Can You Extend SharePoint Popular Content Reports Past 7 Days?
Question details
The user wants to know if it is possible to view Popular Content analytics in SharePoint Online for a period longer than the default seven days.
- Product
- SharePoint Online
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Gathering site usage analytics and generating popular content reports for extended periods, such as monthly or quarterly reporting.
- Observed behavior
- The SharePoint Online Popular Content analytics provides data strictly for the previous seven days, with no built-in settings to extend this report period.
Ensure you have Global Administrator or SharePoint Administrator permissions in your Microsoft 365 environment, as standard users cannot access broader administrative usage reports.
Use Microsoft 365 Admin Center Site Usage Reports
Since the built-in Popular Content report is restricted to seven days, you must use the Microsoft 365 admin center to analyze long-term usage trends for your SharePoint sites.
Currently, SharePoint Online does not offer an out-of-the-box setting to extend the specific Popular Content web part or analytics report beyond the previous seven days.
To gather long-term data for monthly or quarterly business reporting, administrators can rely on the comprehensive site usage reports available natively in the Microsoft 365 admin center.
Navigate to the Microsoft 365 admin center (admin.microsoft.com) and log in using an account with Global Administrator, SharePoint Administrator, or Reports Reader permissions.
In the left-hand navigation pane, expand the 'Reports' menu and click on 'Usage'.
Scroll down the Usage page to find the SharePoint section. Click on 'Site usage' to view detailed metrics regarding activities, file access, and storage across a broader date range, such as 30, 90, or 180 days.
Enhance Team Collaboration with WPS Office
While you track document usage and site analytics in SharePoint, ensure your team has a fast, reliable, and cost-effective suite for creating those documents. WPS Office is a powerful, free alternative to Microsoft Office that easily handles all your team's document processing needs.
- 1. Download and Install: Visit the official WPS Office website and download the free version for your operating system.
- 2. Open SharePoint Documents: Download your documents from SharePoint and open them directly in WPS Office for immediate editing with full formatting retained.
- 3. Collaborate and Save: Save your finalized reports back into standard Microsoft Office formats and upload them to SharePoint for your team.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change the default 7-day view for SharePoint Popular Content?
No, the Popular Content analytics and its corresponding web part are currently restricted to the previous 7 days. Microsoft does not provide a native toggle or setting to change this specific timeframe.
Who has permission to view the Microsoft 365 SharePoint site usage reports?
To access broader usage reports in the Microsoft 365 admin center, an account must be assigned the Global Administrator, SharePoint Administrator, or Reports Reader role.
How far back does the Microsoft 365 admin center usage report track data?
The comprehensive usage reports available in the Microsoft 365 admin center generally allow you to filter and view data for the last 7, 30, 90, or 180 days.
