SharePoint Document Issues

How to Customize Staff Notebook Sections in OneNote for Education

Maira Mehtab Sep 20, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user wants to customize group-section names in a Staff Notebook template for an Education license, but changing folder names in SharePoint does not update the notebook correctly.

Product: Microsoft OneNote / SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Organizing and renaming group sections in a Staff Notebook stored in a SharePoint document library.
Observed behavior: Renaming folders directly in SharePoint fails to update the OneNote notebook and may trigger structural or synchronization errors.

Before you start

Before attempting to rename any files or folders linked to OneNote within SharePoint, ensure your notebook is fully synced to avoid irreversible data corruption.

Solution 1Recommended

Use OneNote Page Templates as a Workaround

Since SharePoint does not support renaming notebook sections natively without causing errors, use OneNote page templates to maintain consistent customization across your staff.

Currently, there is no out-of-the-box feature to customize Class or Staff Notebook group-section names directly from the SharePoint Online library. Manually editing the Staff Notebook folders inside SharePoint is highly discouraged as it will break the notebook sync and cause errors.

As an alternative, educators and administrators can utilize OneNote's built-in page template feature to ensure standardized layouts and content structures across different sections.

Create a standardized page layout

Open your Staff Notebook in the OneNote desktop app and set up a blank page exactly how you want your customized section content to look.

Save as a template

Navigate to the 'Insert' tab on the top ribbon, click on 'Page Templates', and select 'Save current page as a template'.

Apply to new sections

Whenever you or your staff create new pages in the notebook, select this saved template to maintain a consistent structural layout.

Submit Feature Feedback: If you find this limitation inflexible for your educational institution, consider submitting a feature request through the official SharePoint Feedback Portal so Microsoft can prioritize future customization options.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Looking for a More Flexible Collaboration Tool? Try WPS Office

If limitations in SharePoint and OneNote disrupt your workflow, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, highly compatible, and flexible environment for document creation and team collaboration without strict syncing restrictions.

1. Download and Install: Get the free WPS Office suite from the official website and install it on your PC, Mac, or mobile device.
2. Import Your Documents: Easily open your existing .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx files directly in WPS Office.
3. Collaborate Freely: Use WPS Cloud to organize files into shared folders with fully customizable naming conventions.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint formats.Lightweight application that runs smoothly on almost any device without complex folder structures.Built-in cloud collaboration for real-time document editing, sharing, and organizing.Flexible folder and file management without rigid educational template restrictions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did my Staff Notebook break when I renamed it in SharePoint?

Staff and Class Notebooks rely on specific folder structures and metadata hidden within SharePoint. Renaming the folders directly in the SharePoint library severs these structural links, causing sync failures and broken notebooks in OneNote.

Can I customize Class Notebook sections in the Teams app instead?

While you can distribute new sections to students via the Class Notebook toolbar in Teams or OneNote, you still cannot rename the core default group-section structures (like Content Library or Collaboration Space) without risking corruption.

Will Microsoft add the ability to rename Staff Notebook sections in SharePoint?

Currently, there is no official timeline for this feature. Microsoft relies on user feedback from the SharePoint Feedback Portal to determine future updates, so it is highly recommended to cast a vote or submit feedback there.

Document & File Issues