SharePoint Site Columns: A Tutorial on Creating and Managing Managed Metadata Columns

SharePoint site columns are an essential part of building effective SharePoint sites. They allow you to define and manage custom metadata that can be used across multiple lists and libraries in your SharePoint environment. Managed metadata columns, in particular, provide a structured way to categorize and classify content, enabling better organization and searchability.

What are Managed Metadata Columns?

Managed metadata columns are a type of site column in SharePoint that allow you to create a taxonomy or a set of terms that can be applied to your content. These terms can represent various categories, tags, or classifications that you want to use to classify your content. By using managed metadata columns, you can ensure consistency and accuracy in the way content is categorized and improve the overall findability of information in your SharePoint environment.

Creating a Managed Metadata Column

To create a managed metadata column in SharePoint, follow these steps:

Step 1: Navigate to the Site Settings

First, navigate to the site where you want to create the managed metadata column. Click on the "Site Actions" or "Settings" gear icon in the top-right corner of the site, then select "Site Settings" from the dropdown menu.

Step 2: Access the Site Columns Gallery

In the Site Settings page, under the "Web Designer Galleries" section, click on "Site columns." This will open the Site Columns gallery, where you can manage and create new site columns.

Step 3: Create a New Site Column

In the Site Columns gallery, click on the "Create" button to create a new site column.

Step 4: Choose the Managed Metadata Type

In the "Column name and type" section, enter a name for your column and choose "Managed Metadata" as the column type.

Step 5: Configure the Managed Metadata Settings

Under the "Managed Metadata Settings" section, you can configure various settings for your managed metadata column:

• Term set: Choose an existing term set or create a new one to define the set of terms that can be applied to the column.
• Default value: Set a default term that will be automatically applied to the column when a new item is created.
• Allow multiple values: Decide whether multiple terms can be applied to the column.
• Enforce unique values: Specify whether the column should only allow unique terms.

Step 6: Save the Managed Metadata Column

Once you have configured the settings for your managed metadata column, click on the "OK" button to save the column.

Using Managed Metadata Columns

Now that you have created a managed metadata column, you can start using it in your lists and libraries. Here are some tips for effectively using managed metadata columns in SharePoint:

1. Applying Managed Metadata to Existing Content

If you have existing content that you want to classify using the managed metadata column, you can do so by editing the properties of each item or document and selecting the appropriate term from the term set. This will ensure that the content is properly categorized and can be easily found in search results.

2. Filtering and Sorting by Managed Metadata

Managed metadata columns can be used to filter and sort content in lists and libraries. By adding the managed metadata column to a view, you can create custom views that display only items or documents with specific terms applied. This can help users quickly find the content they need based on their specific criteria.

3. Creating Metadata Navigation

SharePoint allows you to create metadata navigation, which provides users with a hierarchical navigation menu based on the terms in your managed metadata column. This can be particularly useful when dealing with large amounts of content and allows users to navigate and filter content based on the metadata categories you have defined.

4. Building Content Types

Managed metadata columns can be included in content types, which are reusable templates that define the metadata, workflows, and other settings for a specific type of content. By including managed metadata columns in your content types, you can ensure consistency in metadata across different libraries and lists.

Managing Managed Metadata Columns

Once you have created managed metadata columns, you may need to make changes or updates to them. Here are some common management tasks for managed metadata columns:

Editing Managed Metadata Column Settings

To edit the settings of a managed metadata column, navigate to the Site Columns gallery and click on the name of the column. This will open the column settings page, where you can make changes to the term set, default value, and other settings. Click on the "OK" button to save your changes.

Deleting Managed Metadata Columns

If you no longer need a managed metadata column, you can delete it from the Site Columns gallery. To do this, select the column and click on the "Delete" button. Keep in mind that deleting a managed metadata column will also remove any associated metadata from the items or documents that used the column.

Managing Term Sets

Term sets are the collections of terms that can be applied to a managed metadata column. To manage term sets, navigate to the Term Store Management Tool, which can be accessed from the Site Settings page. In the Term Store Management Tool, you can create, edit, and delete terms and term sets.

Reusing Managed Metadata Columns

Managed metadata columns can be reused across multiple sites within a SharePoint environment. To reuse a managed metadata column, navigate to the Site Columns gallery of the site where you want to reuse the column and click on the "Add from existing site columns" link. This will allow you to select the managed metadata column from another site and add it to your current site.

Conclusion

Managed metadata columns are a powerful tool for organizing and categorizing content in SharePoint. By creating and using managed metadata columns, you can ensure consistency in the way content is classified and improve the overall findability of information in your SharePoint environment. With proper management and utilization, managed metadata columns can greatly enhance your SharePoint sites and improve collaboration and productivity.