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Version: 10.0

SharePoint Bridge

In addition to the option of converting Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint) documents with the integrated "Outside In" converter, webPDF also offers the option of connecting Microsoft SharePoint Online. This integration requires an existing SharePoint Online enterprise license (e.g., via Microsoft 365 license) and Azure AD.

Technically, the connection is established on the webPDF side via the "SharePoint Bridge", which requires an "App registration" in Azure AD for an existing SharePoint site in the online service. webPDF then uses this connection to convert Office documents (e.g. "docx"). The documents are sent to a SharePoint site for this purpose, converted there and downloaded again.

Important

Please note that the documents are temporarily sent to the online service of SharePoint Online for conversion.

note

Please note that webPDF has no influence on the quality of the conversion, as this always depends on the SharePoint Online service. This also applies to the availability of the service or the data throughput.

Limits

Note the limits of SharePoint Online services (depending on the plan used) when performing conversions with the “SharePoint Bridge” in order not to be throttled or blocked.

Configuring and enabling​

Two steps are necessary to use the "SharePoint Bridge":

  1. Registration of an "App" in Azure AD and the creation of a "SharePoint site"
  2. Configuration of the "SharePoint Bridge" with the settings of the "App" and the "SharePoint Site"

App registration​

To use the "SharePoint Bridge", an "App" must be registered in Azure AD. To do this, follow the instructions in Register an application.

For example, name the application webPDF SharePoint Online Site and register the application.

info

The specification of a "Redirect URI" is not necessary in this case.

From the newly created "App" the Application (client) ID and Directory (tenant) ID from the Overview page are needed. Write down the values for later configuration:

  • Application (client) ID -> Application ID (1)
  • Directory (tenant) ID -> Tenant ID (2)

Client secret​

Add a Client secret to the new "App" under Certificates & Secrets as described in Add a client secret.

info

Currently only Client secret and no certificates are supported.

Write down the value displayed under Secret ID as Client secret (3).

API permissions​

Permissions are required so that the App can access the Sites. To do this, go to the API permission item and create the following two permissions:

  • Files.ReadWrite.All - Type: Application - Read and write files in all site collections
  • Sites.Read.All - Type: Application - Read items in all site collections

Use Add a permission and then select Microsoft Graph and Application permission. Enter Files.ReadWrite.All or Sites.Read.All in the search and use Add permissions to add the permission.

Important

Confirm the API permissions with Grant admin consent for ... to enable the permissions.

info

For a general description, see Configure a client application to access a web API.

Create SharePoint Site​

Call the Microsoft 365 Admin Center and go to the item SharePoint. Go there to Websites -> Active Websites and there to Create.

For example, choose Team site as a template or another template that allows document saving. Finally, set a name (e.g. WEBPDF) and note this as Site name (4).

SharePoint Bridge configuration​

To use "SharePoint Bridge," it needs to be enabled in the conf/application.xml configuration.

To do this, use the portal’s admin area. Once there, go to "Web services -> Converter" to enable SharePoint Bridge and configure the relevant settings.

Enter the appropriate values into the dialog (number (1) to (4) from above) so that they can be saved in the configuration.

Finally, click on the “Test” button (5) to check the configuration. A connection to the SharePoint Point site is established and a test conversion is performed. If everything is OK, click on the “Save” button to save the configuration. Restart the server to apply all changes.

Use SharePoint Bridge​

If the SharePoint Bridge has been configured, you can convert Office documents (Word, Excel and PowerPoint) with SharePoint Online.

To do so, you will need to set the sharePointBridge parameter in the /converter web service call.

{
  "converter": {
    "sharePointBridge": {}
  }
}

This parameter is used to send the call to the SharePoint Bridge and thus perform the document conversion using SharePoint Online. Without this parameter, webPDF will continue to use Outside In for the conversion.

note

The structure sharePointBridge currently has no further parameters. But it is important that the “empty” object is present in the parameter structure.