Getting started with SharePoint Development with Codex
Quite taken by Codex My mate, and 5 x MVP, Chris Grist, doesn’t go in for SPFx development much. He’d […]
Calling Azure AI APIs from a Function App: Pt2 (Technical Configuration)
This article outlines the technical steps to integrate Azure AI services with a SharePoint Framework (SPFx) solution. It discusses setting up Azure Function Apps to connect SPFx clients with AI models using processes like text embedding and Response Augmented Generation (RAG). The solution enhances document conversion and knowledge-based interactions.
Calling Azure AI APIs from a Function App: Pt1 (Key Concepts)
This article discusses the importance of AI integration for enhanced user interaction, outlining technical steps for utilizing Azure AI services through an Azure Function App while addressing challenges related to cost, efficiency, and knowledge organization.
Calling an Azure Function App from the SharePoint Framework
This article discusses configuring Azure Function Apps secured by Entra ID for an SPFx solution, K-Docs Publish, which enables a knowledge base to be set up in SharePoint Online. It details challenges faced during development and outlines essential steps for establishing Entra ID App Registration and ensuring proper Azure Function authentication for secure operations.
Our Submission for the 2026 SharePoint Hackathon: K-Docs Publish
In February, I was challenged to develop a submission for the SharePoint Hackathon 2026. I came up with K-Docs Publish, a replacement for our outdated Word to Wiki solution. The aim is to enhance accessibility to corporate information while leveraging AI.
SharePoint Favicons
A favicon is a small icon representing a website, enhancing branding and user experience. However, SharePoint lacks native support for custom favicons. K-Favicon, a free third-party tool, allows users to set unique favicons for individual sites, hubs, and across a tenancy, improving professional appearance and user engagement.
Do we still need Wikis and Knowledge Bases in SharePoint?
This post reflects on whether wikis and web publishing are feature still required as part of SharePoint and concludes that something akin to structured authoring is a missing piece in the jigsaw and many organisations would find useful. This article provides the groundwork for the soon to be released K-Docs Publish solution which will launch in the Microsoft Marketplace in February 2026
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of the new SharePoint Library Experience
The new SharePoint Library Experience has arrived, introducing various changes to the user interface. While some features enhance usability by reducing clutter and saving clicks, others, like the new filter panel and command button locations, complicate navigation. Overall, the update offers mixed improvements with notable inconsistencies and usability issues.
Setting up a development environment for the latest refresh of the SharePoint Framework SPFx (v1.22)
This guide outlines the setup for a SharePoint Framework SPFx v1.22 development environment, recommending Azure virtual machines for flexibility and backup strategies. It emphasizes using Node Version Manager (NVM) for managing Node versions, installing necessary tools like Heft and Yeoman, and highlights challenges faced during the configuration process.
Inconvenient behaviour when trying to relocate documents when Content Approval is enabled on a SharePoint library
A customer reported issues with the document relocation in SharePoint when Content Approval is enabled. Users with Edit permissions face errors, as they can’t move documents due to permission limitations. Suggested workarounds include copying documents or adjusting user permissions, but both have drawbacks, highlighting a significant flaw in Microsoft’s default permission settings.
Why enforcing document checkout is a generally bad idea on a SharePoint library and only use minor versioning when you really need it
In this post I discuss my experience of helping a government department transition from SharePoint on-prem to SharePoint Online, highlighting the issues with legacy document management features that enforced document checkout and minor versioning. These settings led to complications, such as unindexed draft items and checked-out documents, emphasising the need for careful consideration in implementing such features.
Pants Down, Emperors Clothes and my disappointment over the retirement of the SharePoint SendEmail API
Microsoft deprecating the SharePoint SendEmail REST API without clear communication has left me disappointed and the only viable alternative is to use the Graph API which adds friction as it requires Global Admin approval. But I argue that the whole system is flawed as it works at API permission level globally and fails to distinguish between requesting apps.