The full release of SharePoint 2007 is designed to address many of the common shortcomings or pain points commonly identified by users with the 2003 version. Here is a look at several of the pain points identified and how the next version addresses them.  

Recycle Bin
One common problem is the lack of item-level backup and restore capability. A two-tiered recycle bin is part of the next version and included with the out-of-the-box capabilities. All end users have a recycle bin, from which they can recover items that they delete. After users empty their respective recycle bins, their items will still remain in the system. The second tier, accessible only to administrators, will allow for a final recovery of documents that end users have deleted and removed from their recycle bins.  

Security Settings
Another common problem is the lack of flexibility in setting security rights. Security can be set only as far down as the portal area in SharePoint Portal Server and to the list or document library in Windows SharePoint Services. This limitation forces site and portal administrators to create extra areas or document libraries in order to have tighter security for a single document. The next version allows security to be customized all the way down to the item level.  

Hidden Links
With the current version, IT personnel often find themselves fielding calls from users who clicked on a link to add, edit, or delete an item, only to be hit with the Windows user authentication when they do not have the appropriate security rights to do so. The new security-trimmed user interface eliminates this issue by simply not displaying links to users who do not have the appropriate rights.  

Roll-ups across multiple sites
Content aggregation - the ability to create and show a centralized view of items from common lists across multiple sites or portal areas - is a common need for organizations that is unaddressed by the 2003 version but is included with 2007. For example, multiple project sites, each with a commonly-structured task list, can roll-up an aggregated version of their tasks into one master view. Project team members are now able to see all of their own outstanding tasks across multiple sites from one location. Similarly, project managers are able to see a list of all of the team's outstanding tasks.  

Outlook Integration
The new version of SharePoint expands upon the current version's level of integration with Outlook. The integration between certain SharePoint lists and Outlook folders will be two-way, thus allowing users to not only read, but also manage the content of these SharePoint lists through either the Outlook or SharePoint interfaces. Also, there is synchronization between the Outlook task and calendar lists with SharePoint. This will enable an individual to have one view of all time and tasks versus having to manage calendar items and tasks in Outlook and potentially multiple SharePoint locations.  

Snap Together
The new Content type library allows users to create libraries of smaller sets of information and then snap those pieces into new or open documents. Some examples for applications of this feature are the ability to save individual PowerPoint slides to easily drop into a new PowerPoint presentation or to save sections of boiler plate materials to snap into a proposal.  

Workflow Components
SharePoint 2007 has greater capabilities for managing workflow in an organization. Besides being able to define custom document approval workflow (serial and parallel) using an Outlook rules-like interface, Windows Workflow Foundation (WF) provides a mechanism for developing re-usable workflow components that can be integrated into SharePoint. These workflow components will make it easier to automate certain business processes, such as a new employee on-boarding process requiring the completion of forms and routing of forms.  

Email Updates
Finally, another workflow-related change that has many SharePoint developers excited is the ability to write custom event-handlers for all list types. The 2003 version of SharePoint could programmatically handle events only for libraries - document, image, and form libraries - but could not trigger events for SharePoint lists - such as issues and task lists. The new version allows event handlers for both lists and libraries. For example, an organization may want to send custom notifications/alerts when an action is performed on a SharePoint list item (such as updating the status or due date of a task list item). In this example, an organization using SharePoint to track tasks can automatically generate an e-mail notifying involved parties that a task due date has been extended.

In the past, Microsoft Office 2003 Web parts, SharePoint Portal Server 2003, Business Scorecard Manager, and SQL Reporting Services enabled developers to build dashboard-style Web pages for upper management to see business conditions of the company at a glance. The new SharePoint platform significantly improves existing functionality and adds new important features:

Excel Services
Excel Services gives users the ability to display spreadsheets from a central location (a document library), without need to worry about multiple versions of spreadsheets or exposing sensitive business logic or formulas. Excel Services renders such spreadsheets as interactive HTML content with Excel look and feel, accessible even by users who do not have Microsoft Excel installed – all they need is a Web browser.

Key Performance Indicators
A new type of list called Key Performance Indicators list allows users to define KPIs and display them graphically. KPIs can use data from SQL Server Analysis Services, Excel worksheets, existing SharePoint lists and manually entered values. Key Performance Indicators built in Business Scorecard Manager 2005 can be displayed using the Office Scorecard Web part. As with any SharePoint list, a KPI list can be filtered to display only a subset of KPIs, for instance only the KPIs that represent problems.

Report Center
Another new feature is Report Center site template, designed for creating dashboard-style applications hosted in MOSS 2007 that are easy to discover and use. The template includes a special document library named Reports Library to store Business Intelligence reports like Excel worksheets and SQL Reporting Services reports.

Filtering Web Parts
MOSS 2007 provides filtering Web parts that can be used with dashboards to make data more relevant to the user. For instance, a sales manager for the Eastern region would only see sales figures from their region.

These are just a few of many new features available in SharePoint 2007.