As part of my preparation for the SharePoint configuration exams (70-630 and 70-731), I just finished working my way through Bill English’s SharePoint Administrator’s Companion.

This book obviously targets SharePoint administrators. But after finishing the book, I believe it’s a must read for SharePoint developers as well. As such, I’d argue that a developer should know what and how SharePoint is capable of, starting with the point and click approach of this book and then progressing towards code. And by capable I’m referring to all parts of SharePoint, including the Central Administration and the Shared Services Provider.

Knowing the capabilities of point and click comes in handy when discussing requirements. It often lays the groundwork for a prototype and helps you figure out where to extend SharePoint to fulfill the business needs. In addition, knowing what SharePoint can do on a general level makes estimates more reliable. Learning about administrative tasks also has the added benefit of establishing a common terminology between a developer and an administrator.

All in all, the SharePoint Administrator’s Companion does a solid job of providing an overview of the capabilities of the SharePoint platform, demonstrated mostly through point and click. I’d therefore advocate that any developer should know the content of this book by heart, and use it as a starting point before moving on to more code-centric books such as the Inside Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 and the Inside Microsoft Office SharePoint Service 2007.