Organisation & Metadata
How to structure SharePoint properly — so files are easy to find, metadata makes sense, and the mess doesn’t come back.
Metadata & Organisation · Table of Contents
Click a card to open the full guide for that metadata workflow.
- M-01Create a New Metadata Column
- M-02Choose the Right Metadata Column Type
- M-03Choice Column
- M-04Single Line of Text Column
- M-05Multiple Lines of Text Column
- M-06Person or Group Column
- M-07Date & Time Column
- M-08Yes/No Column
- M-09Number Column
- M-10Currency Column
- M-11Hyperlink or Picture Column
- M-12Lookup Column
- M-13Managed Metadata Column
- M-14What is the Term Store?
- M-15Adding Terms (Manual Method)
- M-16Adding Terms via Bulk Upload (CSV)
- M-17Using a Term Set in a Column
- M-18Managed Metadata vs Choice Columns
- M-19Calculated Column
- M-20Location Column
- M-21Document Type Column
- M-22Department/Function Column
- M-23Document Status Column
- M-24Topic or Category Column
- M-25Project Name Column
- M-26Project Phase Column
- M-27Project Lead (Person) Column
- M-28Due Date Column
- M-29Creating a New View
- M-30No Folders (Flat View)
- M-31My Documents View
- M-32Group by Document Type View
- M-33Recently Modified View
- M-34Missing Metadata View
- M-35Views vs. Filtering vs. Sorting
- M-36Naming Conventions
- M-37Naming Conventions Examples
- M-38Naming Conventions Rules
- M-39Naming Conventions Dos & Don’ts
- M-40Version Numbering
- M-41“No More Final .docx”
- M-42Metadata Starter Set Card
- M-43Folder Default Values
- M-44Edit Metadata in Grid View
- M-45Property Pane
Create a New Metadata Column
"Enable consistent tagging across your library, improve findability, and support workflows, governance rules, and Copilot accuracy."
Add structured metadata to your library so files can be filtered, sorted, searched, and understood by people and AI.
When you need to group files by attributes like Department, Project, or Document Type.
- Navigate to your SharePoint Library.
- Select + Add column in the header.
- Choose the data type (e.g., Choice or Date).
- Name your column and hit Save.
Best Practices
- Avoid spaces in initial names to keep URLs clean (e.g., "Dept" then rename to "Department").
- Always fill out the Description field to help users understand what the tag is for.
Choose the Right Metadata Column Type
"Help teams tag files correctly by using structured, predictable categories that support automation, AI, and governance."
Selecting the correct column type ensures your metadata works properly for filtering, sorting, and search.
Structured columns (Choice/Date) are always superior to unstructured ones (Text) for reporting.
- Identify data: Is it finite (Choice), from a list (Lookup), or global (Managed Metadata)?
- Select the column type that matches the data's function.
Best Practices
- Don't use "Text" for categories; users will make typos and break your filters.
- Use "Person" columns for ownership so you can trigger automated reminders.
Choice Column
"Standardise data entry across the library with fixed, predictable values for filtering, sorting, and reporting."
A Choice column lets users pick from a predefined list of values, ensuring terminology remains consistent.
Best for "Status" (Draft, Final) or "Document Type" (Invoice, Policy).
- Add column > Choice.
- Type choices (one per line).
- Decide if you want a dropdown or radio buttons.
Best Practices
- Apply color formatting to choices for instant visual status recognition.
- Use a "Default Value" (like 'Draft') so new files are tagged automatically.
Single Line of Text Column
"Use this when users need full flexibility without formatting or structured choices for unique entries."
Stores short, free-form text entries. Highly flexible but prone to human error.
Client names, custom reference numbers, or brief subtitles.
Best Practices
- Use only when Choice, Lookup, or Person columns don't fit the data.
- Enable "Enforce unique values" if this column is for a unique ID number.
Multiple Lines of Text Column
"Use it when users need to provide more context, detail, or commentary for a file."
Captures larger blocks of text such as notes, summaries, or rich text descriptions.
Executive summaries, document history notes, or detailed instructions.
Best Practices
- Enabling "Append Changes" is the best way to track comments without overwriting history.
- Don't use this for filtering; it's for reading, not categorizing.
Person or Group Column
"Assign ownership and accountability to files using your company directory."
Looks up people directly from Microsoft 365. Displays profile photos and hover-cards.
Document Owner, Reviewer, Approver, or Client Contact.
Best Practices
- Never type names into text boxes; use this column to enable "Me" filters.
