Where Are SharePoint PDF Column Properties Stored? Explained
Question details
The user wants to know if SharePoint metadata columns are embedded directly inside a PDF document.
- Product
- SharePoint / PDF
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Managing and tracking document metadata columns for PDF files within a SharePoint document library.
- Observed behavior
- The user is unsure if custom SharePoint column properties are permanently stored within the PDF file itself or if they only exist in the SharePoint server database.
Verify your SharePoint library settings and check if you are using any third-party metadata sync tools or custom Power Automate flows for your PDF documents.
Understand Default SharePoint Metadata Storage
Learn the default behavior of SharePoint metadata storage and why it typically does not write properties to the PDF file itself.
By default, when you add a metadata column to a SharePoint document library, the data entered in that column is stored directly in the SharePoint SQL database, not inside the file.
While native Microsoft Office files (like Word and Excel) support bidirectional metadata syncing (known as property promotion and demotion), PDF files do not have this built-in capability in standard SharePoint. Therefore, custom column values are not embedded into the PDF natively.
Navigate to your SharePoint document library, select the PDF file, and click the 'Details' icon (the 'i' in a circle) in the upper right corner. Here you will see the column properties stored in the SharePoint database.
Download the PDF file to your local computer. Right-click the downloaded file, select 'Properties', and navigate to the 'Details' tab. You will notice the custom SharePoint columns are missing, confirming they are not embedded within the file.
Use Power Automate to Embed Metadata
If you require SharePoint columns to be embedded directly into the PDF document, configure an external workflow using Power Automate and a PDF connector.
Edit and Manage PDF Properties Locally with WPS Office
While SharePoint manages server-side library columns, editing local PDF files and their internal properties requires a robust desktop tool. WPS Office is a powerful, free alternative to Microsoft Office that includes a built-in PDF editor alongside seamless word processing, spreadsheets, and presentations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can SharePoint automatically write metadata into Word and Excel files?
Yes, SharePoint uses a native feature called Property Promotion and Demotion to automatically sync library metadata columns with internal document properties for native Microsoft Office files (like .docx and .xlsx).
How can I view a downloaded PDF's internal metadata properties?
Open the PDF in a dedicated PDF reader or editor like WPS Office, navigate to Menu > Document Properties, and you can view internal details such as Title, Author, Subject, and custom metadata.
Will downloading a PDF from SharePoint keep its custom column values?
No. Unless you have configured a specific workflow or utilized a third-party add-on to inject the data before downloading, the local PDF file will not retain SharePoint's custom column metadata.
