5 Hidden attributes of Microsoft SharePoint

Microsoft SharePoint is today a well established system used world wide for collaborating the efforts of various channels in the company. It has remarkably improved the productivity of various enterprises simultaneously cutting the wastage of cost, time and human productivity. Yet, certain enterprises still remain not fully aware about the hidden capabilities of the system. Here’s discussing the 5 hidden benefits of Microsoft SharePoint, which may have skipped your notice. 

1. SharePoint is available for free – this little tidbit of information will appear to be the music to ears to various companies, small and medium sized business who do not have a big budget left for making large scale IT changes in their work and administration. With the help of SharePoint one can easily create intranet dimension in the office and allow the employees to share documents etc easily.

2. SharePoint makes it very easy for you to control the data – this is a very poignant attribute, which any user would look forward to. SharePoint makes it very easy for your to have control on the files and documents shared. Thus, you can customize the settings and grant special privileges to a few of the employees. Also, with its built in control feature, SharePoint does not allow any member to over write or distort the work of the other employee working on the same project. Thus, the efforts of two different units or employees of the same office can be easily streamlined. Also, the controlled collaboration can be expanded to your clients and customers, by making online portals via SharePoint. This grants you to share the information both inside your company and to the external environment.

3. It is really simple to use – despite all the elusive technical talks, the software is fairly simple to use. It is very well integrated with Word, Power Point and Outlook, and any employee who is familiar with either one these, can start using SharePoint straight, with minimum training.

4. It supports the critical functions of your business – the system is basically designed with the chief aim of enhancing the productivity and streamlining various existing systems, cutting short the risks and time utilization and risks. The system brings close various significant business lines such as Finance, HR, ERP and etc.

5. Visualizing and conceptualizing the data becomes a lot easier – SharePoint makes it very easy to view the data. With the help of this very system, the dead and raw reports come alive in a way which is not possible with spread sheets etc, and hence it allows the management to make sound and well envisioned decisions. SharePoint delivers significant business intelligence based on an exhaustive reservoir of data. Just share it with Microsoft’s SQL server and you would have morbid looking reports come alive spectacularly. It will help your management to understand, view and conceptualize the data, reports etc in a much more refined way.

This simple system will make it very cinch for the enterprise to view and organize its data, stream line the potential and work of various employees and create an interactive and lively environment. Whether you are a novice beginner or an experienced professional, you must explore the hidden gems of Microsoft SharePoint and allow your company to benefit from the same. 

Author Bio:

This post has been contributed by Nathan Strauss, a professional blogger and Sr. consultant at Daffodil Software Ltd. Apart from guiding clients about Microsoft Sharepoint development, he loves to watch tennis and baseball. You can catch him at his Google plus account over here. 

What consumers expect from your eCommerce store?

A consumer’s demand has no end. They would like to a notch higher of perfection, with every effort that you may put. It is often a daunting task to judge what a customer exactly wants, simply because even they are not aware of it. However, various studies and researched have gone under to understand the behavior of a consumer, with regards to the online shopping carts. We are here to provide you with a quick glance at the top 5 features which a consumer would want its shopping cart to have. As delightful as it may sound, now you, as an online merchant has the task of ensuring that your online shop possesses all of these features and if not, you may wish to get these features, ASAP. 

eCommerce Stores

Kindly read ahead to understand what the online shopper really expects from your online store:

1. Clearly stated pricing and shipping information – 
   
   

   

   Clear Pricing and Shipping Information (Image Source: Ebay)

   No shockers here. The biggest reason why consumers often drop the shopping cart like a hot potato is because they are bewildered to see the ultimate price. The sticker shock (an unexpected increase in the final price, often as a result of computing shipping and other taxes in the price) is the reason why users dart away from the shopping cart. Thus, you may wish to provide clear picture of the prices. Mention the original price and the price after including shipping charges and taxes, so that they are better prepared to absorb the shock.

2. A clean and safe online shopping place – 
   
   

   

   SSL Certification

   There has been a lot of online frauds in the past and hence we cannot blame the online shoppers for being skeptic and wary of trusting the shopping carts. Thus, any form of security or protection stamp of badges would help in installing their trust in your shopping cart. Also, avoid various negative signs such as a warning message regarding expired SSL encryption etc. Even the big players get victimized by this and it does scare the users off.

