How to Create a Dynamic SharePoint Link With Column Formatting
Question details
The user needs to configure a SharePoint list to include a dynamic hyperlink that directs users to a filtered view of another related list.
- Product
- SharePoint
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Linking items across different SharePoint lists, such as mapping a client company record to its related contacts in a separate list using dynamic URLs.
- Observed behavior
- The user wants to automatically turn text or lookup field values into clickable hyperlinks that dynamically adjust their destination URL based on the row's data.
Ensure you have the appropriate 'Edit' or 'Design' permissions for the SharePoint list, and verify the exact URL and filter parameters of the target list you intend to link to.
Use JSON Column Formatting to Generate Dynamic Hyperlinks
Apply custom JSON code to a SharePoint column to convert standard field values into clickable links that pass dynamic filter parameters to another list.
SharePoint allows users to customize how data is displayed within list views using column formatting. By utilizing JSON, you can transform a plain text or lookup field into an interactive HTML anchor tag.
This method is highly effective for building relational database-like navigation within SharePoint, where clicking an item (like a Company Name) opens a dynamically filtered view of related items (like Contacts).
Navigate to your SharePoint list. Click the column header you wish to convert into a hyperlink, select 'Column settings' from the dropdown, and then click 'Format this column'.
In the column formatting pane that appears on the right side of the screen, scroll to the bottom and click on 'Advanced mode' to allow custom JSON input.
In the JSON editor, set the 'elmType' to 'a' (representing an anchor tag) and set the 'txtContent' property to display the current field's value, typically using '[$FieldName]'.
Add an 'attributes' object and define the 'href' property. Construct the URL by combining the target list's base URL, the filter query string, and the dynamic column reference (e.g., '?FilterField1=Company&FilterValue1=' + [$Title]).
Click the 'Save' button at the bottom of the pane. Click the newly generated links in your list to verify they successfully open the target list with the correct filters applied.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use dynamic hyperlinks to filter multiple columns in the target SharePoint list?
Yes, you can construct the 'href' attribute in your JSON code to include multiple filter queries. Simply separate the field and value parameters with an ampersand (&) according to SharePoint's standard URL filter syntax (e.g., ?FilterField1=Col1&FilterValue1=Val1&FilterField2=Col2&FilterValue2=Val2).
Does column formatting alter the underlying data in my SharePoint list?
No, column formatting only alters how the data is visually rendered in the list view. The actual raw values stored in the SharePoint database remain completely unchanged.
Why is my dynamic link opening in the same tab instead of a new one?
By default, hyperlinks navigate within the same browser tab. To force the hyperlink to open in a new browser tab, you must add the 'target' attribute to your JSON 'attributes' configuration and set its value to '_blank'.
Is it possible to apply column formatting without writing JSON code?
SharePoint offers some out-of-the-box design templates for basic formatting like background colors or data bars. However, creating dynamic URLs that map to specific filter parameters requires using 'Advanced mode' and writing custom JSON.