- Linking a real Person object allows you to sync tasks to Microsoft To Do.
Date & Time Column
"Track deadlines, expiry dates, and milestones to trigger reminders."
Ensures dates are entered in a uniform format. Enables "Calendar View" for your library.
Review Date, Expiry Date, Event Date, or Project Start.
Best Practices
- Set a default value to "Today's Date" to save time on data entry.
- Use this column to create "Remind Me" automations for upcoming deadlines.
Yes/No Column
"Create simple checkboxes for audits, checklists, or binary approvals."
A simple boolean checkbox. Fast for users and excellent for filtering "True/False" states.
Confidential?, Reviewed?, Audit Complete?, External Access?.
Best Practices
- Use this to trigger Power Automate (e.g., "If Confidential is Yes, move to secure folder").
- This is the fastest metadata to fill—use it to encourage high-volume tagging.
Number Column
"Store quantitative data that can be used for calculations, totals, and averages."
Specifically for numeric values. Prevents letters, which protects math formulas.
Quantity, Percentage, Weight, or scores.
Best Practices
- Use the "Show as percentage" toggle to format decimals automatically.
- Use numbers instead of text for anything you might want to "Sum" in a view.
Currency Column
"Track financial data with correct symbols and decimal formatting."
Specialized number column handling regional symbols ($/£) and fixed decimals.
Invoices, Project Budgets, or Expense reports.
Best Practices
- Enable "Totals" in your view to see a sum of all currency values instantly.
- Use with calculated columns to automate tax additions.
Hyperlink or Picture Column
"Link to related external resources or display visual thumbnails."
Stores a URL and a display name, or renders an image directly in the library view.
Project Websites, Vendor Portals, or Product Thumbnails.
Best Practices
- Link to external regulation sites (e.g., ISO Standards) related to a document.
- Formatting as "Picture" is great for Asset or Inventory libraries.
Lookup Column
"Connect lists together to ensure data is only managed in one place."
Pulls data from another SharePoint list on the same site. Updating the master list updates all files.
Pulling "Client Names" from a master Client list or "Project Codes" from a Tracker.
Best Practices
- Use "Project Lookup" so you don't have to type the name—just pick it.
- Enable "Cascading Deletes" to protect data integrity across lists.
Managed Metadata Column
"Create a global vocabulary for the entire organisation."
Centrally managed terms (Term Store) used across multiple sites and libraries.
Company-wide Departments, Office Locations, or official Product Lines.
Best Practices
- Use for any metadata that must be identical across separate Teams.
- Supports "Synonyms"—e.g., typing 'HR' correctly tags as 'Human Resources'.
What is the Term Store?
"The central brain of your organization's metadata."
A central location in the SharePoint Admin Center where you manage official organizational taxonomies.
Provides a "Single Source of Truth" for tags like Department Names.
Best Practices
- Assign "Term Store Administrators" to control who can edit global terms.
- Use hierarchies (Parent/Child terms) to keep large lists organized.
Adding Terms (Manual Method)
"Add terms one-by-one for small, specific categories."
The standard way to build out your taxonomy directly inside the SharePoint interface.
Select Term Set > Add term > Type name and configure properties.
Best Practices
- Always add a description so users know when to select that specific term.
- Use "Synonyms" for common abbreviations.
Adding Terms via Bulk Upload (CSV)
"Rapidly import hundreds of terms from a spreadsheet."
Use a specific CSV template to import complex hierarchies into the Term Store instantly.
Importing Product Codes, Client Lists, or Industry Codes.
Best Practices
- Strictly follow the template format; the Term Store is sensitive to header names.
- Double-check for duplicates in Excel before importing.
Using a Term Set in a Column
"Deploy your global terms to a specific document library."
Connecting a library column to the central Term Store so users can tag files using official data.
Allows users to search for terms with "type-ahead" suggestions.
Best Practices
- Enable "Allow Fill-in" sparingly to let users suggest new terms.
- Select "Display entire path" if the term's meaning depends on its parent.
Managed Metadata vs Choice Columns
"Choose the right tool for standardization."
Best for local, simple lists (e.g., Red, Amber, Green) unique to one site.
Best for global lists (e.g., Departments) shared across many sites.
Best Practices
- Use Choice for process-specific tags (e.g., Approval Step).
- Use Managed Metadata for organizational attributes (e.g., Project Codes).
Calculated Column
"Automate data generation based on other columns to reduce manual entry."