3. Key products displayed in the homepage – 
   
   

   

   Key Products on Home Page (Image source: FlipKart)

   The role of the home page is to tempt the consumers enough to navigate deeper into the website. And even consumers prefer the homepage to have a few product images, which will give them an idea of what the website is all about. Thus, either you can showcase the new arrivals or the most popular items on your cart, or perhaps show such products on which you are offering heavy discounts. As long as you are displaying tempting products in your homepage and it is attracting the new visitors, you are definitely good to go.

4. A good looking shopping cart – 
   
   

   

   Home Page with decent look (image Source: Jabong)

   The look of your eCommerce website does matter. And by look, we do not mean that you go and cluster your website with chunky flash elements and designs and images etc, all that you have to do is to make your website elegant and presentable. Even a minimalist design approach can make the website appear captivating and engrossing. Pay attention to the fonts and presentation of your website.

5. An improved search option – 
   
   

   

   Improved Search Box (Image source: Ebay)

   So you have a search box at your website, but honestly, is it any good? A lot of search boxes have this sad and lethargic look that users often don’t bother them with whatever they need. Go for a nice design of the search box, make it lively and interactive and decide upon it’s placement in the website (often top right corner does the trick). Also, give customers a break with your “no results found” jingle. Even if the query has no results, have an option that would tell them whether the query is incorrect or if you have a close substitute for the product searched for.

Also, the users would like to go through your privacy policies, testimonials and reviews of the products and services that you offer. Thus, fine tune all these features and get ready to enjoy an increase in the conversion rate and a downfall in the bounce rate of your website. 

Author Bio:

This post has been contributed by Mr. Ashish Mittal, working as Associate General Manager - IT at Daffodil Software Ltd. Ashish is managing eCommerce development including magento web development and AspDotNetStoreFront web development. You can get connected to Ashish over here. 

Daydream Opens More Scope for Android Development

Android is not only the fastest growing mobile platforms in the world but also the most vibrant one. It has always stood out when it comes to styling and features. With thousands of apps making their way into the market and a wide range of devices to choose from, Android users always sport one of the best gadgets available in the market. Now what is it that makes this mobile operating system so powerful? Android powered devices encompass robust features and scalability which makes them a prized possession. The developers of Android are constantly looking to add more value to the ecosystem by developing new features. 

DayDream in Android Jelly Bean 4.2

Jellybean Introduces Daydream

The latest in the family of the operating systems is Android Jellybean 4.2 which was launched with much fanfare. It hasn’t disappointed the audience and introduced many robust features which add to the Android experience. One such feature has been interactive screensaver mode called ‘Daydream’. This combines the best of desktop screensaver and screen widgets turning them into an interactive screensaver when a phone is idle or charging. This might not be a revolutionary introduction but definitely puts this new mobile operating system ahead of the competition.

There are many functions that this feature can be used for such as playing audio, video, accepting touchscreen input and even directly accessing an application while the phone is locked.  This turns the phone into a highly interactive device even when it is charging on a dock. For example a user can relive some of the memories of the past in a slide show or catch up with the latest new updates on the screen when the phone is charging. Add to it Google Currents one of the best apps making use of this feature and displaying visually appealing stories in a sliding wall.

Scope of Daydream Apps

The introduction of this feature has added new scope for Android development which many developers around the world are planning to cash on.  If you are planning to develop an app which makes use of this feature, you can make use of the all new DreamService API and the latest version of Android SDK to develop apps which can attract the user with interactive slide shows, music playback, weather updates and many more. The scope for a developer using this feature is endless and from simple bouncing balls to apps which respond to finger gestures can be developed using this feature.

Don’t Miss The Bus   

If you are an Android developer you shouldn’t miss out on apps which use the Daydream feature in Android 4.2 as this is the future of Android application development. Android Developers Reference acts as a perfect guide for developers who aspire to create apps using this feature. Businesses which are planning to develop apps for this platform can also draw mileage out of this new technology as it is bound to make the phone for interactive marketing and promotion of products and services on the Android platform.

