SharePoint Document Issues

Fix SharePoint Person or Group Column Showing Incorrect Options

John Wilson Sep 27, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to resolve an issue where a SharePoint Person or Group column displays incorrect selection options or appears empty when restricted.

How to Fix SharePoint Person or Group Column Showing Incorrect Options

Product: Microsoft SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Configuring or interacting with a Person or Group column in a SharePoint list or document library.
Observed behavior: A column restricted to people only still displays groups, and restricting the column to a specific group results in a completely empty selection list.

Before you start

Verify that you have the appropriate SharePoint site permissions and ensure that the specific group you are trying to restrict the column to actually contains active members.

Solution 1Recommended

Escalate to a Microsoft 365 Administrator

Since this behavior is typically caused by a temporary SharePoint service disruption or backend sync issue, opening a support ticket is the most effective resolution.

SharePoint user profiles and group data are synchronized from the Microsoft 365 backend. When a Person or Group column starts displaying options that contradict its settings, it usually indicates a breakdown in this synchronization process. Local troubleshooting by standard users will not fix backend cache or service issues.

Document the incorrect behavior

Take screenshots of the column settings showing the restrictions, as well as the empty dropdown list or incorrect group options appearing in the list.

Contact your IT administrator

Reach out to your organization's Microsoft 365 administrator and provide them with the documented screenshots and the URL of the affected SharePoint site.

Open a Microsoft support ticket

Ask the administrator to log into the Microsoft 365 Admin Center, navigate to the Support section, and submit a service request so the Microsoft team can review the site's configuration and backend logs.

Escalate to a Microsoft 365 Administrator

Administrative Action Required: Only personnel with administrative privileges can open a backend support ticket with Microsoft. Non-administrators must route this request through their IT department.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my SharePoint column show groups when it is set to people only?

This is typically caused by a temporary synchronization delay or a backend caching issue within the SharePoint service where the local site is not properly reading the directory rules.

Can I fix the empty selection list without an administrator?

Generally, no. If the list is empty despite the group having active members, it is a backend communication error. You must contact your Microsoft 365 admin to submit a support ticket to Microsoft.

Does changing the column settings back and forth fix the issue?

Sometimes toggling the column settings from 'People Only' to 'People and Groups' and back can force a refresh, but it often does not resolve persistent backend service errors.

How long does it take for Microsoft to resolve SharePoint sync issues?

Resolution times vary depending on the severity of the service degradation. Once your IT admin submits a ticket, Microsoft support will review the backend logs and provide a timeline.

Document & File Issues