While working with a client recently we were discussing the issues with the Exchange web parts that are shipped as a part of SPS.  (This spawned the development on the new Exchange web parts, see my previous post.)

However, we came to the conclusion that it might be too small to include some email items in SharePoint.  So I mentioned the idea of doing things the reverse way.  Use Outlook to host your SharePoint site.  It’s a feature that’s been around in Outlook for a while.  All you have to do is…

1. Create a folder in Outlook.
2. Right click, select properties.
3. Click the home page tab.
4. Enter the address of your SharePoint site in the address text box.
5. Select the show home page by default for this folder checkbox
6. Click the OK button.

Now when you navigate to this folder in Outlook you’ll see your SharePoint site.  Not a bad deal when you’re looking to have a single dashboard to the organization and you live in email — as many of us do.