Understanding Metadata in SharePoint
Overview
Metadata is information about a document that helps describe, organize, and locate it. Unlike the content within a document, metadata provides details such as the document type, owner, academic year, or classification.
In SharePoint, metadata is stored alongside the document and can be used to sort, filter, group, and search for information more effectively.
Rather than relying solely on folders to organize documents, SharePoint uses metadata to categorize information. This allows the same collection of documents to be viewed and organized in multiple ways without moving files between folders.
For example, a document could be categorized by both its document type and the department responsible for it, making it easier to find regardless of how users choose to search.
Why Metadata Is Important
Metadata helps users:
- Find documents more quickly
- Filter and sort large document libraries
- Group related documents together
- Improve search results
- Reduce the need for complex folder structures
When metadata is used consistently, documents become easier to manage and locate over time.
A Simple Example
Consider an online shopping website.
When searching for a product, you might filter by:
These attributes are all examples of metadata. They describe the product and help narrow down search results.
The same principle applies to documents in SharePoint.
For example, if you are looking for a policy document, you might search or filter by:
- Department owner (such as Human Resources or Technology Services)
- Document type
- Academic year
- Renewal date
Metadata allows you to quickly locate the documents you need without manually browsing through folders.
Choosing Useful Metadata
Effective metadata should provide meaningful information that users are likely to search for or use when organizing documents.
As a general rule:
- Include metadata that helps users find or identify documents.
- Avoid collecting information that will rarely be used.
- Keep metadata simple and relevant.
If a piece of information is unlikely to be used for searching, filtering, sorting, or reporting, it may not be necessary metadata.
Acadia Metadata Fields
Acadia provides a standard set of metadata fields that are available across departmental document libraries. Site owners may also create additional metadata fields for their specific business needs.
*Name (Required)
The file name of the document, including its file type (for example, Word, Excel, or PDF).
Title
A descriptive title for the document. This can be more meaningful and user-friendly than the file name.
*Document Type (Required)
Categorizes the content of the document.
Examples may include:
- Agenda
- Minutes
- Policy
- Report
Document Types are managed centrally. If a new Document Type is required, a Service Request can be submitted.
*Classification (Required)
Identifies the department, unit, or functional area associated with the document.
For example:
- Technology Services
- Human Resources
- Registrar's Office
This field typically defaults based on the department site and can contain multiple values.
Classifications are managed centrally. Additional Classifications can be requested through a Service Request.
Academic Year
Identifies the Academic Year associated with the document.
This field defaults to the current Academic Year and is updated centrally each September. An Ongoing option is available for documents that are not tied to a specific Academic Year.
Fiscal Year
Identifies the Fiscal Year associated with the document.
This field defaults to the current Fiscal Year and is updated centrally each April. An Ongoing option is available for documents that are not tied to a specific Fiscal Year.
Degree
Used to associate a document with a specific degree program when applicable.
Degrees are managed centrally. Additional Degree values can be requested through a Service Request.
Required Metadata Fields
Metadata fields marked with an asterisk (*) are required and must be completed before a document can be saved to the library.
The current required metadata fields are:
- Name
- Document Type
- Classification