SharePoint PDF-Document Library with Robust Search Capabilities

Summary

An international consulting company wanted to extend its services by providing end users with high-quality content (exclusive news, unique digests, event overviews, and more) stored in a PDF-document library spread across multiple virtual storages — with over 2,000 PDFs added annually. INNERLUXES built a mobile-accessible SharePoint search portal, with automated email notifications, in just three weeks.

About the Client

The Client is an international consulting company that supports institutions, family businesses, and entrepreneurs in areas such as business strategy and commercial and strategic planning.

The Challenge

To extend its set of services, the Client aimed to provide end users with high-quality content stored in a PDF-document library across multiple virtual storages, with over 2,000 PDFs added yearly. The goal was to create a search portal to facilitate content search and user access to the library, with a user-friendly UI accessible from mobile devices and automated email notifications to users via the system. The project had to be fulfilled within a very short timeframe of only three weeks.

The Solution

To cover the Client's needs, the Microsoft SharePoint 2013 On-Premise platform was chosen for its critical features — a powerful search and indexing engine, flexible user access rights, enterprise-level security, and archiving capabilities.

The implemented system lets users search the PDF-document library by criteria based on the metadata associated with each document, using taxonomic terms to provide precise results. A custom console was created to import documents and their search attributes into the system.

The mobile version provides desktop-like filtering and search capabilities. Targeted emailing was designed in line with the Client's needs, and administrators on the Client's side can enrich the content base with new PDFs, add new portal users, and grant them access rights. INNERLUXES designed the portal to comply with the Client's corporate style.

The Results

• The SharePoint search portal centralized numerous PDF documents that were previously spread across multiple virtual storages.
• Thanks to powerful search capabilities, end users can instantly get accurate data using both the desktop and mobile versions of the system, and monthly newsletters are delivered regularly.
• The project was completed on time and in compliance with the Client's requirements.

Technologies and Tools

Microsoft Office SharePoint 2013, jQuery, Visual Studio 2012, OpenXML SDK 2.5, WSP Builder, VSTO.