Working with Multiple Meeting Workspaces

A multiple meeting workspace site is created by setting up a meeting workspace site for a recurring meeting (through Outlook 2003), or by linking a meeting to an existing meeting workspace site. All multiple meeting workspace sites have the same features, regardless of whether the meeting workspace site was created originally as a multiple workspace site or was updated to become a multiple meeting workspace site through the addition of a second meeting. The dates for all meetings are displayed in the Meeting Series List (by default, located on the left-hand section of the page). By clicking on one of the dates, the information for that specific meeting is displayed.

In addition to being used for something like weekly status reports (as previously mentioned), a multiple meeting site can also be used to track meetings or appointments for a particular type of transaction. For example, a bank might want to track information relating to a specific type of loan. A multiple meeting workspace site could be set up with each "meeting" being an appointment with a prospective client. A template could be created to capture the information associated with the loan such as the credit report, and lists could be created for other information and functions such as checking off documents as they are completed. Sites such as this would provide management with a quick way of seeing how much activity there is for a specific kind of transaction.

Adding Web Parts and Pages to Multiple Meeting Workspace Sites

When a Web Part is added to the home page for the multiple meeting workspace, it is replicated to each subsite. The lists that are added are also replicated to the subsites. However, the data contained in those lists is not replicated unless Share List Items Across All Meetings is set to Yes.

To share the data across meetings, follow these steps:

1.	If the list appears in a Web Part, click on the list to go to the page where items can be entered and edited.
2.	Click on Modify Settings and Columns. This brings up the page for customizing the list.
3.	Select Change General Settings. This displays the List Settings page.
4.	To share the data across all meetings, click on Yes in the Share List Items Across All Meetings area.
5.	Click OK to save the settings.

Additional pages can also be added to the workspace site. When a page is added to a meeting site, it can either be added just to the current meeting site or to all sites within the group. Up to 10 "meeting-specific" pages can be added to each meeting subsite and 10 "common" pages. (The term "common" page, as it is used here, refers to a page that has been added to all sites. )

Removing a Meeting from a Multiple Meeting Workspace Site

The program used to create the meeting must be used to remove a meeting from a multiple meeting workspace site (remove the link). It cannot be done from within SharePoint. The meeting site is not deleted, only the link between the meeting (as defined in the scheduling application) and the site. When the meeting site is accessed from within SharePoint, a message appears informing the user that the meeting was cancelled from the calendar and scheduling program, and displays instructions for deleting the meeting workspace site. Only site administrators can delete the site. The site does not have to be deleted; however, no other meetings can be linked to it.