Sharepoint 2010 – Meeting Workspace Templates with Content

Very frustrating thing about meeting workspace templates is that you can’t include content in the template. Of course, the first time you make a meeting workspace template, you’re going to want to include content. For instance, you make a meeting workspace template for a particular group, and that group always has the same members in it. It would be nice to have the template pre-populate the attendee list so that you don’t have to enter it once the meeting workspace has been created.

So, since this is a pain in the ass, and we need it to work, let’s hack it.

I found it easier to start with a template that is not derived from a meeting workspace template. So create a new site, modify it to your satisfaction (including whatever content you want), then save the site as a template. Download the .wsp to your local system and extract it using a tool like iZarc.

Go ahead and create another site, using the Blank Meeting Workspace template. Don’t modify it – just save the site as a template. Downlod the .wsp to your local system and extract it using a tool like iZarc.

Changes:

[WHATEVER]WebTemplate\Elements.xml
Change BaseTemplateID=”2″
Change BaseTemplateName=”MPS”

It helps to have the second wsp for comparison here.
[WHATEVER]ListInstances\Elements.xml
Add the “Meeting Series” and “Workspace Pages” list instances.

[WHATEVER]ListInstances\Feature.xml
Add the “Meeting Series” and “pages” ElementFile locations.

[WHATEVER]ListInstances\Files
Add the pages folder (and its contents)

[WHATEVER]ListInstances\Files\Lists
Add the “Meeting Series” folder (and its contents)

Use a tool like iZarc to package the whole folder back into a .cab file. Rename the .cab file to .wsp. Upload it to the solution gallery.

Now you can create a meeting workspace with this template, and the content will be included.

TADA!