Uses Excel-style formulas to calculate values based on other columns in the same item.
Review Date (Date + 365) or combining fields for a custom ID.
Best Practices
- Test your formula in Excel first; the syntax is identical.
- Use to create "Searchable Strings" that combine multiple fields into one column.
Location Column
"Attach real-world addresses and map data to your documents."
Powered by Bing Maps. Users search for an address, and SharePoint stores the structured data.
Site Inspections, Client Addresses, or Project Locations.
Best Practices
- Automatically show 'City', 'State', and 'Postcode' in separate columns from this data.
- Use for assets or field photos to map where work occurred.
Document Type Column
"Identify what the file IS, regardless of its name."
A Choice or Managed Metadata column used to categorize the nature of the document.
Policy, Procedure, Invoice, Contract, Meeting Minutes.
Best Practices
- Keep this list broad; if you have more than 15 types, consider a hierarchy.
- Critical for finding files in a flat (folder-less) structure.
Department/Function Column
"Track which business unit owns or is responsible for the document."
Identifies the organizational department or business function associated with a file.
Finance, HR, Marketing, Operations, IT.
Best Practices
- Use Managed Metadata so it's consistent across the whole tenant.
- Use this to create filtered views for specific team portals.
Document Status Column
"Track the lifecycle stage of a document."
A Choice column that shows where a file is in its workflow or review cycle.
Draft, Pending Review, Approved, Published, Archived.
Best Practices
- Apply color formatting (Red for Draft, Green for Approved) for clarity.
- Set "Draft" as the default value for all new uploads.
Topic or Category Column
"Group documents by their subject matter for easier browsing."
A tagging column that allows files to be grouped by specific interest areas or themes.
Health & Safety, Compliance, Staff Training, Product Launch.
Best Practices
- Allow multiple selections if a document covers several topics.
- Topic tags are excellent for building Knowledge Management hubs.
Project Name Column
"Associate documents with specific projects or initiatives."
A Lookup or Managed Metadata column that identifies the project a file belongs to.
Project Alpha, Q3 Website Refresh, New Office Fit-out.
Best Practices
- Use a Lookup to a master "Projects List" to ensure names are always consistent.
- Include a Project Code alongside the name if possible.
Project Phase Column
"Categorise project documents by the stage of the project lifecycle."
A Choice column that tracks which phase of a project the document belongs to.
Initiation, Planning, Execution, Monitoring, Closure.
Best Practices
- Useful for sorting project libraries chronologically by phase rather than date.
- Pair with 'Project Name' for powerful project-based reporting.
Project Lead (Person) Column
"Identify the key contact responsible for a project's documentation."
A Person column that assigns a lead staff member to documents within a project context.
Assigning a PM or Sponsor to a set of project deliverables.
Best Practices
- Enables "Me" filters so leads can see all files they are responsible for instantly.
- Allows for automated notifications to be sent to the Lead upon file changes.
Due Date Column
"Track action-oriented deadlines for document tasks."
A Date & Time column specifically for tracking when an action (like a review) must be completed.
Review By, Approval Deadline, Submission Date.
Best Practices
- Trigger "Reminder" emails via Power Automate 3 days before the date.
- Highlight overdue dates using Conditional Formatting (red text).
Creating a New View
"Customise how users see and interact with library data."
Views let you filter, sort, and group data without changing the underlying files.
Sort/Filter library > View menu > Save view as > Name it.
Best Practices
- Keep the "All Documents" view simple; use custom views for specific tasks.
- Make useful views "Public" so the whole team benefits.
No Folders (Flat View)
"See every file in a library at once, regardless of folder depth."
A view setting that hides folder icons and brings all files to the top level.
Essential for finding files buried in deep, messy folder structures.
Best Practices
- Always pair a flat view with "Group By" (e.g., Dept) so it isn't a long, confusing list.
- Use this view when you need to bulk-tag files from different folders.
My Documents View
"A personalized view that shows users only the files they are working on."
A view filtered by the current user using the `[Me]` token.
Edit View > Filter > Set **Created By** is equal to **[Me]**.
Best Practices
- Create a "My Review Tasks" view by filtering where 'Reviewer' is [Me].
- This makes the library feel like a personalized workspace.
Group by Document Type View
"Simulate a folder structure using metadata for a cleaner experience."
Organizes the library into expandable sections based on the Document Type tag.
Unlike folders, you can switch grouping perspectives instantly.
Best Practices
- Set the "Group By" default to **Collapsed** to keep the page clean.
