How to Use SharePoint Content Types with Managed Metadata
Question details
A user wants to transition from shared-drive folders to SharePoint content types and needs to share managed metadata across various document categories.
- Product
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Organizing and categorizing corporate documents like contracts, meeting documents, and notices in a SharePoint environment.
- Observed behavior
- The goal is to establish consistent metadata (like years, case IDs, or client names) that applies across different document content types while maintaining distinct document categories.
Ensure you have Site Owner or Site Collection Administrator permissions in your SharePoint environment to access Site Settings, create site columns, and modify content types.
Set Up Managed Metadata Site Columns for Content Types
Create a centralized site column with managed metadata and apply it to your custom content types for unified document tagging across multiple libraries.
By utilizing managed metadata site columns, you can ensure that different document content types—such as contracts or notices—share the same exact taxonomy. This replaces the rigid structure of shared-drive folders with dynamic, filterable metadata.
Click the gear icon to open SharePoint Settings, then navigate to Site Information > View all site settings. Under 'Web Designer Galleries', select 'Site columns' and click 'Create'. Enter a name and choose 'Managed Metadata' as the column type.
Scroll down to the 'Term Set Settings' section of your new column. Map it to an existing term set (e.g., years, case IDs, or client names) or create a new term set to define the values users can select.
Go back to Site Settings and click on 'Site content types' under Web Designer Galleries. Locate and click on your specific custom content type (such as Contract, Meeting Document, or Notice).
Click 'Add from existing site columns', find the Managed Metadata column you just created, add it to the content type, and click 'OK'. When prompted, choose to update all lists and libraries inheriting this content type so the new metadata field becomes available.
Edit SharePoint Documents Seamlessly with WPS Office
While SharePoint handles your document metadata and storage, you need a reliable office suite to create and edit those contracts, notices, and meeting documents. WPS Office is a lightweight, free alternative that offers robust compatibility with Microsoft Office, allowing you to work on your SharePoint files efficiently.
- 1. Download the Installer: Visit the official WPS Office website and click the free download button for your operating system.
- 2. Install WPS Office: Run the downloaded setup file and follow the quick installation prompts to set up the software on your computer.
- 3. Edit Your Documents: Download your categorized documents from SharePoint and open them in WPS Office to start editing immediately without formatting loss.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a site column and a list column in SharePoint?
A list column is created directly within a specific list or library and is only available there. A site column is created at the site level and can be reused across multiple lists, libraries, and content types within that site.
Can I use multiple managed metadata columns in a single SharePoint content type?
Yes, you can add multiple managed metadata site columns to a single content type. This allows you to tag documents with various independent term sets, such as tagging a contract with both a 'Client Name' and a 'Fiscal Year'.
What happens to existing documents when I update a content type with a new column?
When you add a new managed metadata column to an existing site content type and choose to update inheriting libraries, the new column will appear in the library views. Existing documents will have this new metadata field left blank until you manually tag them.
Who can manage the term sets for managed metadata?
Term sets are managed in the SharePoint Term Store Management Tool. Only users with Term Store Administrator permissions or specific Group Manager/Contributor roles can create, edit, or delete terms within those sets.
