Get Good at SharePoint: A Comprehensive Guide to SharePoint Library Creation

SharePoint libraries play a pivotal role in organizing, managing, and sharing documents and files within an organization. By understanding the fundamentals of SharePoint library creation, users can optimize their document management processes and enhance collaboration. This guide will provide a step-by-step approach to creating SharePoint libraries, empowering users to leverage this powerful platform effectively.

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Understanding SharePoint Libraries

SharePoint libraries serve as centralized repositories for files and documents, enabling users to store, organize, and access files from a secure and collaborative environment. With features such as version history, metadata, and integration with Microsoft 365 applications, SharePoint libraries facilitate efficient document and file management and information sharing.

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Step-by-Step Guide to SharePoint Library Creation

1. Accessing SharePoint

To begin, access your SharePoint site using a web browser. Navigate to the site where you intend to create the library and ensure that you have the necessary permission, Site Owner or above, to perform this action.

2. Creating a New Library

• Click on Settings, the gear icon in the upper right hand corner, and select Site contents to view the contents of the site.
• Choose New dropdown and then select Document library from the dropdown menu.

• Choose to create a blank library using the Blank library button, for from a library that already existing using the From existing library button, or choose one of the available templates in the Templates section.

3. Configuring Library Settings

• Enter a name for the library and provide a description that conveys its purpose. NOTE: Providing a description is best practice. Also, best practice to name the library with a name that is short (better yet, abbreviated) with no spaces then go into the Library Settings and rename the library with the longer, more descriptive name. This keeps the URL shorter to help avoid hitting the 400 character limit.

• Check the box for showing the new library in the site's navigation. Uncheck the box if you don't want to add it.

4. Adding Columns and Configuring Other Settings (Optional)

Now that you created your library, it is time to customize it if needed.

• Define custom metadata columns to categorize and classify documents effectively. This can include fields such as document type, department, or project name. The easiest way to get to this is to click the +Add column button in the library but you can also go to the Library Setting page and scroll down to the Columns section then click the Create column link.

• From the Library Setting page, you can also modify or create new views (check out our blog on views), add columns, turn on/off version history, and so much more.

NOTE: To get to Library Settings page, go to the gear, click on Library settings then on More library settings link which will take you to the page.

5. Uploading Documents

• Once the library is created, users can upload documents directly from their local devices or from existing SharePoint libraries.

6. Integrating with Microsoft 365 Applications

• Leverage the integration with Microsoft 365 applications such as Teams, Power Automate, and PowerApps to streamline workflows and enhance collaboration within the library.

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Best Practices for SharePoint Library Creation

• Consistent Naming Conventions: Establish a standardized naming convention for documents and folders within the library to ensure uniformity and ease of navigation. Remember to name your library with a short (better yet, abbreviated) name with no spaces then go into the Library Settings and rename the library with the longer, more descriptive name.
• Metadata (columns) Utilization: Leverage metadata to categorize and tag documents, enabling efficient search and retrieval.
• Version Control: Enable version history to track changes made to documents over time, promoting accountability and ensuring data integrity.
• Security and Permissions: Implement permissions to control access to documents and maintain data security. Ideally, the library should inherit permissions from the parent site but can have a different permission set. Try not to give unique permissions to individual files and documents. It will create a permission management nightmare. You have been warned!

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Conclusion

By following this guide, users can harness the full potential of SharePoint libraries to streamline document management, enhance collaboration, and improve organizational efficiency. SharePoint's robust features and seamless integration with Microsoft 365 make it a powerful platform for modern document management needs.

Whether it's organizing project files, managing records, or facilitating team collaboration, SharePoint libraries offer a versatile solution for diverse document management requirements.

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By empowering users with the knowledge and best practices outlined in this guide, organizations can maximize the benefits of SharePoint libraries and drive productivity in their digital workplaces.

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Interested to learn more? Need help or a demo? Need to talk this through more? We understand and are here to help. Visit us at?www.consultntctech.com?or reach out to us at [email protected] and we will happily answer your questions. Simply reach out for a FREE consultation!