documentation
• Strong Office managed code story
• Word, Excel, InfoPath
• Strong Back Office story
• SharePoint customization
• BTS04 Orchestrations
• SQL 2k w/SQLXML

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GeneriCoIntroduction

• Service Oriented Architecture
• 3rd Party Spec
• The Middleware Company
• IMHO Not as SOA as it should be
• Thin Client
• Mobility Client
• Office System Smart Client

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GeneriCoSmart client requirements

• Must use Office System wherever appropriate
• Must work offline
• Must mimic thin-client application
• Main portal window
• Expense reports
• Employee Reviews
• Tasks
• Product Catalog
• Employee Search
• Must not break thin-client

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GeneriCo Smart ClientChallenges

• Share data across apps
• Effectively call SOA
• Translate between thin client calls and smart
  client calls
• Offline detection
• Data synchronization

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GeneriCoSmart client solution

• Offline
• Smart Client Offline Application Block
• Portal site
• Outlook Managed Code Add-In similar to Today
  Page
• Expense Report
• InfoPath Gather information
• Excel Analyze, approve or deny for managers
• Employee Review
• InfoPath Gather information
• Word Final format of review
• Tasks
• Outlook tasks
• Employee Search
• Information Bridge Framework

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GeneriCo Smart ClientService agent

• Between Office applications and SOA
• Resources shared across client
• Caching
• Communications
• Offline Detection
• Enterprise Services
• De-coupled logic
• App Pool
• Events
• Handles all SOA communication

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GeneriCo Overview
Service Agent
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GeneriCo Service Agent
SOA

Client App (VSTO/IPath/etc)
Service Agent Client Proxy
Service Agent Client Proxy
Service Agent Events
Proxy
Agent
Proxy
Agent
Agent
Proxy
Cache
Service Agent server proxy
Queue Processor
Legend
Office App
Enterprise Services
App Blocks
Entry
Cache Thread
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GeneriCo Service AgentApplication blocks
SOA
Proxy
Agent
Proxy
Agent
Agent
Proxy
Cache
Queue Processor
Entry
Legend
Cache Thread
Office App
Enterprise Services
App Blocks
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GeneriCo Service AgentEnterprise services
Service Agent Events
Client
Client
Client App (VSTO/IPath/etc)
Service Agent server proxy
Service Agent Client Proxy
Service Agent
Legend
Office App
Enterprise Services
App Blocks
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GeneriCo Service Agent
SOA
Service Agent Events
Client
Client
Client App (VSTO/IPath/etc)
Service Agent Client Proxy
Service Agent server proxy
Service Agent Client Proxy
Proxy
Agent
Proxy
Agent
Agent
Proxy
Cache
Queue Processor
Legend
Office App
Enterprise Services
App Blocks
Entry
Cache Thread
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Conclusion

• Combine the power of Office System 2003
• with the power of .Net programming to
• generate enterprise class solutions!

There are examples out there to look at!
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More Info

• http//www.syringe.net.nz
• Presentation files will be up today
• All links mentioned here will be included
• FabriKam DVD order form
• http//msdn.microsoft.com/fabrikam
• FabriKam Documentation
• http//msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/fabrikam/h
  tml/ODC_OFIntroduction_to_FabriKam3
• GeneriCo update coming soon!
• Whitepapers, presentations, sample code, etc.
• http//www.microsoft.com/windowsserversystem/overv
  iew/benefits/cstrial.mspx
• Other Questions?
• chris_at_kognition.co.nz
• www.syringe.net.nz