- This is the ultimate "Folder Replacement" strategy for adoption.
Recently Modified View
"Instantly see what has changed in the library recently."
A view sorted by the "Modified" date in descending order (Newest to Oldest).
Great for managers to see team progress or finding recent work.
Best Practices
- Combine with "Group by Month" for a chronological audit trail.
- Keep this as a secondary view for quick check-ins.
Missing Metadata View
"A cleanup view to identify files that haven't been tagged correctly."
A view filtered to show only items where mandatory columns are empty.
Edit View > Filter > Set **Document Type** is equal to **[leave blank]**.
Best Practices
- Use weekly to "sweep" the library and ensure everything is tagged.
- If this view is empty, your library is perfectly organized.
Views vs. Filtering vs. Sorting
"Understand the three ways to find data in SharePoint."
Temporary changes to what you see now. They disappear when you refresh.
Permanent, saved configurations that anyone can use at any time.
Best Practices
- Filter when you need a quick answer.
- Create a View when you need that same answer every day.
Naming Conventions
"Establish a standard way to name files for better search and AI retrieval."
A set of rules for how files should be named to ensure consistency and clarity.
The name should describe what the file is without needing to open it.
Best Practices
- Include dates in YYYY-MM-DD format so they sort correctly.
- Avoid generic names like "Document1" or "Scan_1234".
Naming Conventions Examples
"See the difference between poor and professional naming."
MeetingNotes_Final_v2.docxCopy of Invoice.pdf
2023-10-12_BoardMeeting_Minutes.docxINV-8821_Microsoft_Oct23.pdf
Best Practices
- Put the most important info (Date or ID) at the start of the name.
- Keep names under 50 characters if possible.
Naming Conventions Rules
"The technical rules for SharePoint file naming."
Avoid ~ " # % & * : < > ? / \ { | }. These can break links and sync.
Avoid leading or trailing spaces. Use underscores _ or dashes - for maximum compatibility.
Best Practices
- Use "CamelCase" (e.g., ProjectAlphaReport) to save space.
- Never use "Final" in a filename—SharePoint Versioning handles this.
Naming Conventions Dos & Don’ts
"Quick tips for maintaining a clean library."
Use consistent abbreviations (e.g., MKT for Marketing). Keep it descriptive.
Include your initials in the file name. SharePoint tracks "Modified By" automatically.
Best Practices
- Create a simple one-page "Naming Guide" for your team.
- Rename files as soon as they are uploaded.
Version Numbering
"Controlled document versioning practices."
SharePoint tracks versions automatically. Minor versions (0.1) are drafts; Major versions (1.0) are for published files.
Always roll back to a previous version if a mistake is made.
Best Practices
- Use Version History to compare changes between two versions.
- Never "Save As" a new file for a new version; save over the existing one.
“No More Final .docx”
"Addresses the habit of naming documents “Final” or “Latest,” which causes confusion."
Files named "Final_v2" make search impossible and confuse AI like Copilot.
Use SharePoint's built-in **Version History** and **Document Status** metadata instead.
Best Practices
- Trust the system: SharePoint saves a history of every change.
- Use a "Document Status" column to mark a file as 'Final'.
Metadata Starter Set Card
"Foundational metadata template for any new library."
1. Document Type
2. Department
3. Status
4. Owner
5. Keywords
Ensures consistency, searchability, and navigation across all libraries.
Best Practices
- Build these into your "Site Template" so every library starts organized.
- Make 'Document Type' a mandatory field.
Folder Default Values
"Automatically sets values when items are created within or uploaded to particular folders."
Define metadata that is automatically applied to any file dropped into a specific folder.
A "Finance" folder that automatically tags every file as Department: Finance.
Best Practices
- Best "bridge" for users who refuse to stop using folders.
- Use to speed up metadata entry and reduce human error.
Edit Metadata in Grid View
"Enable efficient bulk updates across many files during cleanup projects."
Use Grid View to update metadata quickly in a spreadsheet-style layout.
Bulk-tagging 100 files at once or fixing inconsistent data.
Best Practices
- You can "drag to fill" just like in Excel.
- Pair with a "Missing Metadata" view for rapid library cleanup.
Property Pane
"Teaches users where to edit metadata in the modern panel."
The right-hand panel that appears when a file is selected. Shows all tags and details.
Update Document Type or Status quickly without leaving the page.
Best Practices
- Click the "i" icon in the top right to open the pane.
- Use the pane to view a "Preview" of the file while you tag it.
