I was outfitting some new systems at a client lately when I saw something odd. The secretary was busy filling out a directory for the boss. A directory created in Word. When I asked why it was done this way, I received that age old “it’s always…..”.

When I asked were these folks in the Global Address List (GAL) the answer was of course. Then I asked why retype all that info in another directory? They are already in one. Blank stares greeted me all around. I knew I had risen above the UCL and into outer space for them.

Back in the IT shop, I asked the same thing. When I explained that Active Directory and some scripting will make quick work out of this for ever, the IT folks eyes gleamed over. (probably thinking of how they could get kudo points for this) Soon after we discovered that this is impossible considering the current state of their directory.

Like most folks, the directory had just enough information to work. Pretty much just a display name and email address. Almost every field on the thousands of contacts they have is blank. As such this would be another long process of updating the contacts. At least the boss’ secretary had hers in Word. We converted that to Excel and update the current contacts using some simple VBA code. All in a day’s work we thought and closed up.

A few days later the senior admin was in a quandary. Folks were clamoring for the GAL to have more folks phone and other information in. With over 10,000 contacts that were essentially blank, this would require lots of involvement across all the divisions. They had already started giving some employees more rights so that they could edit these contacts. The boss was on board and had pushed that magic button that caused mass panic. What to do? We can’t tie up the IT and secretary staff for days or weeks making this happen. Without phone numbers, it would require the person to at least respond to the email to proceed.

As I commuted home, I felt really sorry for the IT staff. My mundane idea was causing them major pain. At dinner it hit me! Why not let the contact update their own information! It was brilliant. Would require some code writing for the background processes and the foreground. I drew up a sketchy plan and emailed it over. IT loved it and that was about it. The CFO (IT’s boss) wasn’t happy about the creation of an update site and that the code must have write access to contacts in AD to be most efficient. Smart man, but he had no other ideas so he tentatively gave the go ahead. Thats boss speak for “you are to blame if this goes wrong.” They also wanted a flat rate. As this was new to me as well, I wasn’t so comfortable with that. As I explained my position, he said IT could do it.

Even after I outlined how much the costs would be for IT if it only took them a week he stood fast and said no. This is the bane of the contracting world. I refused to give my detailed outline, but they had the overview and steps I had presented on slides. Its been four days now and I wonder if it will ever come into being.

What I’m reading: The .NET Developer’s Guide to Directory Services Programming