Click the “Export to Excel” then quickly hold down the left-hand CTRL button.  That will disable several security features within I.E.  If you start to get prompts, then you have identified your browser as blocking the connection (rather than an issue with Project Server itself).

There are a few prompts, each of which is controlled by a different security feature.  I assume you’ve added your Project Server 2010 PWA site to the Trusted Sites (or had your network professionals do that for you).

First: In order to even begin the download, you need to enable your I.E. browser settings to allow downloads.  In Internet Explorer (images and specific settings are for IE 8):

Internet Explorer: Tools > Internet Options, Security Tab, Trusted Sites, Custom Level, Downloads > Automatic Prompting for File Downloads = Enable; File Download = Enable.

You may see the dialog box to Open or Save the Excel Spreadsheet – if you no longer want to be prompted, you have to uncheck the selection “Always ask before opening a file with this extension.”

Second: In order to not be prompted for your username & password, you need to enable your I.E. browser settings to use your current username & password:

Internet Explorer: Tools > Internet Options, Security Tab, Trusted Sites, Custom Level, User Authentication > Logon = Automatic logon with current user name and password.

Third: In order to not be prompted that the file extension (.aspx) does not match the file extension for Excel:

“The file you are trying to open, ‘<FILENAME>’, is in a different format than specified by the file extension.  Verify that the file is not corrupted and is from a trusted source before opening the file. …”

You would need to correct this for Excel, and can be done through a registry edit.  NOTE: Editing your registry is not to be done lightly; editing the registry incorrectly can cause irreparable problems with your Operating System and could result in data loss.  Additionally, this is disabling a security feature that is inherent in Excel 2007 and later versions, and should not be completed without consulting your network professionals. Also, the “Office\14.0\Excel” below refers to Excel 2010; if you have Excel 2007, change that value to “Office\12.0\Excel” and that will edit that version.

The correction:

Key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\14.0\Excel\Security

Value: (DWORD)”ExtensionHardening” = 0

(Values for this are: 0 = Disable Check; 1 = Enable Check and Prompt [DEFAULT]; 2 = Enable Check, No Prompt Deny Open.)

Once you’ve cleared all these hurdles, you won’t be prompted again, and the Project Center views (or other views from within PWA 2010) will be Exportable to Excel.

PWA > Server Settings > under Database Administration, Force Check-in Enterprise Objects

Here’s how to check the cache on the PM’s system:

In Project 2010, go to File > Options, then select the Save Section of the Project Options Screen.

Click “Clean Up Cache, and double check both options for the Project Filter, in the center of the window.  Ensure you clean up both Projects NOT checked out to you, and Projects checked out to you. NOTE: It defaults to Projects NOT checked out to you.

Hopefully that helps clear up one of the questions we’ve been asked a bit.

But what’s not ‘out of the box’ is the configuration setting you would need to enjoy opening up these various documents (.docx, .xlsx, .pdf, etc.) in the browser.  By default, SharePoint 2010 is configured to a strict ‘browser file handling’ scenario, for a more secure environment.

To enable your Web Application to open documents within the browser (something in-demand for PDF users), go to SharePoint 2010 Central Administration.

Central Administration > Application Management > Manage Web Applications

On the Manage Web Applications screen, select the web application, then select General Settings.  About halfway down is the section on “Browser File Handling” – set this to Permissive, then scroll down and click OK.

At that point, many of your documents that were previously prompting for opening local copies will now open up directly in Internet Explorer.  Most importantly, you won’t have to save those PDF’s locally.

Here are the guidelines on those settings:

Permissive Specifies no headers are added, which provides a more compatible user experience.
Strict Adds headers that force the browser to download certain types of files. The forced download improves security for the server by disallowing the automatic execution of Web content that contributors upload.

Remember, this is a less secure scenario, but provides users with the expected response of having their documents open in the browser, as opposed to prompting them to save locally(especially when working with PDF’s).

PowerShell: Update-SPInfoPathUserFileUrl

I recently discovered an interesting find while doing a SharePoint 2007 to 2010 upgrade for a client.  According to the client, they “extensively use InfoPath forms.”  Of course, they were using ‘User-based’ forms, not Administrative Form Templates. (In other words, they published the form straight to the Form Library, rather than using the Administrative Form Library in Central Administration.)

Microsoft includes a section on updating the InfoPath Administrative Form Templates in their Post-Upgrade steps TechNet article (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc263286.aspx), including a great PowerShell command to upgrade all the Administrative Forms at once.  Unfortunately, they don’t include User-based form templates.

Finding an automated solution for the User-based Form Templates was mandatory – I couldn’t expect anyone to update all of those forms by hand, nor wait for me to complete it myself. With a little luck and some savvy word-replacement, I found the right PowerShell tool.

Update-SPInfoPathUserFileUrl (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff607651.aspx) is a great tool, and seems to be even more powerful than the Admin PowerShell command, with good reason.  Three different parameter sets ensure you get exactly the right InfoPath Form Templates.  Because I was completing the migration using the ‘Content database attach’ method, I continued that track and used the Content Database parameter set, rather than any other.

I’m glad I took a little time to find this, but couldn’t find anything about it; as of this writing, the command appears to be orphaned – no links anywhere within TechNet.  Hopefully this will help you, when you migrate your SharePoint environment to 2010.  And if you’re not using InfoPath within your 2007 or 2010 environment, well … you should!

We’re happy to be nominated into four categories for The 2011 PENNSYLVANIA TECHNOLOGY AWARDS GALA, which honors Pennsylvania’s leaders in technology. This is the 19th annual awards gala and it will be held on Friday, March 18th, 2011 at the Whitaker Center for the Arts and Sciences located at 222 Market Street, Harrisburg PA 17101

Springhouse, a leader in SharePoint and Project Management Training in Pennsylvania, was nominated for the following categories:

• Outstanding Leadership in Technology
• Technology Provider of the Year
• Growth Company of the Year
• Technology Company of the Year

We are very proud of these nominations and will work to continue to be a leader in technology in Pennsylvania and throughout the Mid-Atlantic region.

Get directions and parking information

For more information about the TECHQuest Awards Gala, contact Joelle Bailey by phone at 717-635-2108.

October 10-12, 2010 – PMI Global Congress 2010 – North America is a three-day professional development event, hosted by Project Management Institute (PMI). It provides an opportunity for professionals across all industries to exchange ideas on today’s project challenges and emerging trends. There is no better way for professionals involved in projects to keep skills sharp and gain knowledge that they can apply directly to improve project results. The Congress offers knowledge, exchange of ideas, training and exposure to the most current resources for project management, which can have an immediate impact on the success of all projects.

PMI Global Congress 2010—North America was held at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center located in National Harbor, Maryland, USA

Gerry Vogler, Director Of Business Development for Springhouse, was amongst a select group of partners invited by Microsoft to present at the Congress.  Gerry presented on the “The Value of Training in the EPM Space – Driving Adoption and Mitigating Risk in a Project Server deployment.”

“The depth and diversity of the attendees was tremendous” says Vogler.  “I felt honored to contribute and present to these best-of-breed Project Managers.  It’s very impressive to see the community that PMI has created in this event.”

Keynote Speaker:  President Bill Clinton

President Bill Clinton led the United States during a time of unprecedented prosperity and change. In his speech, “Embracing Our Common Humanity,” the former President drew upon his experiences to provide insight into the challenge of globalization, emphasizing our growing interdependence and pointing the way toward a future based on shared goals and values.