A shared workspace is a Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services site. Document Workspaces and Meeting Workspaces are particular kinds of shared workspaces. Document Workspaces are designed for teams that are working together on a document. Meeting Workspaces are Web sites for centralizing all the information and materials for one or more meetings.

The Shared Workspace task pane works like a viewer within a Microsoft Office program, enabling you to view parts of the shared workspace without opening your Web browser. The task pane is available whenever you open a document that is in a document library (document library: A folder where a collection of files is shared and the files often use the same template. Each file in a library is associated with user-defined information that is displayed in the content listing for that library.), whether the document library is part of a Document Workspace, a Meeting Workspace, or some other Windows SharePoint Services site.

Note  You can open the Shared Workspace task pane manually by clicking Shared Workspace on the Tools menu.

The Shared Workspace task pane may need to be updated. Click Get Updates.

Note  If your organization uses Microsoft Exchange Instant Messaging Service, you can see the online status of shared workspace members without adding them to your contacts list.

• The administrator of the Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services Web site may not have enabled workspace creation for your site group. Contact the administrator and request that your site group have permission to create Document Workspaces.

  Note  The Web site must be located on a server that is running Windows SharePoint Services.

• You may need to add the site to your list of trusted sites in Microsoft Internet Explorer.
  1. In Internet Explorer, on the Tools menu, click Internet Options, and then click the Security tab.
  2. Click Trusted Sites, and then click Sites.
  3. In the Add this Web site to the zone box, type the URL of the Web site that you want to use as a workspace.

• The Microsoft Office program may be configured not to check for updates. Do the following:
  1. In the Shared Workspace task pane, click Options.
  2. In the Workspace updates section, click Always: check automatically until the document is closed to automatically get updates when you open a document and to have Office continue to get updates as you work, or click Sometimes: ask before checking to be prompted to get updates when you open a document and to have Office continue to get updates as you work.
• You may not have the Document Update Utility installed. Do the following:
  1. In Control Panel, click Add or Remove Programs.
  2. In the list of currently installed programs, click Microsoft Office 2003, and then click Change.
  3. Click Add or Remove Features, and then click Next.
  4. Select the Choose advanced customization of applications check box, and then click Next.
  5. Click the plus sign (+) next to Office Tools.
  6. Click the arrow next to Document Update Utility, and then click Run from My Computer.
  7. Click Update.
• You may need to add the site to your list of trusted sites in Internet Explorer.
  1. In Internet Explorer, on the Tools menu, click Internet Options, and then click the Security tab.
  2. Click Trusted Sites, and then click Sites.
  3. In the Add this Web site to the zone box, type the URL of the Web site that you want to use as a workspace.

1. In the Shared Workspace task pane, click Options.
2. In the Workspace updates section, clear the Show document update Desktop Alerts check box.

Recipients to whom a shared attachment is forwarded are not automatically added to the Document Workspace. If you have permission to add members to the Document Workspace, you can add these new members either on the Members tab of the Shared Workspace task pane or in the Members Web Part on the home page of the Document Workspace.

Note  Recipients of a forwarded shared attachment can easily request permission to access a Document Workspace by following a link to the Request Access page of the Document Workspace site.