Ecommerce Trends in 2013

Ecommerce is one of the hottest entities on the Internet. In the last few years it has seen phenomenal growth and is currently pegged below the one trillion dollar mark. Industry observers project it to touch the $1.25 trillion mark by the end of 2013 with major growth coming from the developing countries. Now with so much at stake this industry is going through a process of regular evolution with trends changing time and again. Here we shall take a look at some of the upcoming trends in the eCommerce industry in the year 2013

It’s the Touch Age – There has been an explosion of the touch based devices in the market such as the smartphones and the tablets. With Windows 8 bringing touch based interface to laptops and desktops many ecommerce websites are now embracing touch based commerce. This is going to be one of the biggest things in 2013 with more and more online stores offering touch based solutions to the customers. This will ease the process of shopping for products and services online.

Localized Online Stores – Till now we have witnessed growth of mass based online stores which cater to customers over a large geography. 2013 will be a year of localized ecommerce with stores offering the services in a highly localized area. Many brick and mortar stores are walking the ecommerce path and will continue to cater to their traditional customer base using technology.

Niche Stores – Although this isn’t a new trend but this will surely be one of the big things in the coming year. Many customers are wary of visiting general ecommerce stores and having to browse for their product of choice. Niche stores which have a limited product catalog are cashing on these customers. 

Social Media Will Narrate Trends – Social media sites like Facebook and Twitter have become an important part of an individual’s life. Now ecommerce sites will monitor trends on the social media to cater to customers’ needs. For instance the demand for a car accessory might be dictated by the number of likes and shares it receives on Facebook.

Videos For Detail – Many people are apprehensive of shopping online as they are skeptical of the product quality. Images don’t convince all the customers and online stores have realized this. In the near future we shall come across more and more videos demonstrating the products to the customers. Most ecommerce stores are starting with their YouTube channels and this will be a major trend in the coming year.

Easier and Secured Payment – This has been one of the major concerns for ecommerce stores as in how to convert the first time visitors into a sale. In 2013 online payments are going to become easy allowing customers on mobiles and tablets to carry out a transaction easily. At the same time the security features are also being enhanced for these websites.

With all these developments, ecommerce is sure to script new stories of success in 2013. 

Author Bio:

Viren Sharma is an eCommerce trend consultant at Daffodil Software Ltd., a company providing ecommerce development services, including magento web development.

Ubercart Adds Robustness to Drupal E-Commerce

Drupal is one of the chosen content management systems in the world. It can be used for  almost all genres of websites thanks to its user friendliness and scalability. Many e-commerce site owners choose Drupal web development for their online stores. However Drupal by itself isn’t meant to power eCommerce website and needs this help of additional plugins or modules as they are known as in Drupal.

Ubercart is the most popular e-commerce module and if you are planning to develop an ecommerce website using Drupal, you should opt for Ubercart without an iota of hesitation. Let us now take a look at some of features which makes Ubercart such popular among the users.

Ubercart comes with a configurable product catalog which includes catalog pages and a block to display product categories. This is basically a skeletal structure which take care of all the basic functionality in an ecommerce website.

The products can be presented in very attractive manner with all the specifications and images alongside the listing. You also have the option of integrating videos for better product display. Browsing through the store is extremely easy in an Ubercart powered store as the products can be categorized easily and the in-built search engines can be used to customize search results.

This solution allows customers to shop for products by registering their accounts into the store or merely checking out as a guest user thus making it appeal to both category of users.  It also allows for a single page checkout to add to the convenience of the users.

Payment and checking out is one of the most important functions in an online store and Ubercart scores high in this. It comes with an integrated payment system which acts as a bridge between different payment methods such as credit card, online banking etc. and payment gateways such as Cyber Source, Authorize.net, PayPal, etc.

With Ubercart you can also display the shipping details of the products which allow the customers to keep tracks of their consignments from within your online store. This acts as a great opportunity to showcase more products and attract new sales.

Reports are available to you in real-time which allow you to keep track of sales, revenue, your inventory and also the new trends in the sales. These real-time reports can go a long way in betting the performance of your online store.

Ubercart also allows you to make use of other modules in Drupal to enhance the looks and functionality of your online store.

Integrating Ubercart into Drupal is as easy as setting up any other module in the Content Management System. The module allows different kinds of installation to meet the niche needs of the store owners. You can set it up with custom reports or even without them. Ecommerce is the buzz word in the Internet and if you are planning to switch over to e-commerce a Drupal store powered by Ubercart can do wonders for your business.