Document libraries   Provide a way to share documents with others. When you add a document to a library, it is added to the document list on the team Web site. You can also include a template for any documents added to the library.

Discussion boards   Provide an efficient way to discuss issues important to the whole team.

Web document discussions   Track and save comments to documents without actually modifying the document itself. The document appears within the users' Web browser, and a special toolbar provides options for adding comments.

Announcements   Display the latest news on the home page. You can specify when and for how long announcements appear.

Team events   Alert Web site members about upcoming events.

Surveys   Provide a forum for Web site members to express their opinions about important issues.

Shared favorites   Enable team members to share links to Web sites of interest.

Custom lists   Create custom lists for any purpose.

Subscriptions Subscribe to documents and folders so that you'll be notified by e-mail whenever there is a change.

Integrated with Office XP programs   Open, edit, and save shared files directly in Office XP programs. You can even create a new team Web site from within Office XP programs.

Easy customization by using FrontPage   Create a custom team Web site by using Microsoft FrontPage.

You can create a SharePoint team Web site directly from your Office XP programs. Before you create a team Web site, you should have the following information:

• The URL of a Web server running SharePoint Team Services that will host the team Web site. See your Internet service provider (ISP) or network administrator.
• The e-mail address of each member who will be using the team Web site. Only members can browse or make changes to the site.
• The access rights you want each user to have. You might want to allow some users to edit and add documents to a document library, while you allow others only to browse the team Web site. You assign access rights to members by assigning them to a role. You can also customize the access rights for each role.

  SharePoint team Web site roles

  Browser   View pages, documents, and Web document discussions.

  Discussion Participant   View the team Web site and contribute to Web document discussions.

  Author   View pages, contribute to Web document discussions, and add or modify pages, documents, or tasks.

  Advanced Author   Create content, contribute to Web document discussions, change themes and borders, and recalculate hyperlinks.

  Content Manager   Perform even more advanced authoring tasks including managing subscriptions, lists, and Web document discussions.

  Administrator   Modify all server content and manage server settings and accounts.

• A list of team Web site features that you want to customize. By default, team Web sites come with powerful features. However, you'll probably want to make some changes to suit your group's needs. For example, you might want to prepare a list of the kinds of document libraries you would like to create for shared files such as graphics, monthly reports, and presentations.

Version control   Track changes made to a document and prevent users from accidentally overwriting documents. The check out process prevents others from changing a document until it's checked in. SharePoint Portal Server stores each version, however, so older versions of the document can be reviewed, if necessary.

Document profiles   Add searchable information about a document, such as author and title. You can add custom properties like account number or project manager to capture additional information that would make it easier to organize and find documents in your organization.

Document publishing   Make documents available for users to search or view. SharePoint Portal Server supports both private and public views, or versions, of documents. You can generate as many drafts as necessary before publishing a version of a document.

Approval routing   Ensure that a document is adequately reviewed before being published. When an author chooses to publish a document, publication can be delayed while the document is routed to one or more people for review. Approvers receive e-mail notification when a document requires review.

Web document discussions   Track and save comments to documents without actually modifying the document itself. The document appears within the users' Web browser, and a special toolbar provides options for adding comments.

Indexing and search services   Search for information regardless of its location or format.

Subscriptions Subscribe to documents so that you'll be notified by e-mail whenever there is a change.

The role that you are assigned to determines what types of access you are allowed when working with a site.

Reader   View folders and documents in the team Web site. In enhanced folders, view folders and public documents.

Author   View folders and documents; add, modify, and delete folders and documents; submit documents for publishing.

Coordinator   Modify all content, change the look and feel of the site, and manage server settings and accounts.

Approver   Review, edit, approve, or reject documents that are submitted for approval. An Approver can be a reader, author, or coordinator.

Roles are assigned for each folder and you can have different roles in different folders. On individual documents, SharePoint Portal Server offers the option of denying access to users.